Occupational Therapy

To graduate from the Occupational Therapy degree programme, you must:

• successfully complete all the classes and internships
• produce two Bachelor’s theses which must both receive a pass mark
• pass the Bachelor‘s examination

Your title on graduation will be “Bachelor of Science in Health Studies (BSc)“.

Our students have to prepare two Bachelor’s theses, one in the fifth semester and one in the sixth semester. These are intended to show that the students are able to address a problem in the field of occupational therapy and present the results in a scientific form. The students are individually supported and supervised by members of the teaching staff. Students can choose the topic themselves; suggestions for topics are also available at the Institute. It is possible, and recommended, to work with other degree programmes and students as long as the shared work allows individual assessment.

The first Bachelor’s thesis is a practice-related literature survey 15 to 20 pages long. It should deal primarily with quality management in occupational therapy and the occupational therapy process. The focus is on interdisciplinary cooperation with other health-related professions.
The second Bachelor’s thesis (25 to 35 pages in length) can elaborate on project or empirical work.

The Bachelor’s examination is held after all the courses and internships of the sixth semester have been successfully completed and within a suitable period after the practical exam. Both the Bachelor’s theses must already have achieved a pass.

During the Bachelor’s examination students demonstrate that they possess the fundamental skills and abilities of an occupational therapist. They also show that they have acquired a knowledge of the methods, systematics and terminology of occupational therapy. The Bachelor’s examination is an oral exam held before an examination board consisting of a chairperson, the head of institute and other members of the teaching staff. It is open to the public.

The Bachelor’s examination consists of two parts:

• presentation of both Bachelor’s theses and oral examination of the thesis
• connections to relevant subjects in the curriculum

During the exam the student is required to analyse a practical case example.

Having completed the degree programme our graduates have the option of pursuing a Master’s degree in a particular specialism. In Austria part-time courses are offered at the Universities of Applied Sciences in Tyrol and Vienna. These courses enable graduates to combine their scientific expertise with practical experience and to expand on their knowledge of the subject.

Some European countries cooperate to offer an English language course on the subject for which our graduates fulfil the entry requirements.

Our graduates are also able to join the Master’s degree programme in Health, Tourism and Sport Management here at FH JOANNEUM.