Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2025 (28/07/2025 - 22/11/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Health & Rehab Sci School
This course focuses on principles of community development, health promotion, health policy and occupational justice issues at global, community, societal, and systems levels. It engages students with seeing themselves as global citizens and healthcare professionals with citizenship responsibilities in relation to advocacy, justice and systems reform. It will engage students with a global occupational therapy community through the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, and develop in them an awareness of the policies of the United Nations and the World Health Organisation. In addition to global issues, issues of national and local significance will be addressed relevant to enabling people to participate fully in their life & occupational roles.
This course relies on students' strong understanding of occupational perspectives, and an ability to apply this understanding to the course content which includes analysis, planning, implementation, and reflection on social change strategies. It is for students in the final year of their occupational therapy education. The course is based on a well-developed understanding of ﾠoccupational therapy ﾠgained via coursework and practice education, especially ﾠperson -centred approaches, sociological understandings, inclusive communities, cultural responsiveness, and the ways in which environment/context influences occupational engagement.
Course requirements
Assumed background
This course relies on students' strong understanding of occupational perspectives, and an ability to apply this understanding to the course content which includes analysis, planning, and implementation of social change strategies. It is for students in the final year of their occupational therapy education. The course is based on a well-developed understanding ofﾠoccupational therapyﾠgained via coursework and fieldwork/practice education, especiallyﾠperson centred approaches, inclusive communities, and the ways in which environment/context influences occupational engagement.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
OCTY7826, OCTY7827, OCTY7828
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
OCTY4207
Restrictions
Master of Occupational Therapy Studies
Jointly taught details
This course is jointly-taught with:
- OCTY4207
All learning activities and assessments are shared between OCTY4207 and OCTY7830
Course contact
Tutor
Course staff
Lecturer
Guest lecturer
Dr Alison Nelson
Clinical educator
Dr Emma Crawford
Ms Ashley Potgieter
Dr Laura Bergade
Mrs Kathryn Martin
Miss Alice Zuber
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Intensive orientation and course content is provided during Weeks 1 and 2 of semester - in-person attendance at these sessions (Week 2) is required (see assessment details) ﾠfor preparation for placement. This includes orientation in partnership with the Institute For Urban Indigenous Health and the Murri School; ﾠmeeting with Uncle Cheg, an Elder from the Murri School; ﾠmeeting with Clinical Educators for the placement; and engaging in activities with peers to support preparation for placement assessment items.
Placement will occur during weeks 4-13 of semester. A mid-way check-in class is also required. Each student will attend a 5 week placement block consisting of 4 consecutive weeks and one additional week at a separate time to support sustainability of the program and handover. Details of placement allocations are made available during the first two weeks of semester.
Aims and outcomes
This course aims to provide final year students with a perspective onﾠoccupational therapy practice with consideration of occupational injustice and human rights. The course considers local, national, and international issues. It aims to equip students with skills for culturally responsive practice, analysing occupational injustices and human rights issues, implementingﾠcommunity development skills,ﾠadvocacy, and strategy development to address structural barriers to occupational engagement for communities.
This is acknowledged as a direction for cutting-edge, contemporary and future occupational therapyﾠpractice and requires graduates to focus at a broader level than traditional individual person-centred occupational therapy interventions. The core skills possessed by occupational therapists that enable them to address human rights issues andﾠoccupational injusticesﾠin order to work towards social change are addressed. Students are required to reflect on the links between the theoretical content of the course and their practice experiences during fieldwork in groupﾠreflections. They are also required to analyse,ﾠdevelop, and describeﾠsocial change advocacy strategies including community/population-focused strategies using a variety of media. Advocacy strategies will also be implemented.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
The Social Change ABC (analysis, briefing and critical reflection)
|
40% |
18/08/2025 2:00 pm |
| Placement |
Session Planning
|
35% Must pass |
6/08/2025 - 30/10/2025
Please see task description and group allocations for due date details. |
| Placement |
Cultural Responsiveness Placement
|
25% Must Pass |
6/08/2025 - 30/10/2025
There is no option for extension/deferral of this assessment item. |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
The Social Change ABC (analysis, briefing and critical reflection)
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
18/08/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L03, L05, L06, L08
Task description
This assignment provides an opportunity to interpret the content fro guest presentations and academic literature. You will analyse the issues and project work presented by guest speakers in light of occupational justice, human rights and social change approaches (advocacy, health promotion and participatory approaches). This assignment requires synthesis and interpretation of theory and information from real-world application of the concepts.
The guest presenters will speak to their own work. Then in this analysis, you will select one of the guest presentations and bring together your understanding from the presentation, the course’s key concepts, and information from research literature to describe
1) Analysis: A description of the issue from occupational justice and human rights lenses.
2) Your vision for a better world: description of the change you envision.
3) Briefing:
a. Provide an example of one project/initiative/activity that the guest presenter discussed and identify the social change approach (advocacy, health promotion, or participatory approaches) that you feel is reflected in their work. Justify why you have identified this approach. Select 3 aspects of the identified approach and relate them to the guest presenters work.
b. Considering multi-level responsiveness, how did the guest presenter describe working at various levels (individual though to socio-political)?
c. Provide a summary of one research article that provides support for or further insights pertaining to the selected project/initiative/activity that you have described. The audience of your overview is the guest lecturer and their organisation - this section of the assignment by students with the top three (3) marks for this assignment in each topic will be shared with the guest lecturers as a contribution towards their work in social change.
4) Critical reflection
a. Opportunities and challenges: Formulate a descriptive list of three opportunities and a descriptive list of three potential challenges that might exist for an occupational therapist working in this field of practice (e.g. FASD, refugee and asylum seeker services, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Hearing Health). Ensure that you consider multi-level occupational responsiveness that addresses the issue at individual, family and cultural, as well as socio-political levels?
b. What this means for you as an OT: select one of your chosen challenges and generate three ideas for ways to begin to address these challenge. One (only one) idea should involve online/social media. Two ideas should be offline ideas/strategies.
5) Critical reflection - reflexivity – GEMS only – up to 500 words: provide an account of how your perspective (as shaped by your past training and experience) might influence the ways in which you engage in social change work.
See the Task Description File on Blackboard.
AI Statement: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT) are emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI and/or MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI or MT in each instance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Turnitin - Blackboard
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Session Planning
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- Team or group-based
- In-person
- Online
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance, Written
- Category
- Placement
- Weight
- 35% Must pass
- Due date
6/08/2025 - 30/10/2025
Please see task description and group allocations for due date details.
- Other conditions
- Work integrated learning.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L06, L07, L08
Task description
This group assessment involves collaborative development of session plans for implementation on the cultural responsiveness sessional placement at the Murri School. Session plans are submitted weekly and qualitative feedback is provided by a clinical educator. An overall mark is provided to the group after completion of the placement.
See Task Description Document the Blackboard.
AI Statement: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT) are emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI and/or MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI or MT in each instance.
A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Hurdle requirements
You must pass this assessment to pass OCTY7830 overall.Submission guidelines
Turnitin - Blackboard
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
This is a rolling group assessment item with 5 submissions that make up the overall assessment item. There is no option for extension/deferral of this assessment item.
Late submission
There are 5 submissions involved in this assessment item. For each of the session plan submissions, if submitted late, 10% of the overall mark will be deducted. For example, if all five (5) session plans are submitted late, 50% will be deducted.
Cultural Responsiveness Placement
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Activity/ Performance
- Category
- Placement
- Weight
- 25% Must Pass
- Due date
6/08/2025 - 30/10/2025
There is no option for extension/deferral of this assessment item.
- Other conditions
- Student specific, Work integrated learning.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L04, L06, L07, L08
Task description
This individual assessment piece includes a sessional placement at the Murri School (The Aboriginal and Islander Independent Community School) in Acacia Ridge in conjunction with the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH).
You will attend the Murri School, and engage in
o delivery of sessions
o communication with teachers, peers, clinical educators (e.g. by email, in classrooms, in organising materials and resources, in debriefing sessions)
o debriefing sessions which involve group reflections, critical thought and reflexive processes.
Students are expected to work with their group to deliver the sessions independently of their clinical educator, who is present for supervision, guidance, and to scaffold reflections. The clinical educator will step in to provide modelling, guidance and support if needed. Clinical educator feedback may be via direct comments to students, modelling of ways of interacting and engaging in the program or asking students questions (to prompt reflection). Clinical educators are also available to provide additional assistance in-line with the tasks that students are carrying out if asked by the student groups running the sessions.
See Task Description Document on the Blackboard.
Under no circumstances should identifiable clinical information be uploaded to open or external AI platforms, as it is unethical and irresponsible. Given this assessment is related to a placement with clinical information please see more information on use of AI in student placements under additional assessment information.
Hurdle requirements
You must pass this assessment to pass OCTY7830 overall.Submission guidelines
Attendance and performance on sessional placement at the Murri School.
Students must check-in on arrival at the Murri School online.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
See task description for details regarding non-attendance.
Late submission
See task description for details regarding non-attendance.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 34 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 35 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 54 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 55 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
Final marks falling between whole percentages will be rounded to the nearest whole percentage. Tie-breaking will be conducted using the round half up method whereby half-way values are always rounded up, meaning, for example, that 84.5% and above will be rounded to 85% and 84.49% and below will be rounded down to 84%.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This course contains ‘must pass’ assessment items.ﾠYou must pass Session Planning and Cultural Responsiveness Placement items to pass this course overall, i.e. even if your final percentage mark is 55% or higher the individual ‘must pass’ assessment items should be passed to pass the course overall. The Social Change Academy assignment is not a 'must pass' item.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Use of Generative AI in Assessments
Assessment tasks in this course evaluate students' abilities, skills, and knowledge without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students are advised that the use of AI technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Use of AI in Student Placements
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Models (e.g., ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Claude) is increasingly used in society. In terms of clinical placements, students are not permitted to use AI unless explicitly indicated by the provider that this use is permitted, and the parameters of use are clear. If these are not explicit, students are expected to consult with their practice educators before implementation to determine the acceptability of generative AI use and ensure that any potential risks associated with the intended use are addressed. AI is not a replacement of, or substitute for, professional reasoning or clinical skills. Human oversight is essential in its use, and to employ generative AI effectively and responsibly, students must understand how AI works, including its functions, data storage methods, and its impact on adherence to professional codes of conduct.
If used on placement, students are responsible for any outputs generated by AI, such as clinical notes and reports, and will be held accountable for the actions of any AI that is used in clinical practice. This responsibility includes ensuring adherence to the relevant profession's code of conduct and ethical standards. Transparency about generative AI use is essential in placement environments. Students must follow the relevant policies and procedures of their placement provider. Students are reminded that they need to demonstrate their ability to meet the inherent requirements of the relevant profession, operate within its scope of practice, and ensure that client/patient privacy and confidentiality are maintained at all times. Under no circumstances should identifiable clinical information be uploaded to open or external AI platforms, as it is unethical and irresponsible.
Resubmission/Resit of Assessment Items
The School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences supports the concept of resubmission or resitting of failed assessment items in specific and defined circumstances. In this course, only the Social Change Academy assessment component is eligible for consideration of the resubmission option if the assessment item was submittedﾠ on time.
After resubmission, the maximum result is a pass mark for that assessment component. Students who are granted a resubmission for an assessment item and do not submit by ﾠthe scheduled date will not be granted an extension.
Deferred exams
Students may be eligible for a deferred exam if there are exceptional or unavoidable circumstances, or as a one-off discretionary request. Deferred exam requests should be submitted as soon as possible, and no later than five calendar days after the date of the original exam.
Further details, including how to apply, can be found at -ﾠhttps://my.uq.edu.au/node/189/0#0. Please also email the Course Coordinator to advise of the deferred exam request.
Submitting assessment in Blackboard and Turnitin
When assessment is submitted through Blackboard you will receive a confirmation page as a digital receipt. This information will also be sent to your student e-mail account. Please ensure you keep this email.
When assessment is submitted through Turnitin you will receive a confirmation page displaying “Submission Complete!” and can then proceed to download your digital receiptﾠfrom yourﾠAssignment inbox.ﾠIt is suggested that you save a copy of the receipt for your personal records.
Instructions on how to submit assignments through Blackboard and Turnitin are available at: https://web.library.uq.edu.au/library-services/it/learnuq-blackboard-help/learnuq-assessment. Please review this information so you understand how to successfully submit your assessment items.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Using the course site on Learn.UQ
The School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences uses the Blackboard (Learn.UQ) (https://learn.uq.edu.au) and you are expected to login daily as this system, along with email, will be the primary way the School communicates with you regarding the program.ﾠThe Learn.UQ course site willﾠprovide course-specific announcements, lecture notes, learning resources and timetable information. Assessment is also required to be submitted electronically via theﾠLearn.UQ course site and your grades/feedback will be provided online.
Statement Regarding Class Attendance
As occupational therapists-in-training, occupational therapy students are required to develop a range of professional competencies that must be demonstrated as graduate therapists. OCTY coded courses aim to provide students with learning activities and experiences that support the development of these professional skills and behaviours. Thus, participation in tutorials and other practical sessions may be compulsory, and may therefore be monitored. Pass/fail criteria may be assigned for attendance, and marks awarded for the quality of contributions and appropriate participation in tutorials or practical sessions (Refer to PPL 3.10.02 Assessment). Students who do not participate appropriately may be required to contribute additional work to demonstrate their understanding of this component of the course. Students should ensure that they check assessment details in the assessment section of their ECP to confirm whether or not they will be enrolled in courses for which this statement applies.
ﾠ
Statement Regarding Provision of Lecture Content
Lecture notes will be provided on Learn.UQ (Blackboard) prior to lectures and/or tutorials whenever possible. Occupational Therapyﾠhas a policy that additional material and information conveyed during lectures and tutorials will not be supplied to students in electronic form after the class has finished. It is expected that students will take notes during classes to supplement the notes provided on Learn.UQ, as note taking enhances learning and recall of information.
It is the responsibility of students who are not able to attend a lecture/tutorial to liaise with other students to obtain content from missed classes. When available, lecture recording software (Echo360 or videoconferencing software such as Zoom) will be used.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 2 |
Lecture |
Introductory Intensive Classes Introductory and orientation information for the course delivered in a 2 week intensive format Sub-activity: Week 1: Introduction to course, key concepts (occupational justice and human rights), social change approaches (advocacy, health promotion, participatory approaches), social change guest lectures relevant to social change applied analysis assignment Week 2: Placement orientation (delivered by Alison Nelson and Emma Crawford, supported by clinical educators), Placement Yarn with Uncle Cheg and Sam from the Murri School (supported by Emma Crawford and Murri School clinical education team), social change guest lecture relevant to social change applied analysis assignment, placement workshops (facilitated by Emma Crawford, supported by clinical education team) Placement Block A: five (5) weeks of placement on Wednesdays from Weeks 4 - 8 Block B: one (1) week of placement between Weeks 4 - 8 and four (4) weeks of placement on Wednesdays between weeks 10 - 13 including 1-2 additional hours during week 9 (22 August). (approximately 4 hours/week on site/'direct client contact' for 5 weeks - 20 hours) Preparation, session planning and reflection (approximately 6h/week for 5 weeks - 30 hours) Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08 |
Multiple weeks From Week 3 To Week 13 |
Placement |
Cultural Responsiveness Sessional Placement Student placements over 5 weeks at the Murri School. Details of student groups and date allocations provided during semester. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L06, L07, L08 |
Week 9 (22 Sep - 28 Sep) |
Lecture |
Mid Semester Classes Review session (social change) for assignment and re-orientation (required for block B students) for sessional placement. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
You'll also need to be aware of the following policies and procedures while completing this course:
- Working with Children Policy
- Fitness to Practise Policy
- Vaccinations and Immunisation Procedure
- Work Integrated Learning and Work Experience Policy
- Student Travel Procedure
School guidelines
Your school has additional guidelines you'll need to follow for this course: