Subjects within this course use a mix of delivery modes including face-to-face, online and a combination of both.

While most subjects in the course are delivered on-campus, others are delivered online, providing a flexible learning approach. Enrolment in the course is full-time only and requires on-campus attendance.

The teaching approach in this course is designed to foster your development as an independent learner so you will be able to extend your capabilities once you graduate.

The teaching method includes recorded lectures, lectorials, seminars, tutorials, workshops, practical and laboratory sessions, site visits, and provision of online materials.

You will be expected to complete all prescribed out-of-class learning activities in preparation of scheduled face-to-face and online classes, and encouraged to extend your learning through additional recommended readings and online activities.

Of particular importance is the time spent in practice, laboratory-based and work-integrated learning (WIL) activities that will develop your employability skills and capabilities.

All subjects use Canvas for electronic provision of subject material, tutorial problems and/or other relevant documents.

Assessment is designed to give you the opportunity to demonstrate your capabilities.

Various forms of assessment will be used throughout the course since the assessment you undertake will be appropriate to the objectives and student learning outcomes for each subject.

Assessment may include class tests, quizzes, essays/reports, oral class presentations, group projects, research projects, Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) or practical exams, laboratory projects, practical assignments, reflective journals, and end-of-semester examinations (required by Professional Accreditation bodies).

The Master of Clinical Osteopathy includes several work-integrated learning (WIL) subjects.

As a student enrolled in this course you will:

• undertake and be assessed on structured activities that allow you to learn, apply and demonstrate your professional or vocational practice
• interact with industry and community when undertaking these activities
• complete these activities in real work contexts or situations
• be assessed on professional clinical practice in a workplace setting (real or simulated)
• receive feedback from people involved in your industry.

You’ll engage with subjects that include on-campus WIL activities in RMIT Health Sciences clinic and industry placements where you will complete your learning and assessment in real workplace environments.

These environments are designed to simulate real workplaces in their function, equipment and mode of operation so that you can experience a variety of scenarios and inter-related activities similar to real work experience.

The knowledge and skills you will acquire throughout this associate degree and how they can be applied in your career are described in the learning outcomes.

Throughout this degree, you will be required to attend face-to-face practical classes on campus 1-2 days a week.

You can expect 72 weeks of placement for the duration of the course—4 hours of placement per week for 36 weeks of each year of study.

You can also expect to have up to 5 contact hours per week per unit of study and an additional 5 hours of study/self-directed learning.

In these final 2 years of the 3+2 package, you will be specifically trained to be able to work as an osteopathy clinician in the healthcare system in Australia.

Throughout the 2 years, you will undertake clinical training through work placements in a number of different contexts, exposing you to a wide variety of musculoskeletal clinical presentations across different patient ages.

Here are some other key components of each year:

You'll be introduced to clinical decision making and western medical diagnosis, focusing on clinically related knowledge and the presentations of common clinical conditions.

You'll study pain mechanisms, understanding how pain presents, as musculoskeletal disorders are often accompanied by some level of pain and discomfort.

You'll also get a really good understanding of public health, enabling you to develop public health strategies and campaigns.

You'll develop your research capability by establishing a research question and a clinical question, then undertaking a substantial project to be able to deliver outcomes or answers to your questions.

You'll also learn about business and entrepreneurship in health, with the opportunity to build management, business and leadership skills that are essential for effective osteopathy practice.

Finally, your capstone subject Osteopathic Professional Practice Portfolio is a culmination of your prior osteopathy academic, clinical and professional learning and experience, preparing you to transition to professional life.