The Master of Clinical Rehabilitation is a 54-unit program which provides three pathways of study. Pathway 1 comprises 36 units of coursework and a 13.5-unit Research Project and 4.5 units of Research Design. Pathway 2 comprises 40.5 units of coursework and a 9-unit Advanced Rehabilitation Practice Project and 4.5 units of Research Design. Pathway 3 comprises 18 units of coursework and a 36-unit Thesis. The course is offered by the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences and is available in external mode only.

The Graduate Certificate in Clinical Rehabilitation and the Graduate Diploma in Clinical Rehabilitation have topics in common with the Masters program and students who hold either the graduate certificate or graduate diploma receive credit for related topics.

Admission requirements

Applicants who do not hold the Graduate Certificate in Clinical Rehabilitation or the Graduate Diploma in Clinical Rehabilitation must normally hold an approved degree or equivalent qualification from an approved tertiary institution and have not less than two years work experience in a relevant clinical area. However, the Faculty Board may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

At the Board's discretion, credit may be granted for comparable prior studies.

Course aims

The Master of Clinical Rehabilitation has three pathways:

Pathway 1 - aims to enable individuals from any health professional background to deepen their knowledge base and skills in a variety of areas of Rehabilitation Practice. In addition, students will have the opportunity to develop research or practice expertise in an area of Clinical Rehabilitation and to apply this to a specific research or evidence-based Practice Project.

Pathway 2 - enables students to review the principles and practice of Clinical Rehabilitation and then focus their study on one area of clinical practice including undertaking a significant Research Project.

Pathway 3 - enables students to review the principles and practice of Clinical Rehabilitation and then complete a 36 unit Thesis as a Research Higher Degree.

Specifically, the course aims to:

  • review the principles and practice of Clinical Rehabilitation and apply these to contemporary practice;
  • model a team approach to problem solving, assessment and management within rehabilitation;
  • enable practitioners to analyse and apply evidence-based practice in rehabilitation;
  • enable students to study rehabilitation approaches and/or interventions across a number of practice areas or on one area in detail.

Learning outcomes

Students can expect to graduate with the:

  • ability to describe and apply the principles, processes and practice of Clinical Rehabilitation
  • ability to describe and apply teamwork principles and concepts in Clinical Rehabilitation
  • skills to plan, implement and evaluate rehabilitation plans in a client-centred framework for people that present in the Clinical Rehabilitation setting
  • ability to appraise a rehabilitation program or service
  • ability to describe and distinguish the assessment and management of a variety of conditions that present in the Clinical Rehabilitation setting
  • ability to identify, critically analyse and apply evidence for rehabilitation approaches and techniques
  • ability to plan and conduct a research or evidence-based project in rehabilitation.

Program of study

To qualify for the Master of Clinical Rehabilitation, a student must complete 54 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to one of the pathways of study below.

Not all topics are necessarily available in a given year.

  • the coursework component must be completed before the research component commences
  • no topic may be taken more than twice
  • the program must be completed full-time within four consecutive semesters or part-time within ten consecutive semesters; a lesser period may be set for students granted credit for previous studies.

The award of a grade of Fail (F) in 18 units or more may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purposes of the University's Policy on Student Progress.

Core - Year 1 & 2 topics

REHB8019  The Study of Rehabilitation Practice  (4.5 units)
REHB8020  Tools for Effective Rehabilitation Practice (4.5 units)
REHB9034  Rehabilitation Research Methods  (4.5 units)
REHB9101  Clinical Rehabilitation Project Design  (4.5 units)

Plus either

REHB9103  Advanced Rehabilitation Project Implementation and Evaluation  (9 units)

or

REHB9102  Clinical Rehabilitation Research Project Implementation and Evaluation  (13.5 units)

or

REHB9200   Masters Thesis in Clinical Rehabilitation (36 units)

Option - Year 1 & 2 topics

Select 27 units, 22.5 units (to make a total of 54 units) from the following topics:

REHB8014  Using Virtual Reality and Robotics in Neuro-rehabilitation  (4.5 units)
REHB8015  Applied Exercise Therapy in Rehabilitation  (4.5 units)
REHB8023  Psychosocial Aspects of Clinical Rehabilitation  (4.5 units)
REHB8024  Counselling & Education in Clinical Rehabilitation  (4.5 units)
REHB8025  Rehabilitation of Traumatic Brain Injury  (4.5 units)
REHB8026  Early Rehabilitation Following Stroke  (4.5 units)
REHB8027  Rehabilitation of Degenerative Neurological Disorders  (4.5 units)
REHB8028A  Rehabilitation of Musculoskeletal Disorders A  (4.5 units)
REHB8028B  Rehabilitation of Musculoskeletal Disorders B  (4.5 units)
REHB8029  Pulmonary Rehabilitation  (4.5 units)
REHB8030  Clinical Rehabilitation Practice  (9 units)
REHB8031  Rehabilitation Following Spinal Cord Injury  (4.5 units)
REHB8032  Rehabilitation Nursing  (4.5 units)
REHB8033  Stroke Rehabilitation  (4.5 units)
REHB8042   Neurological Gait and Balance Analysis and Wearable Sensor Technology in Rehabilitation  (4.5 units)