Bachelor of Pedorthics

Put your best foot forward in a degree that is the basis of an exciting professional future.

With a focus on biomechanics, foot function and improved mobility, our Bachelor of Pedorthics is the most advanced pedorthic education and training program in the country, and the only one of its kind offered by an Australian university.

Pedorthics is a person-centred field of allied health focused on creative design solutions for commercial and orthopaedic footwear and orthotic appliances; to improve body function, prevent injury and reduce the impact of disease and disability.

You'll learn about health conditions that impact the feet, the mechanics of gait, footwear design and production and even entrepreneurship. You'll develop your practical skills in our advanced on-campus laboratories and gain invaluable work experience through substantial placements. Our teaching team includes world leading certified pedorthists and multidisciplinary experts.

As a graduate, you will have the opportunity to work in a range of sectors, including health practices, disability services and the sporting and fashion footwear industries. You'll draw on your knowledge to perform comprehensive evidence-based assessments to diagnose conditions of the lower limb and be able to prescribe, design, and fabricate creative solutions by making orthotic appliances modifying footwear or custom-making orthopaedic footwear.

The course prepares graduates to work as members of the allied healthcare team, and includes a wide range of interprofessional experiences.

Studies include:

• evidence-based practice
• the Australian health care system
• psychology and sociology for health science practitioners
• biological, physical and medical sciences, including anatomy, physiology and systemic and lower limb medicine
• lower limb biomechanical assessments and the use of orthotic appliances and bracings, applied through a range of simulated and practical experiences
• hands-on manufacturing of custom-made orthopaedic footwear and the modification of pre-fabricated medical grade footwear
• knowledge in textiles including pattern making, materials and design
• skills on an array of machinery including grinding machines, vacuum presses and sewing machines located on-campus in our manufacturing lab that houses world class, top range technology and machinery.

A pedorthist is a rare and valued health professional. As a graduate you can work in your own practice, in lower limb clinics, for orthopaedic footwear companies, or in high risk foot clinics within a multidisciplinary team.

Some typical career paths in pedorthics include pain management of issues related to the foot, knee and back, diabetes foot management to prevent limb loss, disability health services, footwear design and manufacture, fashion footwear, paediatric corrective footwear and orthoses and in the sporting industry for elite performance or orthotic support.

To be eligible to receive the Bachelor of Clinical Sciences (Osteopathic Studies), students must complete the equivalent of 24 units (288 credit points), comprising:

• 21 core units (288 credit points).

Exit Awards

Students may be eligible to exit with an Associate Degree of Health and Human Sciences after completing 192 credit points, comprising any 16 core units. Students may be eligible to exit with a Diploma of Health and Human Sciences after completing 96 credit points, comprising any 8 core units.

Professional Experience Learning

This course includes professional experience learning. Pre-requisites to meet national and state-based regulatory requirements, as detailed on School of Health and Human Sciences Professional Experience page must be met prior to attending professional experience placement. All professional experience learning hours must be completed and professional behaviour and conduct must be demonstrated

Progression

Students are not permitted to have an extended period of more than 18 months between study of any two (2) units with professional experience learning. Students are not permitted to have an extended period of more than 18 months between study of a theory unit that relates specifically to a particular unit with professional experience learning. Students who have an interrupted study sequence of more than 18 months will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and may be required to undertake a specified supported professional experience placement to ensure professional experience currency prior to continuation of the course.

Inherent Requirements

Inherent Requirements apply to this course as defined on the Student Access & Inclusion website. Students who have a disability or health condition which may impact on their ability to meet these requirements are encouraged to visit the Student Access & Inclusion website for further information and contact details.