Bachelor of Disability and Developmental Education (Honours)

No further student intake

The Bachelor of Disability and Developmental Education (Honours) requires four years of full-time study (or equivalent part-time).

The course is offered by the College of Nursing and Health Sciences

• Admission requirements
• Course aims
• Learning outcomes
• Program of study

Admission requirements

A student who has completed the first three years of the Bachelor of Disability and Developmental Education may be accepted as a candidate for the Honours degree providing they have achieved a GPA of 5 or greater in their completed studies.

Course aims

The Bachelor of Disability and Developmental Education (Honours) aims to:

• equip students with specific work-integrated knowledge and skills that can be applied in a range of disability and related multidisciplinary health and human services environments. 
• equip graduates to work successfully in a research environment and/ or on a specific research project 
• prepare successful graduates for higher degree research studies and/or research in the professional disability and developmental education setting.

The course prepares students for employment as disability and developmental educators, community rehabilitation professionals, and researchers.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the course, graduates should be able to:

• apply positive disability and human diversity perspectives to professional practice
• promote the physical and emotional well-being of people with disabilities
• recommend upon and teach functional skills such as social, self-care, recreational, communication and language, and employment skills
• develop and implement positive behavioural support, learning and lifestyle plans
• work with families and care-givers to enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities
• support individuals with disabilities to access and maintain meaningful vocational experiences
• utilise advocacy, negotiation and person-centred planning to facilitate community inclusion of people with disabilities
• develop and provide case management and counselling support for people with disabilities and their associates
• apply research, problem solving and evaluation skills to professional practice with people with disabilities and their associates
• work independently or as part of a team.
• be able to identify research problems in disability and formulate answerable research questions
• develop an advanced level of knowledge in an area of specialisation in disability
• be capable of planning and conducting research to answer well-justified research questions
• be able to present their findings to academic and lay communities
• possess skills and knowledge in project design, implementation, and dissemination (e.g., design, funding, ethics, data collection, analysis, and presentation of findings).

Program of study

To qualify for the Bachelor of Disability and Developmental Education (Honours), a student must complete 144 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the program of study set out below.

Not all topics are necessarily available in a given year.

The award of a grade of Fail (F) in the same topic on more than one occasion or failure to complete the course within eight consecutive years may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purpose of the University's Policy on Student Progress.

Core - Year 1 topics

36 units comprising:

 DSRS1201  Perspectives on Disability and Rehabilitation  (4.5 units)
 DSRS1202  Lifespan Development  (4.5 units)
 DSRS1206  Health Issues and Disability  (4.5 units)
 DSRS1209  Human Diversity  (4.5 units)
 DSRS1210  Interpersonal and Interprofessional Communication  (4.5 units)
 DSRS1211  Introduction to Neurological Rehabilitation  (4.5 units)
 DSRS1215  Communication and Language  (4.5 units)
 DSRS1216  Introduction to Principles of Learning  (4.5 units)

Core - Year 2 topics

36 units comprising:

 DSRS2230  Mentoring and Advocacy for People with Diverse Learning Needs  (4.5 units)
 DSRS2231  Augmentative and Alternative Communication  (4.5 units)
 DSRS2232  Practicum A - Disability and Community Rehabilitation  (4.5 units)
 DSRS2234  Direct Instruction  (4.5 units)
 DSRS2235  Professional Ethics for Disability Practitioners  (4.5 units)
 DSRS2236  Practicum B - Disability and Community Rehabilitation  (4.5 units)
 DSRS2237  Employment & Disability  (4.5 units)
 DSRS2220  Family & Professional Partnerships  (4.5 units)

Core - Year 3 topics

36 units comprising:

 DSRS3235  Community Development, Funding & Tendering in Human Services  (4.5 units)
 DSRS3221  Positive Behaviour Support  (4.5 units)
 DSRS3222  Counselling  (4.5 units)
 DSRS3233  Practicum C - Disability and Community Rehabilitation  (9 units)
 DSRS3234  Case Management  (4.5 units)
 HLTH3102  Qualitative Methods in Social Health Research  (4.5 units)
 HLTH3105  Quantitative Methods for Social Health Research  (4.5 units)   

Core - Year 4 topics

36 units comprising:

 DSRS9053 Advanced Practicum in Disability (4.5 units)
 HLTH7010A Health Honours Thesis A* (9/18 units)
 HLTH7010B Health Honours Thesis B* (9/18 units)
 HLTH7011 Contemporary Issues in Health Research (4.5 units)
 HLTH7013 Research Methods 1 (4.5 units)
 HLTH7014 Research Methods 2 (4.5 units)

*Part-time students may take this topic over four semesters by enrolling in HLTH7010C Health Honours Thesis C, HLTH7010D Health Honours Thesis D, HLTH7010E Health Honours Thesis E and HLTH7010F Health Honours Thesis F.