OCC1042 Human occupation and development
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
OCC1042 Human occupation and development is a level 1, 12-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, offered in 2026 in Semester 2 at Peninsula. It needs OCC1021 and OCC1011 and unlocks 1 unit, leading on to 9 units in all.
- Credit points
- 12
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 2
- Peninsula
- Assessment
- Exam 35%
- and 5 other tasks
- Workload
- 20 hours
- per semester
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before OCC1042
Prohibitions
You can't enrol if you have passed any of these.
Prerequisites
Pass these before you enrol.
After OCC1042
1 unit list OCC1042 as a prerequisite or corequisite.
Enrolment rules
Must be enrolled in M3001
Overview
You will learn about the principles and mechanisms underlying the relationship between persons, their environments and occupations; and how it relates to human health and wellbeing.
The concept of occupation will be described, and how people shape and are shaped by their engagement in occupation and their environmental context across the lifespan.
This unit will describe how individuals change and develop as they age, exploring the occupational processes inherent in human development, and in doing so examining the progressive cognitive, physical, emotional, behavioural, psychosocial and occupational changes that occur with age.
You will engage in experiential exercises to support and reinforce their learning of human occupation and life-stage development concepts, including participation in a community-based volunteering experience.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester | Peninsula | On campus |
Assessment
- Group oral presentation (20 mins. presentation)Presentation10%
- Individual written report (1,500 words)Written15%
- Group written essay (2,000 words)Written20%
- Individual written essay (2,000 words)Written20%
- Individual Written Exam (2 hours and 10 minutes)Examination35%
- Participation in practice based education - reflective journal (500 words) (Pass/Fail)Work integratedCompetency hurdle-
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Describe and explain classifications of human occupation, and how the interaction of person-environment-occupation relates to health and wellbeing
- 2
Articulate and contrast contemporary developmental lifespan concepts, theories and research
- 3
Identify and discuss the physical, cognitive, emotional, behavioural, social and occupational aspects of development across the lifespan, and the influence on development of external factors
- 4
Locate, retrieve and use resources to identify the relationship between persons, their environments and occupations and key occupational science concepts relevant for practice
- 5
Identify data collection methods, collect and analyse data on the occupational performance of self and others
- 6
Describe observations and critique these in relation to developmental theories about typical childhood occupations
- 7
Examine issues relevant to a health professional as well as reflect upon work completed as a team after participation in a community-based volunteering experience
- 8
Demonstrate effective presentation skills in written, visual and verbal modes
Workload and teaching
- Seminars24 hours
- Tutorials48 hours
You will complete 45 hours of practice education placement experience over the course of the semester.
Four (4) hours per week of community placement has been calculated in the unit workload requirement.
You will be required to travel locally to the community-based organisation to complete your placement hours.
Community placement counts towards the minimum 1,000 hours of placement experience that is a requirement for student graduation and course accreditation (OT Council).
Total per week: 24 hours per week
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Simon Leadley
- Ms Kate Garam
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Simon Leadley
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for OCC1042?
You need OCC1021 and OCC1011 before you enrol. Enrolment rules also apply.
What can I take after OCC1042?
OCC1042 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 1 unit, including OCC3051. Those lead on to 9 units in all.
When is OCC1042 offered?
In 2026, OCC1042 runs in Semester 2 at Peninsula.
How much work is OCC1042?
The handbook expects about 20 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does OCC1042 have an exam?
Yes. The exam is worth 35% of the final mark, alongside 5 other tasks.