Faculty of Health and Social Sciences
CODE
51069
SUBCODE
51069-OTF-OTP-ONF-ONP-MHF-MHP-MSF-MSP
ENTRY

Sept 2027 Entry

STUDY MODE
Mixed Mode
DURATION

1 year (Full-time)
2.5 years (Part-time)

CREDIT REQUIRED

31

FUND TYPE
Self-Financed

The Postgraduate Scheme in Rehabilitation Sciences comprises the following awards:

  • MSc in Advanced Occupational Therapy 深造職業治療學理學碩士學位
  • MSc in Advanced Physiotherapy 深造物理治療學理學碩士學位
  • MSc in Advanced Rehabilitation Sciences 深造康復科學理學碩士學位
Application Deadline
Local - Mixed Mode
Sept 2027 Entry
Not inviting applications
Non-local - Mixed Mode
Sept 2027 Entry
Not inviting applications

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About Programme
How to Apply
Aims & Characteristics

Programme Aims
To equip students with advanced knowledge and professional skills in occupational therapy or a chosen area of clinical specialism within occupational therapy, to enable them to meet changing needs in occupational therapy practice and contribute to the development of specialised practices.

To equip students with the lifelong ability to critically analyse and evaluate ongoing practice to enhance the quality of occupational therapy practice.

To foster students' knowledge and skills in occupational therapy or areas of clinical specialism relevant to the discipline, to improve their professional competence in advanced occupational therapy practice.


Characteristics
To enhance the integration of people with disabilities into mainstream society, rehabilitation practices should be equally emphasised across hospitals, rehabilitation centres, clients’ homes and communities, and workplaces. Our MScAdOT equips occupational therapists with advanced knowledge and skills, grounded in a strong theoretical and scientific foundation of evidence-based practice that is responsive to both personal and environmental factors across diverse or specialised practice settings. The programme enables students to meet the changing needs of clients and contribute to the development of occupational therapy practices both locally and internationally. Besides the Generic advanced occupational therapy stream, the programme also offers unique professional specialisations in Neurology, Mental Health, and Musculoskeletal practice, tailored to the specific interests and career goals of students who aspire to become future leaders in these areas.

Please note that this programme does not confer eligibility for registration with the Occupational Therapists Board of Hong Kong.

Curriculum

To graduate from the programme, each student will be required to complete 31 credits to receive the award. These 31 credits are divided into three levels: (a) 3 Compulsory Subjects (7 credits), (b) 1 Project Study (6 credits), and (c) 6 Elective Subjects for the Generic stream (18 credits), or 3 Core Subjects (9 credits) and 3 Elective Subjects (9 credits) for each of the three Specialism streams (see table below).

 

Levels

MScAdOT 
(Generic, without specialism) 

51069-OTF/OTP

MScAdOT 
(Neurology) 

51069-ONF/ONP

MScAdOT 
(Mental Health) 

51069-MHF/MHP

MScAdOT (Musculoskeletal) 

51069-MSF/MSP

Credit values

Compulsory subjects

RS517 Research Methods and Data Analysis

3

RS5200 Advanced Occupational Therapy Study

3

HTI5T04 Academic Integrity and Ethics (Health and Social Sciences)

1


Project study

RS567 Project Study


6

Core subjects for the three specialisms

 

RS5201
Current Development in Neurological Rehabilitation


RS5228
Principles and Concepts in the Diagnostic Procedures of Mental Disorders

RS5216
Musculoskeletal Injury and Repair

3


RS5202 
OT Management for Upper Extremity Participation in Neurological Conditions


RS607 
Brain and Behaviour


RS5212
Advanced OT Practice in Hand Rehabilitation

3

RS510
Neuro-psychological Rehabilitation

RS520
Vocational Rehabilitation

RS520
Vocational Rehabilitation

3

Elective subjects [six elective subjects for the generic programme; three elective subjects for each of the three specialisms]


Students can choose six from all postgraduate subjects listed in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences (refer to subjects listed in the right side as the examples), on condition that they fulfil the pre-requisite of each subject they have selected, as the elective subjects. 

Students can choose three from all postgraduate subjects listed in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, on condition that they fulfil the pre-requisite of each subject they have selected, as the elective subjects. 

For example:

  • RS593 Sensory and Motor Intervention for People with Developmental Disabilities

  • RS5223 Management of Executive Function Deficits for People with Developmental Disabilities

  • RS537 Psychosocial Rehabilitation for People with Developmental Disabilities

  • RS5225 Primary Healthcare for Rehabilitation Professionals

  • RS52261 Theory and Practice of Robotics and Smart Systems for Rehabilitation

18 for the generic programme

 

9 for the three programmes with specialism

 

Credit Required for Graduation

31

Programme Leader(s)

Scheme Leader
Prof. Karen Liu
PDOT, BSc, MPhil, PhD, FOTARA, HKROT, OT Registered (AHPRA), OTR

Programme Leader
Prof. Will Chien
BSc (NTU), MEd (JCU), PhD (Monash)

Programme List Remarks

(This programme admits students in alternate years and will not invite applications for admission in 2027/28. For programme details, please visit the RS homepage.)

Subject Area
Advanced Occupational Therapy
Entrance Requirements
  • A Bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from PolyU or a recognised institution or the equivalent, preferably with one year of post-qualification work experience in occupational therapy; 
    OR
  • A professional diploma in occupational therapy from PolyU or a recognised institution or the equivalent, with two years of work experience and evidence of continuous education over the past two years.

 

If you are not a native speaker of English, and your Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification is awarded by institutions where the medium of instruction is not English, you are expected to fulfil the University’s minimum English language requirement for admission purpose. Please refer to the "Admission Requirements" section for details.

 

Individual cases will be considered on their own merit. Applicants may be required to attend interviews or tests to further demonstrate their language proficiency.

Enquiries

For academic matters, please contact:    
Prof. Will Chien   
Tel: (852) 2766 6703   
Email: will.chien@polyu.edu.hk

 

For general matters, please contact:    
General Office   
Tel: (852) 2766 6728   
Email: rsmsc@polyu.edu.hk

Other Information

For programme details, please visit the RS homepage.

Tuition Fee

No admission in 2027/28, offered in alternate years

Student Message

As the MScAdOT programme was newly designed in 2025 as an upgrade of the original MScOT programme, its first intake of students was in the 2026/27 academic year, while the first cohort of graduates is expected in 2027/28. At this stage, prospective students may refer to student messages from the previous MScOT programme for reference, as they reflect relevant experiences with the foundational structure and teaching team.

Additional Documents Required
  • CV
  • Personal statement or a self-recommendation letter which includes self-introduction, career aspirations and reasons for pursuing study in the programme
  • Copy of transcript / graduation certificate of relevant academic qualification
  • Copy of certificate of relevant professional qualification
  • Copy of English examination results, e.g. TOEFL, IELTS, if your Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification is awarded by institutions where the medium of instruction is not English
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