The Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy at Wits is a four-year professional degree training students to help people participate in meaningful daily activities despite physical, psychological, or developmental challenges. All applicants must write the National Benchmark Tests and complete a minimum of 16 hours of job shadowing with an occupational therapist. Students develop skills in assessment, treatment planning, and rehabilitation across paediatric, psychiatric, physical rehabilitation, and community settings. South Africa's high rates of disability from trauma, stroke, HIV, and mental illness create sustained demand for occupational therapists, particularly in under-resourced communities where the profession is critically under-represented.
English Home Language or English First Additional Language: Level 4
Mathematics: Level 4
Life Sciences or Physical Sciences: Level 4
APS: 36 (composite index)
Occupational Therapist (Physical Rehabilitation) – Rehabilitates patients recovering from stroke, orthopaedic injuries, and neurological conditions in South African hospitals and rehabilitation centres, registered with the HPCSA.
Paediatric Occupational Therapist – Provides developmental and sensory integration therapy for South African children with autism, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, and developmental delays.
Psychiatric Occupational Therapist – Facilitates recovery and community reintegration for patients with mental health conditions in South African psychiatric hospitals and outpatient programmes.
Medico-Legal Expert – Prepares functional capacity assessments and expert reports on the impact of injuries for legal proceedings in South African civil courts, working for attorneys and insurance companies.
Community-Based Rehabilitation Practitioner – Implements disability-inclusive community development programmes for South African NGOs and local government, applying an occupational justice framework.
