Program Overview

RMIT's combination of the three-year Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Osteopathy) and the two-year Master of Clinical Osteopathy provides a comprehensive education in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal disorders, ensuring you are thoroughly prepared to become an osteopath.

Osteopaths train in diagnosis, management and treatment of musculoskeletal pain disorders. They advise on exercise, rehabilitation and lifestyle management, and perform manual therapy techniques.

As an osteopath, you will make treatment decisions that depend on the patient as well as their condition. This means combining conventional medical testing procedures and skills of palpation and motion testing to inform your clinical rationale for treating a patient's condition.


Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Osteopathy)

The Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Osteopathy) introduces you to the fundamentals of osteopathy and biomedical science. You will be grounded in academic knowledge of the human anatomy and physiology, specifically the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, respiratory and nervous systems of the human body.

You will learn about human movement and function, physical assessment of the human body, common musculoskeletal conditions across the lifespan, and principles of exercise and rehabilitation management. Through simulated clinical scenarios, you will get to practise these techniques.

Your capstone experience subject, undertaken in the final semester of the bachelor's degree, will see you improve your ability to gather and interpret health information, then employing clinical reasoning to develop differential and working diagnoses. This is the culmination of your academic studies in biomedical science and osteopathy.


Master of Clinical Osteopathy

Building on the foundational knowledge and skills you will have developed in the Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Osteopathy), you will prepare to transition to clinical practice in the Master of Clinical Osteopathy.

A focal part of this course is work-integrated learning (WIL). You will undertake WIL activities at the RMIT Health Clinic and other industry placements, designed to simulate real workplaces in their function, equipment and mode of operation so that you can experience a variety of scenarios. You will be assessed on professional clinical practice and receive feedback from industry practitioners.