Build advanced skills for safe and competent osteopathic practice.
Not applicable
AU$33,600 (2025 annual)
The Master of Clinical Osteopathy is part of the 3+2 osteopathy package. Complete the Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences (Osteopathy plan) and start your Master's degree from Semester 1 2027.
Building on your foundational knowledge and skills from the Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Osteopathy), prepare to transition to clinical practice in the Master of Clinical Osteopathy.
Aligning with the Australian Osteopathic Accreditation Council education standards, the Master of Clinical Osteopathy integrates theory and clinical sciences with clinical skills and application in a 2-year, sequenced course structure.
Specifically, you'll be trained to take a thorough history to understand the context of a patients' musculoskeletal disorders. You'll learn to assess a patient's function, make a diagnosis, and offer up treatment and management strategies.
You'll also practise hands-on methods for diagnosing and treating physical ailments, allowing you to restore function, relieve pain, and improve mobility.
Throughout the course, you'll be exposed to both real-life and simulated clinical scenarios, so you can explore, integrate and apply academic and practical knowledge. This activity is facilitated, supervised and assessed by Ahpra Osteopathy Board of Australia registered practitioners.
Upon successful completion, you'll be able to register as an osteopath with the Australian Health Practitioner Agency (Ahpra). You'll be able to apply a deep and enhanced knowledge of osteopathy in healthcare practice across the lifespan. You’ll possess a range of high-level analytical skills, as well as specialised knowledge of the regulatory frameworks relevant to osteopathy.
Be exposed to industry experts and real-world practices through the strong work-integrated learning component in this course.
This degree is aligned with the Australian Osteopathic Accreditation Council education standards.
On graduation, register as an osteopath with the Australian Health Practitioner Agency (Ahpra).
Subjects within this course use a mix of delivery modes including face-to-face, online and a combination of both.
While most subjects in the course are delivered on-campus, others are delivered online, providing a flexible learning approach. Enrolment in the course is full-time only and requires on-campus attendance.
The teaching approach in this course is designed to foster your development as an independent learner so you will be able to extend your capabilities once you graduate.
The teaching method includes recorded lectures, lectorials, seminars, tutorials, workshops, practical and laboratory sessions, site visits, and provision of online materials.
You will be expected to complete all prescribed out-of-class learning activities in preparation of scheduled face-to-face and online classes, and encouraged to extend your learning through additional recommended readings and online activities.
Of particular importance is the time spent in practice, laboratory-based and work-integrated learning (WIL) activities that will develop your employability skills and capabilities.
All subjects use Canvas for electronic provision of subject material, tutorial problems and/or other relevant documents.
Assessment is designed to give you the opportunity to demonstrate your capabilities.
Various forms of assessment will be used throughout the course since the assessment you undertake will be appropriate to the objectives and student learning outcomes for each subject.
Assessment may include class tests, quizzes, essays/reports, oral class presentations, group projects, research projects, Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) or practical exams, laboratory projects, practical assignments, reflective journals, and end-of-semester examinations (required by Professional Accreditation bodies).
The types of classes you have will depend on the course you’re studying. Classes are offered in various formats designed to provide meaningful engagement with staff, industry and peers and provide for access and use of spaces where learning can be applied and active, including an array of specialised equipment.
Most RMIT courses do not include passive large-scale classes such as lectures, instead the content traditionally provided in lectures is made available online. This may be in the form of readings, videos or other on-demand learning materials. This content will also support the basis of interactive learning that takes place in on-campus classes.
The Master of Clinical Osteopathy includes several work-integrated learning (WIL) subjects.
As a student enrolled in this course you will:
You’ll engage with subjects that include on-campus WIL activities in RMIT Health Sciences clinic and industry placements where you will complete your learning and assessment in real workplace environments.
These environments are designed to simulate real workplaces in their function, equipment and mode of operation so that you can experience a variety of scenarios and inter-related activities similar to real work experience.
The knowledge and skills you will acquire throughout this associate degree and how they can be applied in your career are described in the learning outcomes.
Throughout this degree, you will be required to attend face-to-face practical classes on campus 1-2 days a week.
You can expect 72 weeks of placement for the duration of the course—4 hours of placement per week for 36 weeks of each year of study.
You can also expect to have up to 5 contact hours per week per unit of study and an additional 5 hours of study/self-directed learning.
In these final 2 years of the 3+2 package, you will be specifically trained to be able to work as an osteopathy clinician in the healthcare system in Australia.
Throughout the 2 years, you will undertake clinical training through work placements in a number of different contexts, exposing you to a wide variety of musculoskeletal clinical presentations across different patient ages.
Here are some other key components of each year:
You'll be introduced to clinical decision making and western medical diagnosis, focusing on clinically related knowledge and the presentations of common clinical conditions.
You'll study pain mechanisms, understanding how pain presents, as musculoskeletal disorders are often accompanied by some level of pain and discomfort.
You'll also get a really good understanding of public health, enabling you to develop public health strategies and campaigns.
You'll develop your research capability by establishing a research question and a clinical question, then undertaking a substantial project to be able to deliver outcomes or answers to your questions.
You'll also learn about business and entrepreneurship in health, with the opportunity to build management, business and leadership skills that are essential for effective osteopathy practice.
Finally, your capstone subject Osteopathic Professional Practice Portfolio is a culmination of your prior osteopathy academic, clinical and professional learning and experience, preparing you to transition to professional life.
Choose a plan below to find out more about the subjects you will study and the course structure.
Note: International student visa holders can only study full-time.
Upon completion of this master's degree, graduates are eligible to apply for registration as an osteopath with the Osteopathy Board of Australia.
As Ahpra-registered practitioners, osteopaths commonly work in private clinics and multidisciplinary clinics offering services related to musculoskeletal health rehabilitation and management.
Other examples of osteopathy careers are working in residential aged care facilities, occupational rehabilitation and management consultancies, insurance companies, and some government agencies such as WorkCover or TAC.
Alternatively, you may choose to pursue further study or research pathways.
The Master of Clinical Osteopathy program of study is not yet accredited by AOAC or approved by the Osteopathy Board of Australia and will not lead to registration as an osteopath in Australia under the approved qualification pathway, National Law Section 53a.
A submission for program accreditation has been lodged by RMIT with AOAC and is currently under consideration. The AOAC will confirm an outcome in accordance with their processes and timelines.
Application for registration to the Osteopathy Board of Australia and professional membership with Osteopathy Australia is your responsibility. Without registration under Ahpra, osteopaths cannot practise in Australia. Osteopathy Australia offer opportunities for networking, representation and advocacy, and courses for continuing professional development.
You need to satisfy all of the following entry requirements to be considered for entry into this degree.
Applicants must have completed the BP231OST Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Osteopathy) plan at RMIT University.
There are no prerequisite subjects required for entry into this qualification.
A selection task is not required for entry into this qualification.
You must meet the University's minimum English language requirements to be eligible for a place in this program.
The Osteopathy Board of Australia requires all applicants to demonstrate that they meet the Ahpra English Language Skills Registration Standard prior to entry to the course. Please refer to the Osteopathy Board of Australia website for further information on how to demonstrate the Standard and any conditions that apply.
Most applicants for this course (MC284 Master of Clinical Osteopathy) will have already demonstrated that they meet the Standard as part of their application for the undergraduate course (BP231OST Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Osteopathy)).
For MC284 applicants who were not previously asked for this, we will contact you with instructions on how you can demonstrate this as part of your application.
You need to satisfy all of the following requirements to be considered for entry into this degree.
You must have successfully completed a qualification recognised by RMIT as equivalent to the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) with a minimum average of 65% (see calculator below).
Equivalent qualifications may also include completion of the RMIT Foundation Studies program or a recognised post secondary diploma in the relevant discipline with the required grades.
Meeting the minimum academic requirements does not guarantee entry. Your application will still need to be assessed and accepted.
There are no prerequisite subjects required for entry into this qualification.
A selection task is not required for entry into this qualification.
To study this course you will need to complete one of the following English proficiency tests:
For detailed information on English language requirements and other proficiency tests recognised by RMIT, visit English language requirements and equivalency information.
Don't meet the English language test scores? Complete an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Advanced Plus at RMIT University Pathways (RMIT UP).
The following information outlines the tasks you will be required to undertake during professional experience placement and on-campus learning activities.
The non-academic abilities listed are provided for your information only and are not entry requirements.
If there are any activities outlined which may be difficult for you to undertake, there are a range of adjustments to your study conditions available to enable and support you to demonstrate these abilities. Please contact the Equitable Learning Service to discuss any adjustments you may require.
By understanding the types of activities you’ll participate in, you can:
If you are living with disability, long-term illness and/or a mental health condition, we can support you by making adjustments to activities in your program so that you can participate fully in your studies.
To receive learning adjustments, you need to register with Equitable Learning Service
The University considers the wellbeing and safety of all students, staff and the community to be a priority in academic and professional experience placement settings.
If you are successful in obtaining a place in this program, you must meet a number of professional compliance requirements upon commencement of your studies.
Immunisation requirements will depend on the placement organisation. Students will need to check the immunisation requirements of the placement organisation before commencing their placements.
Please note: A full course of immunisation requirements can take up to 7 months. It is essential to confirm these requirements with the School as soon as possible.
For more information or if you have any questions about these requirements please contact RMIT Connect – Work and Study Opportunities where your enquiry will be dealt with accordingly.
*All relevant screening and compliance check fees are the responsibility of the student.
Graduates of RMIT's Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Osteopathy) (BP231OST) are guaranteed entry into a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) in the Master of Clinical Osteopathy.
Credit, recognition of prior learning, professional experience and accreditation from a professional body can reduce the duration of your study by acknowledging your earlier, relevant experience.
Credit and exemptions will be assessed consistent with the principles of the RMIT Credit Policy.
Upon successful completion of this degree, you may be eligible for entry into an RMIT Masters by Research or Doctoral (PhD) program.
You can gain entry to this masters degree from a range of RMIT undergraduate programs, if you meet the entry requirements.
Credit may reduce the duration of your study by acknowledging your earlier, relevant study experience.
When you are submitting an application, please indicate that you want to be considered for credit and provide detailed course syllabus (also known as course outline), outlining volume of learning, course content and weekly topics, learning objectives/outcomes, assessment types and their weightings, and reference to the learning resources such as prescribed textbooks and recommended readings.
Credit and exemptions will be assessed consistent with the principles of the RMIT Credit Policy.
Upon successful completion of this degree, you may be eligible for entry into an RMIT Masters by Research or Doctoral (PhD) program.
This program has full-fee places, with a limited number of Commonwealth supported places (CSP).
Government financial assistance is available to eligible students regardless of the type of place you enrol in.
Amounts quoted are indicative fees per annum, and are based on a standard year of full-time study (96 credit points). A proportionate fee applies for more or less than the full-time study load.
*Fees are adjusted on an annual basis and these fees should only be used as a guide.
For information on how to pay your fees or how to apply for a refund, please see Paying your fees and applying for refunds.
If you are offered a full-fee place, you will need to pay the full tuition costs of your program. However, eligible students (such as Australian citizens or holders of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa) may apply to defer payment of some or all of their tuition fees via the Commonwealth Government’s FEE-HELP loan scheme.
If you are offered a Commonwealth supported place, your tuition fees are subsidised by the Australian Government.
Your share of the fee (student contribution) is set on an annual basis by the government and is determined by the discipline areas (bands) of your individual enrolled courses, not the overall program.
The Australian Government has introduced changes to university funding and student contribution fees under its Job-ready Graduates Package.
The fees in the table below apply to students who commence their program in 2025. Fees for continuing students are available at fees for Commonwealth supported students.
Each course (subject) falls into a band. The band determines the student contribution amount for the course.
Amounts listed in the table below are based on a standard, full-time study load (96 credit points per year) with all courses in the same band. A proportionate fee applies for more or less than the full-time study load or for enrolment in courses (subjects) from a combination of bands.
You can learn how to calculate your exact tuition fees for units from different bands at Fees for Commonwealth supported students.
Student contribution band by course (subject) |
Maximum annual student contribution amount (per EFTSL) in 2025 |
|---|---|
| Education, Postgraduate Clinical Psychology, English, Mathematics, Statistics, Nursing, Indigenous and Foreign Languages, Agriculture | $4,627 per standard year $578 per standard (12 credit point) course |
| Allied Health, Other Health, Built Environment, Computing, Visual and Performing Arts, Professional Pathway Psychology, Professional Pathway Social Work, Engineering, Surveying, Environmental Studies, Science, Pathology | $9,314 per standard year $1,164 per standard (12 credit point) course |
| Dentistry, Medicine, Veterinary Science | $13,241 per standard year $1,655 per standard (12 credit point) course |
| Law, Accounting, Administration, Economics, Commerce, Communications, Society and Culture | $16,992 per standard year $2,124 per standard (12 credit point) course |
On 1 January 2022, the Government implemented the Student Learning Entitlement (SLE).
For more information about SLE, visit Study Assist.
In addition to tuition fees, you will be charged an annual student services and amenities fee (SSAF), which is used to maintain and enhance services and amenities that improve your experience as an RMIT student.
The SSAF is calculated based on your enrolment load and the maximum fee for 2025 is $365.
You may also be required to purchase other items related to your course, including field trips, textbooks and equipment. These additional fees and expenses vary from course to course.
Eligible students (such as Australian citizens or holders of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa) may apply to defer payment of some or all of their tuition fees via the Commonwealth Government’s FEE-HELP loan scheme.
You may be eligible to apply to defer payment of the Student services and amenities fee (SSAF) through the SA-HELP loan scheme. If you use SA-HELP, the amount will be added to your accumulated HELP debt.
If your FEE-HELP and/or SA-HELP loan application is successful, the Australian Government will pay RMIT, on your behalf, up to 100% of your fees. This amount will become part of your accumulated HELP debt.
You only start repaying your accumulated HELP debt to the Australian Government once you earn above the minimum income threshold for repayment, which is set each year by the Australian Government (this also applies if you are still studying). The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will calculate your compulsory repayment for the year and include this on your income tax notice.
For more information about loan repayment options see Commonwealth assistance (HELP loans) or Study Assist.
You may be eligible to apply for income tax deductions for education expenses linked to your employment.
See the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) for more information.
RMIT awards more than 2000 scholarships every year to recognise academic achievement and assist students from a variety of backgrounds.
The annual tuition fee for 2022 is AU$XX,XXX.
The total indicative tuition fee for 2022 commencement is AU$XX,XXX.
In addition to tuition fees you also need to pay for:
You also need to account for your living expenses. Estimate the cost of living in Melbourne.
In addition to tuition fees, you will be charged an annual student services and amenities fee (SSAF), which is used to maintain and enhance services and amenities that improve your experience as an RMIT student.
The SSAF is calculated based on your enrolment load and the maximum fee for 2025 is $365.
Find out more details about how fees are calculated and the expected annual increase.
Find information on how to apply for a refund as a continuing international student.
RMIT awards more than 2000 scholarships every year to recognise academic achievement and assist students from a variety of backgrounds.
Use our Frequently Asked Questions to learn about the application process and its equity access schemes, find out how to accept or defer your offer or request a leave of absence, discover information about your fees, refunds and scholarships, and explore the various student support and advocacy services, as well as how to find out more about your preferred program, and more.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.
