School of Allied Health

Join a growing workforce of essential health care workers supporting people to optimise participation in their daily lives. Allied health professionals represent almost a third of Australia's health care workforce and are critical members of a multidisciplinary team. They play an important role in improving the health and wellbeing of people experiencing disability, chronic illness and a variety of other health issues.

School of Allied Health

Foster a world of well beings

The School of Allied Health at ACU offers undergraduate, postgraduate and research opportunities in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, social work and speech pathology. Our expert teaching team of academics and practitioners, clinicians and researchers will guide you all the way. And you’ll have access to our high-quality facilities and a range of diverse placement opportunities.

Course accreditation

Our allied health courses are accredited by industry bodies so you’ll be eligible to apply for your relevant industry organisation when you graduate. Find course specific accreditation and registration information on our course pages.

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Facilities and services

Develop hands-on skills in your discipline in our contemporary, state-of-the-art health simulation spaces, including mock hospital wards and a mock apartment fitted out with a range of medical and assistive technology.

View our facilities and services

Mental health

Occupational therapy

Physiotherapy

Rehabilitation

Social work

Speech pathology

Health clinics

ACU manages a number of on-campus health clinics open to the general public (including staff and students) offering services including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, social work and exercise physiology. Students from the Faculty of Health Sciences often complete placements at these clinics under the supervision of a clinician.

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Research

The School of Allied Health’s research expertise provides project and higher degree research opportunities in specialist areas of occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology and social work.

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Staff profile

Professor Elspeth Froude

Head of School

Professor Elspeth Froude is the National Head of School Allied Health responsible for the four disciplines represented in the school, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology. She was responsible for establishing the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy degree on the North Sydney campus. Elspeth is also serving a second term as Academic elected member of Senate.

Professor Froude serves the community outside the university also. Elspeth was the Chair of the Scientific Program Committee for the recent World Federation of Occupational Therapy Congress held in Paris (2022). Elspeth serves as the Vice President of ICAN, the International Cognitive Approaches Network. In particular, she continues to educate clinicians and the public about Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance Approach (CO-OP), the recommended evidence-based intervention to achieve participation and engagement in daily life for children with developmental coordination disorder and other populations across the lifespan.

Staff profile

Associate Professor Jane McCormack

Assistant Deputy Head, School of Allied Health, North Sydney

Jane McCormack is Associate Professor and Head of Speech Pathology at Australian Catholic University, Australia and Deputy Head of the School of Allied Health (NSW). Jane is a certified practicing member of Speech Pathology Australia and has worked in community health clinics, schools, and early intervention settings with children who have speech, language and communication needs. She teaches and researches in paediatric speech and language, the application of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF; WHO, 2001) in speech pathology, interprofessional practice and alternative models of speech pathology education and service delivery. She is a past winner of the Sir Robert Menzies Research Scholarship in the Allied Health Sciences (2010), the SCOPUS Young Australian Researcher of the Year for Humanities and the Social Sciences (2011), and a Runner-Up in the Pursuit Award for international research into childhood disability (2013, Canada). She was the National Tour Speaker for Speech Pathology Australia in 2015.

Meet our school staff

Find out more about the School of Allied Health staff, read their profiles and see their publication history.

Meet the team

Contact the School

Get in touch with the School of Allied Health and see where our offices are based on campuses across Australia.

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School of Allied Health