Overview
Overview
This course is multidisciplinary, giving you a solid grounding in public health. You can use the degree to work in the area of public health or as a pathway into other health degrees such as speech pathology, pharmacy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
Public health practitioners work to achieve better health through the prevention of disease and disability. Rather than working with individual clients, public health practitioners work at the community or whole population level. They pay special attention to how social, economic and environmental factors affect health and wellbeing.
First year
This course is highly flexible, letting you select from a broad range of optional units which prepare you to transition into the health course of your choice. You can choose the units you need to meet the prerequisites for health courses including pharmacy, speech pathology, physiotherapy or occupational therapy.
Specialisations
Prior to the start of your second year of study, you'll have a choice of specialisation. Specialisations are a set of units designed to hone your knowledge and skills in a particular area.
Health Sciences specialisation
This specialisation lets you combine studies in public health disciplines including health promotion, epidemiology and biostatistics, environmental health, occupational health and safety, and global public health administration with a range of optional units. Career outcomes are diverse and you'll be able to tailor your learning to suit the healthcare career of your choice.
Health Data specialisation
In this specialisation, you'll learn how to analyse big data to reveal patterns and trends, and learn about data capture, cyber security, data visualisation and how artificial intelligence and machine learning are being used in health. You'll also grow your interpretive and decision-making skills and know how to present your results effectively to different audiences.
Please refer to the handbook for additional course overview information.
What jobs can the Health Sciences course lead to?
Careers
- Administrative officer
- Community development officer
- Data management officer
- Policy officer
- Project officer
- Research officer
Industries
- Health research
- Local and state government
- Non-government organisations
What you'll learn
- apply discipline knowledge, understand its theoretical underpinnings and ways of thinking; extend the boundaries of knowledge through research
- apply logical and rational processes to analyse the components of an issue; think creatively to generate innovative solutions
- decide what information is needed and where it might be found using appropriate technologies; make valid judgements and synthesise information from a range of sources
- communicate in ways appropriate to the discipline, audience and purpose
- use appropriate technologies recognising their advantages and limitations
- use a range of learning strategies; take responsibility for one's own learning and development; sustain intellectual curiosity; know how to continue to learn as a graduate
- think globally and consider issues from a variety of perspectives; apply international standards and practices within a discipline or professional area
- respect individual human rights; recognise the importance of cultural diversity particularly the perspective of Indigenous Australians; value diversity of language
- work independently and in teams; demonstrate leadership, professional behaviour and ethical practices
