Major overview
The Health Promotion major is ideal if you're aiming to work directly with communities and organisations that build health equity, prevent illness and remove the drivers of poor health.
Rather than treating disease after it occurs, health promotion works upstream, addressing the social, economic, environmental and cultural conditions that affect people's health.
You'll learn to design and deliver evidence-informed programs, advocate for healthier policies, engage communities as partners in change – and evaluate what works.
This major brings together current thinking in health equity and social justice, culturally safe and First Nations-led approaches, mental health promotion, chronic disease prevention, planetary health, and digital and media-based communication.
How to study this major
A major is a set of eight or more units you complete as part of a degree, including at least two in your final year. To study this major, you’ll need to apply for one of the degrees listed below.
Degrees
Some units vary between degrees but provide similar core knowledge and learning experiences.
Career outcomes
In Australia, professional roles across health promotion and health diagnostics are expected to grow by 24% by 2035.¹ Demand is particularly strong in community health, mental health, preventive care, and public health policy.
Careers
- Health promotion practitioner
- Health promotion advisor/consultant
- Health project/research officer
- Health policy officer/consultant
- Community development advisor
- Workplace health advisor
- Public health officer
- Health educator
- Program coordinator
- International development worker
- Health research officer
Industries
- Community health
- Health research
- International aid
- Government
- Non-government organisations (NGOs)
- Business
- Education
- Digital health and media
¹ Source: Jobs and Skills Australia – Employment Projections.
Professional accreditation and recognition
Accredited by the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE). Graduates are eligible to become IUHPE Registered Health Promotion Practitioners and join the Australian Health Promotion Association.
Why study at Curtin?
Professional recognition
Graduate with a degree accredited by the IUHPE. You'll be ready to register as an IUHPE Health Promotion Practitioner and accelerate your career.
Work experience
Build your practical skills across each year of study, culminating in 100 hours of professional placement.
Work where health is determined
Go beyond the clinic and into the settings where health is shaped, working with communities, policymakers and organisations to create healthier, more equitable lives.
Major structure
In your first year, your core studies include public health, epidemiology and biostatistics, along with the social factors that influence health outcomes – such as income, housing, education and discrimination, and how these contribute to health inequalities.
In your second year, you’ll develop practical skills to design and deliver health promotion strategies across a range of settings. Through community-based projects and industry engagement, you’ll apply these skills and take on more independent, practice-based work.
In your final year, your learning will focus on real-world health challenges, seeing you develop advanced leadership and practice capabilities. You'll build the skills to advocate for systemic change and drive broad-reaching impact on population health. This includes examining global and planetary health issues, such as the health impacts of climate change, and exploring health promotion in workplaces, schools and communities.
The year concludes with a practical capstone project, where you can work on a real health challenge and develop evidence-based solutions.
This course includes 100 hours of professional placement in a health promotion setting, giving you hands-on experience and a direct pathway into the workforce.
You’ll graduate with skills that are practical, adaptable, and in demand across health, government, community and global settings.
Detailed course structure and unit information
For detailed information and course structure, visit our Handbook.
How to apply
This major is part of a degree. To apply, choose the degree you want to study and review its entry requirements. Then, prepare any required documents and submit your application before the deadline for your chosen intake.
After you receive and accept your offer, you can enrol in this major either at the start of your degree or later in your studies, depending on your course structure.
Choose your degree
To study this major, you'll need to apply one of the degrees listed below.Degrees
For full entry requirements, fees and information for international students, visit the course page.
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