OVERVIEW

Make a difference to people's lives on a broad scale with Deakin's Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion. Graduates can register with the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE), with Deakin being the only Victorian university to hold this accreditation. This course gives you the expertise needed to address the causes of poor health and to improve wellbeing, by combining approaches involving community engagement, policy development, research, education and the media.

Gain extensive practical experience throughout your course, including at least 120 hours of work experience in a health-related agency in your final year. You will be able to start building professional networks while putting your knowledge and skills to use in a practical setting under the supervision of qualified practitioners. By combining a strong theoretical base with hands-on learning in the field, you will graduate confident and career ready.

COURSE STRUCTURE

To complete the Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion students must attain 24 credit points. Most units (think of units as 'subjects') are equal to one credit point. In order to gain 24 credit points you will need to study 24 units (AKA 'subjects') over your entire degree. Most students choose to study 4 units per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters each year.

The 24 credit points include 16 core units (these are compulsory) and 8 elective units (you can choose which ones to study), that can be taken from any faculty.

Job growth in the health sector continues to increase as public health issues - such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, food access, sedentary lifestyles and ageing populations - affect healthcare systems globally.

These are just some examples, and with many other public health issues becoming more prevalent, you can mould your career around those that match your interests and passions in the health field. Throughout your degree, we frequently discuss different case studies to help spark ideas for your unique career pathway.

Career opportunities in government and private sector roles across Australia and internationally include:

• community development coordinator
• health policy developer
• health promotion officer
• health researcher
• program development coordinator
• program evaluator
• social planning officer
• women’s health officer.

You may find employment in a range of health areas including:

• tackling chronic illness (such as asthma, arthritis and heart disease), plus developing and implementing prevention strategies
• healthy eating
• mental health
• physical activity and environmental health
• social inclusion
• women’s health.