M2012 Bachelor of Public Health

The course develops through four themes: Personal and professional development; Population, communities, health and illness; Scientific basis of health care; and Professional practice skills. These themes are interwoven in units throughout the course, structured in two parts: Part A.  Foundation studies and Part B. Public health.

Theme 1. Personal and professional development

These studies will develop your understanding of the roles, responsibilities and expectations of health professionals and the personal and professional attributes you will need in the workplace. These include communication and interpersonal skills, teamwork, critical thinking, ethical and legal issues, and reflective practice. You will also learn about research methodologies and the application of research to the field of health.

Theme 2. Population, communities, health and illness

The focus of these studies is the social, environmental and behavioural contexts of ill health, disease and injury and broad societal issues such as health promotion, the application of epidemiology and statistics in the assessment of health risk in populations, public health, community diversity, population and global health. You will also develop a sound understanding of evidence-based practice.

Theme 3. Scientific basis of health care practice

These studies provide the foundation scientific knowledge of human systems including; physical, biomedical, mathematical and behavioural sciences.

Theme 4. Professional practice skills

This theme addresses competencies for practice within the field of public health including programs to promote health and prevent disease. There will a focus on the incorporation of the best available research evidence with the clinical reasoning skills of assessment, management, evaluation and health care across the lifespan and across a spectrum of environments and circumstances.

Course progression map

The course progression map provides guidance on unit enrolment for each semester of study.

• BMA1011 Foundation of anatomy and physiology for health practice 1
• BMA1012 Foundations of anatomy and physiology for health practice 2
• HSC1100 Research and evidence in health
• HSC1200 Public health and prevention
• HSC1300 Human health and disease
• HSC1400 Healthcare systems
• HSC2100 Current health challenges
• HSC2200 Health across the lifespan
• HSC2300 Health promotion and disease prevention

Part B: Public health studies (90 points)

You must complete:

• PBH1102 Health Communication
• PBH1104 Global health
• PBH2001 Foundations of epidemiology
• PBH2002 Foundations of biostatistics
• PBH3002 Infectious disease prevention and control
• PBH3009 Chronic disease prevention and control

and one of:

• PBH2003 Culture, society and health
• PBH2007 Indigenous health and cultural safety

and two of:

• PBH2005 Health program planning
• PBH2006 Treatments and technologies
• PBH2008 Health policy and politics
• HSC2400 Career skills for health professionals

and three of:

• PBH3003 Environmental determinants of health and disease
• PBH3004 Health program evaluation
• PBH3005 Social and behavioural sciences
• PBH3011 Biostatistics for health
• PBH3013 Social media and health*

and three of (at least one of which must be PBH3008 or PBH3014):

• PBH3008 Global and public health
• PBH3010 Health data in practice
• PBH3013 Social media and health*
• PBH3014 Professional experience placement
• FOR3001 Principles of forensic medicine and science

*PBH3013 is a summer elective. Students who choose PBH3013 are advised to complete it in Summer between years 2 and 3. Enrolment in the summer semester after year 3 will mean that graduation is delayed.