Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion/Bachelor of Commerce
2025 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2025 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion / Bachelor of Commerce |
| Deakin course code | D388 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health |
| Campus | Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong) |
| Online | Yes |
| Duration | 4 years full-time or part-time equivalent |
| Course Map - enrolment planning tool | This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2025 Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| CRICOS course code | 031151F Burwood (Melbourne) |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7 |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Indicative student workload
- Professional recognition
- Career opportunities
- Participation requirements
- Mandatory student checks
- Pathways
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Course structure
- Work experience
- Third party arrangements
- Other learning experiences
- Fees and charges
Course overview
Deakin's Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion/Bachelor of Commerce combined course allows you to take your commercial knowledge into the fast-growing health sector, or your health expertise into the commercial world. Graduates can register with the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE), with Deakin being the only Victorian university to hold this accreditation. You will also gain a globally recognised commerce qualification and entry into professional commerce careers by learning to solve real commercial challenges alongside industry leaders.
The hands-on experience you will undertake in a health-related agency will equip you with the skills needed to work in a public health or health promotion role. Build a foundation of robust commercial and personal skills and pursue your passions by choosing to major in one of eight specialised areas of commerce. You will graduate ready to tackle a career with great scope in the booming health sector, the business sector or where the two intersect.
Do you want a broad and highly transferable skill set that helps you contribute to the wellbeing of individuals and societies?
This combined course gives you a thorough understanding of the social and environmental factors that cause poor health, as well as those that create and sustain good health. Examine how health is created and influenced in our society, and explore the different approaches for improving the population’s health.
Through community engagement, program planning and evaluation, capacity building, research, policy development and health communication you will develop professional practices that can be applied to a range of settings and population groups. You will also gain a professional business qualification through your studies in Commerce.
As a graduate, you will be well-prepared for a broad range of career paths – from business, marketing and management roles within the health industry, to health promotion and public health roles within the government, corporate, private and public sectors, including:
- community development officer
- community engagement officer
- health promotion officer
- health public relations officer
- health researcher
- medical marketing manager
- partnerships coordinator
- project manager
- social marketing officer
- social planning officer.
You will have opportunities to learn and collaborate with likeminded students in multidisciplinary teams, you will be exposed to both complementary and alternative health streams. You will also develop an understanding of the expertise and roles of different health professionals, many of whom you might find yourself working alongside in your future career.
Discover our health and community services courses.
Indicative student workload
As a student in the Faculty of Health you can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include lectures, seminars, practicals and online interaction. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time.
Professional recognition
Gain the professional recognition you need to make your mark in health or business sectors, or where the two intersect.
Deakin’s Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion is fully accredited by the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE). This accreditation enables our health promotion graduates to register with the IUHPE as a registered Health Promotion Practitioner (HPP), securing you global as well as Australian recognition.
Graduates may also be eligible to become members of the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) and obtain professional accreditation as the Australian Health Promotion Association (AHPA).
Deakin Business School holds the prestigious and globally recognised AACSB and EQUIS accreditations, which attest to quality, academic and professional excellence, ongoing improvement, innovation and graduate employability.
- Deakin's accounting major enables students to apply for the:
- CA Program of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ)
- Associate membership for the CPA Program
- IPA Program of the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA)
- Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). - The marketing major provides a one-year credit towards the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI) five-year Certified Practicing Marketer and Chartered Marketer certification.
- Students who complete the finance major are recognised through the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program.
- The financial planning major satisfies the Financial Adviser Standards (FAS) education standards, meaning students can provide financial advice in Australia and are eligible for financial planning certification programs including:
- the Financial Adviser Association of Australia (FAAA) CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®. - The human resource management major enables students to apply for the Australian HR Institute (AHRI) membership.
Students should consult the professional body or a course adviser to identify additional requirements for membership.
Note: All information regarding professional recognition is accurate at the date of publication. Enquiries regarding accreditation and professional membership should be directed to the School of Health and Social Development or Deakin Business School in order to ascertain the current status of accreditation at any future point in time beyond publication. Representations about accreditation apply only to the course, and the relevant professional body retains discretion as to whom they admit as members of their association. Deakin University cannot exercise any control over membership of an external body.
Career opportunities
As a graduate of this course you may find employment in either of these professional areas and work with groups such as children, adults, the disadvantaged and employees. Knowledge of business and health issues assists with executive management positions within the health industry that have policy development, budget and staff management responsibilities.
As a graduate you may qualify to work in positions such as:
- Health Promotion Officer
- Community Development Officer
- Social Planning Officer
- Health Educator
- Women’s Health Officer
- Health Policy Developer
- Planning Officer
- Health Researcher
- Partnerships Coordinator
- Program Evaluator.
You will be prepared for a diverse range of employment areas including but not limited to healthy eating, physical activity, mental health, social inclusion, chronic illness (such as asthma, arthritis, heart disease) and women’s health.
The opportunities available to you will be somewhat dependent on the major sequence you choose to undertake as part of your degree.
The degree is a foundation for Honours and postgraduate study that leads to a research career in public health and/or health promotion or commerce.
Participation requirements
The course contains a core Health Practicum unit that aims to provide students with an in-depth, working understanding of public health-health promotion principles and approaches in the field. Students are required to undertake a minimum of 120 hours of work experience in a health-related agency.
In addition to developing a practical understanding of public health and health promotion, this experience will help students further develop the professional and personal skills required to work in a public health and/or health promotion role.
Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.
Mandatory student checks
Working with Children Check
Applicants will be required to hold a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) for the relevant state prior to undertaking placements as part of this course. Further information and guidance will be provided to students when they enrol into their placement unit. Learn more about the Working with Children Check.
Police record check
Applicants will be required to hold a valid National Police Record Check for placements as part of this course. Further information and guidance will be provided to students when they enrol into their placement unit.
Pathways
Upon graduation, you may go on to complete further study in health by applying for Deakin's Master of Public Health, Master of Health Promotion, Master of Health Economics or Master of Health Management. You may also be eligible for postgraduate study in business and commerce.
Alternative exits
Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion (H313)
Bachelor of Commerce (M300)
Course Learning Outcomes
See course entry for Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion (H313) or Bachelor of Commerce (M300).
Course rules
To complete the Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion/Bachelor of Commerce students must pass 32 credit points and meet the following course rules to be eligible to graduate:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in their first study period
- 16 credit points from the Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion
- 16 credit points of core units
- 16 credit points from the Bachelor of Commerce
- 8 credit points of core units
- 1 commerce major (8 credit points)
- a minimum of 4 credit points at level 3 which must be Faculty of Business and Law units course grouped to a Faculty of Business and Law undergraduate degree
- Course requirements for both the Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion and Bachelor of Commerce must be satisfied
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements. See the enrolment codes and terminology to help make sense of the University’s vocabulary.
Course structure
Core Units
Level 1 - Trimester 1
| DAI001 | Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0 credit points) |
| HBS107 | Understanding Health |
| HSH102 | Disease Prevention and Control |
| MAA103 | Accounting for Decision Making |
| MAF101 | Fundamentals of Finance |
Level 1 - Trimester 2
| HBS108 | Health Information and Data |
| HSH103 | Health Protection |
| MAE101 | Economic Principles |
| MLC101 | Law for Commerce |
Level 2 - Trimester 1
| HSH112 | Local and Global Environments for Health |
| HSH208 | Health Communication |
| MIS171 | Business Analytics |
| MMM132 | Management |
Level 2 - Trimester 2
| HSH113 | Social Perspectives on Population Health |
| HSH212 | Professional Practice |
| MMK101 | Marketing Fundamentals |
| MWL101 | Professional Insight |
Level 3 - Trimester 1
| HSH205 | Epidemiology and Biostatistics 1 |
| HSH323 | Program Planning, Management and Evaluation |
Plus two commerce major units
Level 3 - Trimester 2
| HSH216 | Epidemiology and Biostatistics 2 |
| HSH219 | Population Health: A Research Perspective |
Plus two commerce major units
Level 4 - Trimester 1
| HSH302 | Politics, Policy and Health |
| HSH318 | Implementation and Evaluation |
Plus two commerce major units
Level 4 - Trimester 2
| HSH303 | Health Practicum |
| HSH313 | Contemporary Health Issues |
Plus two commerce major units
Commerce Major sequences
Refer to Bachelor of Commerce (M300) course page for Commerce major sequences options
Work experience
Public Health and Health Promotion
The Health Practicum unit requires you to undertake a minimum of 120 hours of work experience in a health-related agency. In addition to developing a practical understanding of public health-health promotion, this experience will help you further develop the professional and personal skills required to work in a public health-health promotion role.
Course duration
Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.
Further information
Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.
- Contact Student Central
Third party arrangements
Placement agreements are compliant with the Student Placement Procedure.
Placement partners establish and operate facilities with the capacity to educate Deakin students relevant to the partner’s core business (which is health and course related), supervising the development of industry skill-sets and training for each individual over 120 hours.
Quality assurance arrangements
External benchmarking with Curtin University has been completed.
Other learning experiences
Students are invited to participate in study tours – previous examples have included Cambodia and India.
Fees and charges
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, and their study discipline or your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.