Bachelor of Health Sciences/Bachelor of Arts
2026 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2026 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Bachelor of Health Sciences/Bachelor of Arts |
| Course Credit Points | 32 |
| Deakin course code | D391 |
| Course version | 5 |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health |
| Course Information | For students who commenced from 2023 onwards |
| Campus | Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Online |
| Duration | 4 years full-time or part-time equivalent |
| Course Map - enrolment planning tool | This course map is for students commencing from Trimester 1 2026
Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| CRICOS code | 035503K Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong) |
| Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition | The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7 |
| Supplementary Information | Note - Online is not available to international students. |
Course sub-headings
- Course overview
- Indicative student workload
- Professional recognition
- Career opportunities
- Mandatory student checks
- Pathways
- Articulated courses
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Majors
- Course structure
- Work experience
- Research and research-related study
- Fees and charges
Course overview
Build a degree tailored to your interests with a Bachelor of Health Sciences/Bachelor of Arts. This flexible and diverse degree will equip you with a unique skill set that will unlock wide-ranging career opportunities and give you a competitive edge in the job market. With over 45 major options, you will develop specialist knowledge in your chosen disciplines and learn how to apply critical, creative and strategic thinking to solve real-world issues.
Explore meaningful ideas that matter to you with your arts studies. Get the critical thinking, communication and leadership skills needed to address current and emerging global challenges in a rapidly changing world. Along with your research, analysis and problem-solving skills you will be highly employable in many areas and prepared for a successful career in the largest and fastest-growing employment sector in Australia, with over half a million new jobs projected in the health care and social assistance sector by 2034.*
Are you looking to develop a cross-disciplinary skill set that empowers you to design your own future?
This combined degree gives you the freedom to choose majors based on your interests to connect and expand your career prospects. You will study equal parts health sciences and arts, ensuring you graduate with a well-developed skill set in both disciplines.
Build a solid foundation in health while developing your skills across a range of arts, communications, humanities and social science disciplines. Create original course combinations by choosing majors including (but not limited to):
- strategic advertising
- criminology
- disability and inclusion
- education
- family, society and health
- food studies
- health promotion
- indigenous studies
- international relations
- sport journalism
- media and communication
- physical activity and health
- politics and policy studies
- public health
- sociology
- sustainability and planetary health.
Do you have a desire to make a difference in the world or want to make an impact in your community? Then the Global Challenges minor may be for you. You will learn how to approach, understand and respond to the large challenges that face us today. Advance your creativity and critical thinking whilst taking your communications skills to the next level. You will become a future leader ready to problem solve the challenges you face.
The option to undertake an elective Health Practicum in your final year allows you to complete 120 hours of work experience in a health-related organisation. It’s a chance to apply your theoretical knowledge in a real-world context, build your professional networks and graduate with the confidence that comes from hands-on experience.
Our core Integrated Learning for Practice unit is designed to prepare you for the realities of working in interdisciplinary teams in your future profession. Working alongside students from other health-related degrees to solve a real-world problem for a client. The unit gives you the chance to bring together everything you’ve learned, both from your majors and core studies, and apply it in a professional, team-based setting.
You will gain invaluable experience by immersing yourself in your chosen field – whether it’s helping to design public relations campaigns for major food companies or working at grassroots level in the community through health education programs.
You may also have the opportunity to experience different cultures by taking your studies abroad. Various in-country and authentic virtual global experiences can be undertaken as part of your studies. Gain a global perspective that will give you an international outlook and a competitive edge.
Discover more of our health and community services courses.
*2024 Employment Projections – for the ten years to 2034, Australian Government, Jobs and Skills Australia.
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
This double degree lets you choose one major from the Bachelor of Health Sciences and one from the Bachelor of Arts, giving you a unique combination of skills and knowledge. Several majors may offer pathways to professional recognition, which can really boost your employability by showing employers your qualifications meet industry standards.
The nutrition major may allow you to register as a nutritionist, while public relations subjects are accredited by the Public Relations Institute of Australia. The Bachelor of Arts design units are also recognised by the Design Institute of Australia. These accreditations and recognitions not only demonstrate your degree’s quality but also open doors to a variety of career opportunities once you graduate.
Career opportunities
Are you ready to blend creativity and empathy to make a positive impact and fortify your future health career with a solid grounding in the arts? At the #1 Victorian university for graduate employment, you will gain the skills to bridge gaps between art, culture and wellbeing. Your career opportunities from this degree will vary depending on the majors you have selected. You will be curating your future career from day one and graduating with a variety of career paths that you could pursue.
Studying health sciences could lead you into careers in areas such as:
- community health
- counselling
- disability and inclusion
- environmental health
- health education
- health promotion
- nutrition
- regional health service planning
- sports development.
An arts degree provides you with solid transferable skills that can be applied across diverse industries and careers. Depending on your majors, you could find yourself in fields such as:
- advertising and marketing
- criminology, sociology and policy
- culture and creative arts
- education
- government and NGO’s
- language and international relations
- media, writing and communication
- international relations and politics.
Your majors can also help you pursue careers where your degrees overlap. Careers such as health media, food writing, international relations and public relations for health and food organisations all require the skills acquired from both health science and arts degrees.
At Deakin, you will feel supported as you shape your future career, whether you want to work in a specific sector or industry, an emerging job of the future or even create a dream career that might not yet exist – wonderful possibilities await.
Mandatory student checks
Any unit which contains work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, working with children check or other check. Please refer to the relevant unit guide.
Pathways
This course provides a pathway to higher degree by research courses and other postgraduate coursework programs in a wide range of areas including public health, health economics, public health nutrition.
Articulated courses
| Bachelor of Arts (Honours) (A400) | |
| Bachelor of Communication and Creative Arts (Honours) (A450) | |
| Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) (H400) |
Alternative exits
Bachelor of Health Sciences (H300)
Course Learning Outcomes
| Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes Bachelor of Health Sciences | Course Learning Outcomes Bachelor of Arts |
|---|---|---|
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Integrate and apply a broad and coherent knowledge of the determinants of health and illness, health and social data, health equity, cultural diversity, human rights, public policy, health and social systems, and ethical practice, to plan, implement and evaluate programs relevant to health and community services sectors. | Demonstrate a broad and coherent body of knowledge in the Arts disciplines, with depth in the underlying principles and concepts in one or more disciplines or areas of practice. |
| Communication | Use a range of modes of communication to engage and facilitate groups, organisations and culturally diverse communities as well as communicate discipline specific knowledge to a variety of audiences such as professionals, government and non-government representatives, community members, clients and/or patients. | Demonstrate highly developed skills in oral, written and electronic communication and the ability to communicate research outcomes, and produce scholarly papers. |
| Digital literacy | Select and use appropriate technologies to source, interpret, evaluate, adapt, collate and disseminate relevant information to professional networks and communities in an ethical and professional manner. | Research, analyse, synthesise and disseminate information using a range of appropriate technologies and resources in a rapidly-changing global environment. |
| Critical thinking | Critically analyse evaluate and synthesise relevant discipline specific issues and contemporary literature/research within the health and social services field, applying an evidence-based approach. | Use critical and analytical thinking and judgement in selecting and applying appropriate theories and methodologies to evaluate information and knowledge about society, culture and the arts. |
| Problem solving | Apply best practice and respond effectively using well-developed cognitive and creative skills within an evidence-based framework to identify, research, analyse, generate and provide practical solutions to a range of changing, diverse and complex health issues, contributing new insights, solutions or understanding. | Apply cognitive, technical and creative skills to generate solutions to unpredictable and sometimes complex problems in the Humanities, Social Sciences and the Creative Arts, including cross-disciplinary approaches. |
| Self-management | Employ independent, self-directed work and learning practices in a responsible manner, including self-reflection, in order to practice professionally and contribute to the improvement of the health and wellbeing of individuals and populations. | Demonstrate autonomy, responsibility and accountability for personal actions and a continued commitment to learning in personal, professional, and scholarly contexts. |
| Teamwork | Establish and facilitate collaborative professional relationships, adapting roles and working as part of interdisciplinary teams with a range of stakeholders to advance the health science field. | Work and learn collaboratively with colleagues, other professionals and members of the wider community. |
| Global citizenship | Reflect on a variety of viewpoints, attitudes and beliefs, including one’s own, to engage ethically in professional practice and foster capacity building in health sciences within globally diverse social, cultural and environmental contexts. | Demonstrate an awareness of ethical issues, cultural diversity, and social responsibility when engaging in scholarship and professional roles in the local, national or international community. |
Course rules
To complete the Bachelor of Health Sciences/Bachelor of Arts you must pass 32 credit points. This includes:
- DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit- point compulsory unit) in your first study period
- 16 credit points from the Bachelor of Health Sciences
- 6 credit points of core units
- 1 health major (6 credit points)
- 1 health minor (4 credit points)
- 16 credit points from the Bachelor of Arts
- an arts major (8 credit points)
- the remaining credit points can be used to undertake one of the following:
- 1 minor (4 credit points)
- the Employability units or electives chosen from the Bachelor of Arts
- a combination of the above
- a minimum of 4 credit points of Art coded level 3 units
- a maximum of 12 credit points at level 1 across both courses
- a minimum of 10 credit points at level 3 or above across both courses.
Course requirements for both the Bachelor of Health Sciences (H300) and Bachelor of Arts (A310) must be satisfied.
Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters per year.
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.
Majors
Health Majors - Major and minor sequence available unless stated otherwise
- Disability and Inclusion (previously titled: People, Society and Disability) - Major and Minor
- Environmental Health - Major
- Exercise Science - Major and Minor
- Family, Society and Health - Major and Minor
- Food Studies - Major and Minor
- Health and Sustainability - Major and Minor- For continuing students only
- Health Promotion - Major and Minor
- Indigenous Knowledges - Minor only
- Medical Biotechnology - Major and Minor
- Nutrition - Major and Minor
- Physical Activity and Health - Major and Minor
- Psychology for Allied Health (previously titled: Psychology for Professional Development- Major and Minor
- Public Health-Major and Minor
- Sustainability and Planetary Health - (previously titled: Health, Nature and Sustainability) - Major and Minor
Arts Majors - Major and minor sequence available unless stated otherwise
- Animation - Minor only
- Anthropology
- Arabic
- Chinese
- Criminology
- Design thinking - Minor only
- Digital Cultures
- English-Children's Literature
- English Creative Writing
- English-Literature
- Education
- Film and television studies
- Gender and Sexuality Studies
- Global challenges - Minor only
- History
- Indigenous Studies
- Indonesian
- International Relations
- Media and Communication
- Media Studies
- Middle East Studies
- Performing Arts
- Philosophy
- Politics and Policy studies
- Public Relations studies
- Religious Studies
- Social Media
- Sociology
- Sport and Society - Minor only
- Sport Journalism
- Spanish
- Strategic Advertising
- Visual Arts and Photography
- Visual Communication Design
- Web Design - Minor only
Course structure
Core units
The course structure includes 16 credit points from each of the two component courses. The 16-unit maximum size of the component degrees of combined courses does not permit students in D391 to complete two major sequences within the Health Sciences degree. For this reason, they are restricted to a major sequence and a minor sequence.
The sixteen credit points within the Health Sciences component of the combined course are made up of:
- The six core units of the Bachelor of Health Sciences;
- A major sequence of six credit points consisting of the specified units at Levels 1, 2 and 3
- A minor sequence of four credit points, consisting of at least one unit at Level 1 and no more than one unit at Level 3 (subject to pre-requisite requirements) from the set of approved minor sequences.
The sixteen credit points within the Arts and Education component of the combined course are made up of:
- A major sequence of 8 credit points as described under course A310 Bachelor of Arts;
- Remaining credit point(s) may be used to undertake a Bachelor of Arts minor sequence or to take additional elective unit chosen from the Bachelor of Arts.
- A minimum of 4 credit points at level 3 of Arts coded units.
Level 1 - Trimester 1
| DAI001 | Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0 credit points) |
| HBS107 | Understanding Health |
Level 1 - Trimester 2
| HBS108 | Health Information and Data |
Level 2 - Trimester 1
| HSH211 | Australian Health Care System |
Level 2 - Trimester 2
| HSH219 | Population Health: A Research Perspective |
Level 3 - Trimester 1
| HSH323 | Program Planning, Management and Evaluation |
Level 3 - Trimester 2
| HSH324 | Integrated Learning for Practice |
Work experience
Work Integrated Learning
A core unit at third-year level, based on inter-professional learning (IPL), provides students the opportunity to draw together their cross-disciplinary learning to demonstrate the knowledge and the skills they have acquired throughout the course and apply them to real-world issues. HSH324 Integrated Learning for Practice involves interdisciplinary teams working to develop responses to real-world problems for presentation to a professional audience.
Course duration
You may be able to study available units in the optional third trimester to fast-track your degree, however your course duration may be extended if there are delays in meeting course requirements, such as completing a placement.
Research and research-related study
The degree includes two core units that offer research-related study, HBS108 Health Information and Data and HSH219 Population Health: A Research Perspective.
HBS108 provides the basic skills necessary to be consumers and providers of health research information. The unit comprises nine topics, covering: measuring health and disease in populations, introduction to qualitative research, study design, obtaining online health information, evaluating popular health claims, introduction to quantitative research, evidence-based practice including critical appraisal.
HSH219 aims to introduce students to the principles and practices of research in public health and health promotion with a focus on current population health issues using qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches. The unit covers topics such as the development and expression of research aims, questions and hypotheses; the application of appropriate research methods specific to research questions; and the different ways of collecting data in various research settings.
In addition, the capstone unit in the final year, HSH324 Integrated Learning for Practice may provide some students with further opportunities to conduct research activities dependent on the nature of projects offered by employers/organisations. Finally, a range of units across the majors incorporate smaller applied research tasks, such as health needs analyses of specific groups, service profiles, social issues research etc.
Fees and charges
Tuition fees will vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, your study load and/or unit discipline.
Your tuition fees will increase annually at the start of each calendar year. All fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD) and do not include additional costs such as textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment, mandatory checks, travel, consumables and other costs.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.
Further information
Contact Student Central for assistance in course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements. Student Central can also provide information for a wide range of services at Deakin. To help you understand the University vocabulary, please refer to our Enrolment codes and terminology page.