Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion
2023 Deakin University Handbook
| Year | 2023 course information |
|---|---|
| Award granted | Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion |
| Course Map | This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2023. This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 2 2023. Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central. |
| Campus | Offered at Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong) |
| Online | Yes |
| Duration | 3 years full-time or part-time equivalent |
| CRICOS course code | 012753D Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong) |
| Deakin course code | H313 |
| Approval status | This course is approved by the University under the Higher Education Standards Framework. |
| 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
- Fees and charges
- Course Learning Outcomes
- Course rules
- Major sequences
- Course structure
- Work experience
- Third party arrangements
- Other learning experiences
Course 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.
Are you interested in understanding key public health issues to improve the lives of others and contribute to a healthier community?
This course trains you to examine and act on the factors that cause poor health, as well as understanding those that create and sustain good health. You will work towards creating a healthier population by increasing health education, encouraging healthy practices and influencing policy.
Build your expertise in health promotion and gain important skills in industry-recognised competencies, including:
- planning and evaluation
- health communication strategies
- epidemiology
- health research.
Work-integrated learning is a core component of this course and provides you with the chance to gain real-world experience to further develop your expertise, while building your resume so that you can launch a successful career in the booming health sector.
With a variety of public health issues affecting healthcare systems globally, job growth in the sector is increasing. There are many different pathways and career opportunities in government and the private sector across Australia and internationally. You will be qualified to work in areas such as:
- community development
- health education
- health promotion
- health research
- policy and planning
- program development
- social planning
- women’s health.
At Deakin, you will be encouraged to mould your career around your interests and passions in health. Throughout your degree, your teachers and mentors will frequently discuss different case studies to help spark ideas for your unique career pathway. You may also have the opportunity to join an overseas study tour (subject to travel restrictions) where you will use your acquired skills to promote health on a global scale.
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 classes, seminars, practicals and on-line 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
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, securing them global recognition.
Graduates may also be eligible to become members of the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) and obtain professional accreditation as a Health Promotion Practitioner with the Australian Health Promotion Association (AHPA).
Career opportunities
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.
Participation requirements
The course contains core public health-health promotion unit HSH303 Public Health and Health Promotion Practicum 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-health promotion, this experience will help students further develop the professional and personal skills required to work in a public health-health promotion role. The practicum component follows one seminar session covering: the expectations of the unit, and overview of project management; and an introduction to workplace organisation and context.
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
You may wish to continue onto Deakin’s Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion (Honours) our one-year honours degree. This may provide you with a competitive edge in the job market or a pathway to a higher degree. You could also go on to develop your knowledge and career by studying Deakin's Master of Public Health, Master of Health Promotion, Master of Health Economics or Master of Health and Human Services Management.
Fees and charges
Fees and charges vary depending on your course, the type of fee place you hold, your commencement year, the units you choose and 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.
Use the Fee estimator to see course and unit fees applicable to your course and type of place. Further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods is available on our Current students fees website.
Course Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Learning Outcomes | Course Learning Outcomes |
| Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities | Apply evidence-based research and a determinants-based knowledge of public health and health promotion to advocate for social change, promote good health and wellbeing, prevent poor health and reduce inequalities for individuals and populations alike. |
| Communication | Communicate effectively in oral and written forms with a range of stakeholders and promote positive, desired change. |
| Digital literacy | Use information technology to effectively communicate, locate information and analyse data. |
| Critical thinking | Apply critical thinking and reflection to issues of contemporary health, related to policy and planning in public health and health promotion practice within an evidence-based framework. |
| Problem solving | Apply an evidence-based learning framework to create solutions to diverse and complex health problems. |
| Self-management | Monitor and reflect on one’s own professional practice. |
| Teamwork | Develop knowledge and implement strategies in collaboration with others to build and enhance relevant partnerships and actions as a public health and health promotion practitioner. |
| Global citizenship | Support public health and health promotion practice within diverse social, cultural and environmental contexts and communities. |
Course rules
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 course comprises a total of 24 credit points which must include the following:
- 16 core units in public health and health promotion (these are compulsory)
- 8 elective units chosen from any Faculty in the University
- No more than 10 credit points may be taken at level 1.
- At least 14 credit points of study must be at level 2 or higher
- at least 6 credit points must be at level 3
Any majors completed will be recognised on a student's final academic transcript.
All commencing Faculty of Health Undergraduate and Postgraduate course work students are required to complete HAI010 Academic Integrity in their first trimester of study (0 credit point compulsory unit).
Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.
Major sequences
Students undertaking a Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion are able to undertake a major sequence of study to suit their interests and diversify their employment opportunities. However, as the course provides training in specialist public health and health promotion skills, it is not necessary to undertake a major sequence of study.
Course structure
Core units
Level 1 - Trimester 1
| HAI010 | Academic Integrity (0 credit points) |
| HBS107 | Understanding Health |
| HSH102 | Disease Prevention and Control |
| HSH112 | Local and Global Environments for Health |
plus one elective unit
Level 1 - Trimester 2
| HBS108 | Health Information and Data |
| HSH103 | Health Protection |
| HSH113 | Social Perspectives on Population Health |
plus one elective unit
Level 2 - Trimester 1
| HSH205 | Epidemiology and Biostatistics 1 |
| HSH208 | Health Communication |
| HSH323 | Program Planning, Management and Evaluation |
plus one elective unit
Level 2 - Trimester 2
| HSH212 | Professional Practice |
| HSH216 | Epidemiology and Biostatistics 2 |
| HSH319 | Population Health: A Research Perspective ^ |
plus one elective unit
Level 3 - Trimester 1
| HSH302 | Politics, Policy and Health |
| HSH318 | Implementation and Evaluation |
plus two elective units, one elective at level 3.
Level 3 - Trimester 2
| HSH313 | Contemporary Health Issues |
| HSH303 | Health Practicum |
plus two elective units
^HSH319 last offering is Trimester 2 2024. Students will complete HSH219 as an alternative core unit from 2025.
Electives
Health Promotion elective units
| HSH105 | Understanding Families and Health |
| HSH206 | Human Development and Healthy Families |
| HSH207 | Socio-Economic Status and Health |
| HSH306 | People, Health and Place |
Other elective units
| HSH202 | Creating Sustainable Futures |
Work experience
Work Integrated Learning is a core feature of this course and is embedded within all units. It includes assignments that replicate work in the field. Another feature of this course is the capstone experience, a 120-hour practice education placement that provides you with an opportunity to transfer your knowledge and skills to a practical setting, where you can further your learning through realistic field experience. These placements enable you to consolidate your skills under the supervision of qualified practitioners, which assists you to be work-ready after graduation.
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
Nature of third-party arrangements
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.