Why Study / Key Benefits

The Bachelor of Health Science (Professional), majoring in Public Health and Health Promotion, is a four-year professional health degree designed for students interested in improving population health, health education, disease prevention and community wellbeing.

The Public Health and Health Promotion major focuses on using health science, communication and digital technology to address contemporary public-health challenges. Swinburne specifically highlights learning activities involving social media health communication, pandemic action planning, public-health campaigns and contemporary industry issues.

Key benefits include:

• A dedicated major in Public Health and Health Promotion.
• Practical application of public-health concepts, health communication and health data.
• Study of epidemiology, disease prevention, Indigenous health and public-health nutrition.
• Development of project-management, communication and health-data analysis skills.
• A built-in 12-month paid professional work-placement opportunity.
• Industry experience that contributes academic credit toward the degree.
• Access to Swinburne's health-science facilities and technology.
• Preparation for employment in health education, promotion, community development, policy and public-health-related roles.
• A foundation for further postgraduate study in specialised health areas.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

The current detailed structure includes core health-science subjects, Public Health and Health Promotion major subjects, electives/other study and a 12-month professional placement.

Core health-science units

The core component includes:

• Anatomy and Physiology — BIO10004
• Introduction to Health Sciences — HEA10001
• Digital Health Foundations — HEA10004
• Brain and Behaviour — PSY10007
• Foundations of Statistics — STA10003
• Health and Disease Across the Life Course — BIO20004
• Research Methods for Health Sciences — HEA20007
• Health Sciences Project — HEA30001

Professional work placement

The 12-month professional placement carries 100 credit points and consists of:

• Work Experience in Industry A — WEI20001 — 25 cp
• Integrated Professional Placement A – Health — HEA20003 — 25 cp
• Work Experience in Industry B — WEI20002 — 25 cp
• Integrated Professional Placement B – Health — HEA20004 — 25 cp

Disciplines / Specialisations

The selected major is:

Public Health and Health Promotion.

The broader Bachelor of Health Science (Professional) currently lists these available majors:

• Artificial Intelligence and Digital Health
• Biomedical Science
• Clinical Technologies
• Neuroscience
• Nutrition
• Public Health and Health Promotion

Programme Highlights

• Four-year professional bachelor's degree.
• Public Health and Health Promotion major.
• Hawthorn campus in Melbourne.
• 375 credit points according to the current course handbook.
• 12-month paid professional work placement.
• 100 credit points associated with the professional placement.
• Between 1,672 and 1,976 placement hours, depending on placement duration.
• Study of epidemiology, health promotion, disease prevention, Indigenous health and health communication.
• Public-health nutrition and leadership/innovation in health promotion.
• Health-data analysis and research-methods training.
• Digital health foundations.
• Industry-focused learning and professional experience.

Career Outcomes

Swinburne identifies the following career opportunities for the Public Health and Health Promotion major:

• Community developer
• Health education and promotion officer
• Policy developer
• Government officer
• Community officer
• Project officer

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

The latest course information confirms:

• 2027 start dates: 1 March and 2 August.
• Hawthorn, Melbourne delivery.
• Four-year full-time structure.
• 12-month paid professional work placement.
• CRICOS code: 095885E.
• IELTS 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0.
• EAP 5 Advanced: 70% overall, all skills 65% or above.
• 375 credit points in the current handbook.
• Public Health and Health Promotion is one of the available majors.

International Student Visa Requirements

This is an on-campus CRICOS-registered course, so an international student intending to study physically in Australia would generally use the Australian Student visa (subclass 500), subject to meeting Department of Home Affairs requirements.

For a Student visa application, the Department of Home Affairs requires, among other things:

• Enrolment in a registered course and a valid Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE).
• Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), unless an exemption applies.
• Satisfaction of the Genuine Student requirement.
• Health requirements.
• Character requirements.
• Welfare arrangements where applicable for students under 18.
• An Australian Values Statement where applicable.
• Any required evidence requested by the Department.