Australian residents
International students
Intakes: 

2024: February, April

Duration: 
3 years
Location: 
St Albans
Fees: 

2024: A$17,900*
* fee per semester

Application due dates:
We are currently accepting applications for this course.
Apply

Overview

Embark on a rewarding career in public health, with a Bachelor of Health Science at Victoria University.

Prepare yourself for a range of health and science careers with a degree that focuses on improving the health of groups of people.

Get fantastic real-world experience through VU’s collaborations with health institutes, other universities and community organisations. You’ll graduate from this health-science degree with the skills and knowledge to work on government health programs, private-practice initiatives and with NGOs.

Whether you dream of improving the lives of people in developing countries or shaping public policy to support Australia’s ageing population, opportunities are growing in all areas of this important field.

You’ll study core bioscience, research and public-health topics, and your major will be in Public Health. From your second year of study, you’ll choose your particular areas of interest to focus on.

You’ll graduate with expertise in:

  • disease and injury prevention
  • health research
  • health promotion
  • epidemiology.

At VU, take advantage of flexible study options and a hands-on approach that will have you job-ready for your chosen career.

Considering a career in clinical health care? A Bachelor of Health Science offers a strong foundation that can prepare you to enter these highly-competitive courses:

In first year, you’ll study alongside students in these other courses in units covering anatomy and physiology and indigenous health and wellbeing. For a list of recommended units to study within your Bachelor of Health Science to enable transfer, see the course structure section below. 

Begin your journey to becoming an expert professional equipped to provide solutions to the world’s evolving health challenges.

As a Bachelor of Health Science graduate, you’ll open doors to a range of career and further study opportunities, including our Master of Global Public Health.

Or, continue to a masters or doctoral degree to access world-leading research opportunities with our flagship research centre, the Institute for Health & Sport (IHES).  

Within your Bachelor of Health Science, you have the opportunity to choose a second major in Indigenous health, supported by the strength of Victoria University’s Moondani Balluk academic unit, which promotes Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research and partners with government and community groups.

You’ll gain the knowledge required to make a real difference to the health outcomes of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations and communities by focusing on how history, societal structures and colonial systems impact health outcomes. 

Achieve your full potential with our Learning Hubs, which help you develop your confidence, academic ability, and study skills.

Benefit from in-person mentoring and study sessions, along with a range of digital learning modules that you can access anytime.

Get help from our online, 24/7 support service to polish your assignments before you submit, and receive guidance on writing, referencing, maths and more.

Read more about Learning Hubs

Careers in health science

When you graduate with a Bachelor of Health Science, you can find job opportunities in:

  • government departments focused on public health and health promotion
  • not-for-profits including health foundations and education programs
  • international organisations such as the UN, WHO, UNICEF, ACSM
  • health and community organisations
  • pharmaceutical industries
  • professional associations
  • public health research programs in academic and research institutions.

Demand continues to grow for these professions; find job-market information:

 

Delhi doctor takes on new challenge

Delhi doctor takes on new challenge

Working as a resident doctor in a specialty hospital in Delhi, India, Lakshmi Dwivedi decided it was time for a career – and sea – change.

assets/arrow-long Created with Sketch.

Course structure

To successfully attain the Bachelor of Health Science, students will be required to complete 288 credit points consisting of:

- 96 credit points of First Year Core studies;
- 96 credit points of Public Health Major studies;

Plus One of the following:

Option A:

- 96 credit points of Indigenous Health Major studies;

Option B:

- 96 credit points of Minor studies (Two Minor sets in total).

Students that complete the first year of College Core studies can elect to graduate with the following (Option A) double Major:

-
Majors in Public Health and Indigenous Health.

Students that complete the first year of College Core studies and a single Major in Public Health, can elect to graduate with (Option B) two minors to complement their Major, as follows:
-
Indigenous Health (HMIIND);
-
Health (Sport Science Minor) (SMIHEA);
-
Health and Nutrition (HMIHNU), and;
-
Bioscience (HMIBIO).

First Year Core Units

Compulsory Majors

Majors

Minors

We are the first Australian university to use a 'block' model of learning, where you study one unit at a time rather than juggling several at once.

Introduced in 2018, the VU Block Model has improved our student results and achievements, and has won awards for innovation and excellence. Initially for first-year students, it now applies to all students studying at our Melbourne campuses.

You'll study in short bursts, called blocks, of three 2-3 hour face-to-face teaching sessions per week.

Each block focuses on one unit (subject) and is only four weeks long, with up to four days between. Our two semesters have four blocks each, and there are optional blocks over winter and summer where you can catch up on a missed unit.

Some courses have labs and pracs too, and these are generally scheduled on the same days as teaching sessions. There are also workshops where you'll develop your study skills and prepare for your future career.

Find out more about the VU Block Model.

On successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Critically review selected social, biological, economic, political and environmental determinants of health, well-being and disease and explain how they manifest in both local and global contexts;  
  2. Evaluate and justify the use of best-evidence based methods and technologies to investigate and propose solutions to contemporary, emerging and future-oriented issues in public health;  
  3. Apply a broad and coherent knowledge base and skills in the health sciences to analyse predictable, unpredictable and sometimes complex problems which reflect the multi-faceted nature of health, well-being and disease;  
  4. Conceptually map key ethical, legal and professional components within the domain of health.  

What's a unit?

A unit or 'subject' is the actual class you'll attend in the process of completing a course.

Most courses have a mixture of compulsory 'core' units that you need to take and optional elective units that you can choose to take based on your area of interest, expertise or experience.

Credits

Each unit is worth a set amount of study credits based on the amount of time you study. Generally, 1 credit is equal to 1 hour of study per week.

Admissions

Victoria University is committed to providing a transparent admissions process. Find out more about how to apply for our courses, and our commitment to admissions transparency.

Applicants for this course will need to have met the academic requirements and prerequisites for this course outlined below.

Meeting the minimum admission criteria does not guarantee entry into this course. Past academic performance may be considered.

Entry requirements

Completion of an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate (VCE or equivalent) including Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 25 in English (EAL) or 20 in any other English (or equivalent).
OR:
Completion of an Australian Advanced Diploma or Diploma (or equivalent).
PLUS:
IELTS (or equivalent): Overall score or 6.0 (with no band less than 6.0 in Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking).
OR:
Completion of a Foundation course or equivalent.

Find out if you meet the entry requirements, including English language and academic requirements.

Additional information

Students may be required to undergo a Victoria Police Check, Working with Children check, a medical check and a physical capacity test dependent upon units chosen.

Pathways & credits

There are many ways you can start your education journey at VU. Pathways offer an easy transition between courses at different levels, so that you can start with a certificate and progress right through to postgraduate study.

If you have completed any of the following course(s), you will be guaranteed a place in this course. In some cases you may receive credit for your previous study, reducing the time it takes to complete your course.

Foundations at VU JYAC

You will be guaranteed entry only.

International Foundations at VU JQAG

You will be guaranteed entry only.

Find out more about pathways and credits.

Use our credit calculator to find out how much credit you could get towards your course, based on your previous study.

If you have completed study with another university or institution and believe you are eligible to receive credit for skills and past study, you can apply for advanced standing.

Applications for advanced standing can be made after a discussion with your course chair or academic adviser.

On completion of this course you will be guaranteed entry into the following degree and in some cases receive credit for your study:

Master of Global Public Health

You will be credited for up to 48 credit points of study.

Find out more about our study pathways to VU

Credit Calculator

Find out how much credit you could get towards your course, based on your previous study.

CALCULATE YOUR CREDIT

How to apply

We are currently accepting international applications, and we welcome you to apply for this course.

Click 'apply' to begin, and we will guide you through the application process.

Apply

If you have questions, please get in touch:

Information and fees listed above are for non-resident students. Fees are accurate at the time of viewing and will be subject to annual increases. Some courses require students to purchase equipment or clothing that they will need in the course. These equipment or clothing costs are not included in the course fees listed above – check your Letter of Offer for an estimate on non-tuition-fee-related expenses.

VU takes care to ensure the accuracy of this course information, but reserves the right to change or withdraw courses offered at any time. Please check that course information is current with the Student Contact Centre.