Bachelor of Health Science in Public Health

at University of South Australia - City East Campus Australia

Public health practitioners address social and environmental factors which prevent disease and prolong the lifespan of the greater public. You’ll work with individuals, groups, communities and organisations across public and private sectors. You’ll learn diverse approaches including policy development; data analysis and reporting; media and advocacy; public events; community-based education and interventions to create positive change. These methods may be used to tackle global health issues such as COVID-19, heart disease, cancer and mental health.

What you'll learn
Your studies will equip you with an understanding of the social and commercial determinants of health and wellbeing. You will learn how to engage with communities and populations to promote wellbeing through locally-relevant information and activities. You will learn the principles and purpose of evaluation in public health, the importance of lived-experience perspectives, the role of advocacy, and the responsible dissemination of public health information. You’ll also learn epidemiological techniques to identify patterns in population health, such as the prevalence of mental health conditions or cardiovascular disease, novel associations between risk factors and diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and COVID-19.

During your first year you’ll understand core areas of practice and in your second year you’ll get to apply that knowledge. In the final year, there will be an emphasis on becoming a public health practitioner and entering the workforce, and career development. You will also have the opportunity to showcase your industry project and placement experiences at the annual student conference.

Throughout the degree, you’ll focus on equitable access to health programs and services for priority population groups such as, but not limited to, people experiencing homelessness, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse people, veterans, people living in rural and remote locations, young people, and older adults.

Modern construction is a complex, innovative and highly organised commercial industry dealing with large capital investments and increasingly influenced by technology and environmental considerations – including green and smart building practices.

Heavily reliant on sophisticated construction techniques, highly skilled labour and real-time information systems, the industry needs experienced, adaptable leaders, particularly for large-scale projects..

What you'll learn

You will study core areas of construction including law, management, communication, materials and business, and use digital tools for data driven decision making and productivity. These will give you an excellent understanding of the role of a construction professional.

You’ll also study more complex fields such as quantity surveying, building surveying, contract administration, development regulation, development economics and fire engineering.

In your honours year, you will choose two out of the following three specialisations, which will lead to recognition by different accrediting bodies:

• Quantity surveying
• Building surveying
• Construction management

This course prepares you to confidently advise on exercise plans, and deliver strength and conditioning services. The curriculum teaches biomechanical analyses and skill acquisition knowledge to enhance people’s physical and mental wellbeing – from children to elite athletes to the elderly.

During your first year you’ll develop a solid understanding of:

• Human anatomy and physiology
• Physical activity and health
• Fundamental movement skills
• Research methods and statistics
• Group and team psychology

In your second year you'll focus on:

• Skill acquisition
• Exercise prescription and delivery
• Exercise and health psychology
• Nutrition
• Exercise physiology
• Biomechanics

In your final year of study, you’ll focus on professional studies, the application of exercise science, and sociology of health and physical activity. Additionally, you can tailor your degree with a range of elective courses aligned with your career aspirations. The added benefit is that some of these courses will allow you to upskill, as they provide you with additional industry certificates upon successful completion in areas such as Level 1 Sports Training.

Project management is a highly regarded discipline, with demand increasing for individuals with project management skills in the Australian workforce1. Many industries rely on specialist project and program professionals with excellent practical skills and essential knowledge to plan and deliver projects on time, within budget, objectives, specifications, and outcomes that ultimately deliver value to their organisation and stakeholders.

This Graduate Diploma will equip you with advanced knowledge, tools and techniques in project management to manage complex projects and apply them across a broad range of industries.

This degree utilises the Standard for Project Management and A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) as a learning framework as well as relevant other industry standards in the field that are widely recognised and applied across different industries, businesses and government institutions.

This postgraduate qualification is offered as part of a suite of four programs (Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma and Master(s)). Each qualification extends to the next, so you can easily transition to a master level qualification.

What you'll Learn
Throughout this program, you will learn advanced knowledge in project management, its widely applicable tools and techniques, and attain a versatile range of skill sets that you can apply to any complex project.

Our lecturers and facilitators come from both academia and industry. They are project management experts and practising industry professionals with extensive knowledge and experience.

You’ll get unconventional teaching and industry-relevant materials that support learning and upskilling needs.

In the new Bachelor of Biomedical Science, you’ll explore the complex world of human health and disease under the guidance of industry experts.

In this three-year program, immerse yourself in biomedical research and gain skills to be used in clinical trials. Develop advanced knowledge in physiology, biochemistry, immunology, pharmacology, molecular biology, genomics and bioinformatics. You’ll get to learn alongside internationally-recognised researchers in cancer biology, vaccine development, genetics and neuroscience.

What you'll learn
Along with fundamental knowledge in biomedical sciences, you can choose pathways into further study in biomedical research and other health professions. Throughout your degree, you’ll:

• Explore the complex world of human health and disease.
• Learn advanced skills in biochemistry, immunology, genetics, pharmacology, cancer biology.
• Learn skills which can be applied to clinical trials research.
• Study core courses in chemistry, biology and anatomy, and develop advanced knowledge in physiology, biochemistry, immunology, pharmacology, molecular biology, genomics and bioinformatics.
• Benefit from a flexible learning environment with face-to-face and online courses.
• Gain research experience, which forms a great foundation for pathways in bioinformatics, genomics, and clinical trials.

What you'll learn

The Bachelor of Nursing prepares you for placement and your professional nursing career with more than 150 hours of learning in our Horizon Hospital and Health Service. You’ll also complete 1,000 hours in clinical settings across metro, regional and rural hospitals, and health services in South Australia.

During your studies, your learning will enable you to meet the seven interconnecting Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia Registered Nurse standards for practice, which include the capacity to:

• Think critically and analyse nursing practice
• Engage in therapeutic and professional relationships
• Maintain the capability for practice
• Comprehensively conduct assessments
• Develop a plan for nursing practice
• Provide safe, appropriate and responsive quality nursing practice
• Evaluate outcomes to inform nursing practice

The degree is designed to prepare you to meet healthcare delivery requirements for the 21^st century and respond to Australian and international healthcare priorities and trends including mental health, primary healthcare and healthy ageing. Six integrated themes are embedded throughout the curriculum and represent core approaches which inform contemporary nursing practice:

• Safety and quality
• Cultural safety
• Evidence-based practice
• Professional communication
• Consumers as partners in care
• Teamwork

This unique degree offers practice-based and theoretical learning to ensure you’re primed for a healthy career.

During the first two years you’ll explore both nutrition and food science topics, gaining a strong understanding of the key elements of each. You’ll complete group work and research on topics, including environmentally sustainable food practice, in the sensory lab. You’ll get to analyse micro-organisms and explore key topics like food contamination in the microbiology lab. 

Your knowledge will be developed in:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Health in our society
• Human and lifespan nutrition
• Biochemistry
• Physiology
• The chemistry of food
• Food quality and safety
• Relationships between food bioactives and health
• Consumer education
• Influences of the senses on consumer food choice
• Food sustainability

In your third year you’ll specialise in either a nutrition or food science stream.

If you choose nutrition, you’ll get to develop:

• Essential communication skills across a variety of platforms
• Skills to promote good health through food and nutrition in the community
• Dietary and exercise plans to manage weight
• Nutrition for sports, exercise and activity
• Sustainable nutrition choices

If you choose food science, you’ll focus on:

• Food microbiology
• Quality assurance in food processing and manufacturing
• Developing safe, nutritionally and environmentally sound foods for the marketplace
• Food and beverage fermentation

Occupational therapists empower people to live full and rewarding lives, every day. With UniSA, you'll learn how to help people overcome constraints caused by injury or illness, as well as emotional, developmental, environmental, societal, age-related and psychological limitations.

What you'll learn

The first year will focus on core health subjects including anatomy, physiology, and an introduction to occupational therapy practice and evidence.

From second and third year, you‘ll focus on the application of your skills in mental health, occupation rehabilitation, chronic conditions, community focus, primary health care and participatory community practice.

In addition to field placements, you‘ll attend workshops in a range of industry settings. You’ll also have the opportunity to visit regional settings in your third year, on the annual Country Road Trip.

Throughout your degree you’ll be exposed to many different hands-on activities, such as:

• Splint making
• Dressing adaptation for people with self-care impairments
• Wheelchair measurement tutorials
• Home modification and assistive technology plans
• Adult neurological rehabilitation techniques
• Completing skill demonstrations to become familiar with real-life occupational therapy scenarios

Start your unstoppable career in the discovery, formulation, approval, evaluation and marketing of medicines, with this unique double degree.

Offering the only degree of its kind in Australia, at UniSA you'll be equipped with a breadth of skills to research, develop and advise on the use of effective treatments and products for the benefit of human health.

You’ll also learn how to deliver expert patient care to ensure that medicines are used to enhance health outcomes and minimise harm, as you embark on a pathway towards becoming a registered pharmacist.

What you'll learn
This double degree will equip you with the knowledge, expertise and practical skills needed to embark on a range of diverse roles in the ever-changing fields of pharmacy and pharmaceutical science.

You’ll develop a strong understanding of drug product development, drug use in the community, and trends affecting drug formulation in the future. 

As part of this degree, you’ll complete a pharmacy-related research project and be able to tailor your study to particular areas of interest when you select from a range of specialist courses. In addition, you’ll get practical industry experience with a field placement or an industry-focused research project under the supervision of an academic or staff member.

The Graduate Diploma in Health Services Management will extend your skills to excel in leadership and management roles.

In just one year of full-time study, (or two years part-time equivalent) you’ll develop the skills and knowledge to make informed decisions in a managerial capacity in the health and aged care sectors.

What you'll learn
You'll develop the skills and knowledge to:

• Understand theoretical and practical knowledge of organisational behaviour and the psychology of individuals and groups, including motivation and leadership.
• Lead a multi-stakeholder environment and handle social leadership challenges responsibly.
• Learn what it means to be an effective and responsible leader.
• Provide planning, budgeting and identify cost efficiencies to contribute in financial decision-making.
• Effectively plan, manage, execute and deliver projects to completion.
• Develop and enhance your understanding of the quality, safety, and risk management standards which apply in health and aged care.
• Prepare for leadership roles in health within Australia and internationally.