Bachelor of Health Sciences

The Bachelor of Health Sciences requires three years of full-time study (or the equivalent part-time). The course is offered by the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

An Honours year is also available to students who have completed The Bachelor of Health Sciences or another qualification which the Dean (Education) (upon recommendation of the Honours Committee) agrees is equivalent; and achieved a GPA of at least 5 in the ordinary degree. Honours can be taken in two semesters full-time or in four semesters part-time.

• Admission requirements
• Course aims
• Learning outcomes
• Majors
• Honours
• Combined degrees

Admission requirements

The minimum requirements for consideration for entry to all undergraduate courses are specified in detail in the University Entry Requirements.

There is no longer a Paramedic Major in the Bachelor of Health Sciences. Students must apply for the Bachelor of Paramedic Science.

Course aims

The Bachelor of Health Sciences aims to prepare students for a variety of roles within the health care context, particularly in areas of Disability, Health Administration/Management, Health Education/Promotion, Life Sciences, and Nutrition. 

The Bachelor of Health Sciences offers a flexible program of study where students major in a variety of areas within the health professions.

It draws upon a variety of health related topics over a number of disciplines within the College of Nursing and Health Sciences and is complemented by relevant topic offerings from other faculties.

It is designed to develop graduates’ abilities to contribute to the development of social, ethical and cultural sensitive solutions to complex problems for the benefit of society.

It aims to develop graduates to work effectively within a variety of health professional roles and multi-discipline team environments and improve their practice through critical reflection and learning.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the course, graduates should be able to:

• apply a strong contextual social health perspective to a variety of professional settings
• understand social, behavioral and psychological theories and implications for profession practice
• use critical analysis and problem solving skills to develop, plan and implement innovative solutions within a diverse range of health professional sectors
• discuss ethical and legal concepts for, and implications to, professional practice
• demonstrate social and psychological theory underpinning health science research
• synthesise information and communicate effectively, succinctly and sensitively with the health profession community, co-workers, government agencies, and the broad public
• understand the basis of human anatomy and physiology
• apply judgment and initiative to propose and prioritise work strategies in consultation with co-workers to achieve timely completion of a project
• work in a multidisciplinary team and incorporate the views of all stakeholders including Indigenous groups
• use self-awareness and consultation to understand their role within a group and how they can best contribute to the group
• maintain the integrity and ethical standards of their chosen profession or major
• articulate a conscious understanding of their own values and demonstrate respect for the values of others and the ability to view an ethical or social health dilemma from multiple view points
• inform society of impending social health developments and take an advocacy role
• incorporate an understanding of the impact of the social determinants of health of Indigenous groups
• incorporate an understanding of the impact of the social determinants of health on other cultural groups.

Majors

• Disability and Community Rehabilitation
• Environmental and Public Health
• Health Promotion
• Health Management
• Life Sciences
• Nutrition
• Public Health
• Therapy Studies

Honours

Refer to Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours)

Combined Degrees

The Bachelor of Health Sciences may also be studied in a combined degrees program with a:

• Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) (four years full-time or the equivalent)
• Bachelor of Nursing (four years full-time or the equivalent - no longer offered from 2019)
• Bachelor of Health Sciences (Health Management)/Bachelor of Business (Human Resource Management) (four years full-time or the equivalent)
• Bachelor of Health Sciences (Health Promotion)/Bachelor of Business (Innovation and Enterprise) (four years full-time or the equivalent)

Double Degrees

The Bachelor of Health Sciences may also be studied in the following double degrees programs which have different entry requirements. Please refer to the below course rules:

• Bachelor of Health Sciences, Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health Practice (four years full-time or the equivalent)
• Bachelor of Health Sciences, Master of Occupational Therapy (5 years of full-time study (or up to eight years part-time)
• Bachelor of Health Sciences, Master of Physiotherapy (5 years of full-time study)
• Bachelor of Education (Secondary), Bachelor of Health Sciences (four years full-time or the equivalent)

The award of a grade of Fail (F) in the same topic on more than one occasion may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purposes of the University's Policy on Student Progress.