Australian residents
International students
Intakes: 

2023: February

Duration: 
3 years
Location: 
St Albans
Fees: 

2023: A$17,600*
* fee per semester

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

Overview

Choose a rewarding career in public health, health services or community development with a health science degree from VU.

Our degree provides the foundations for a range of health and science careers. You’ll study core bioscience, research and public-health topics. From your second year, you’ll choose a health-science or biomedical specialisation in line with your career aspirations.

You’ll graduate with expertise in:

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

We offer flexible study options and a hands-on approach that will have you job-ready for your chosen career. You’ll graduate with the skills and knowledge to work on government health programs and private-practice initiatives, and with NGOs.

You can progress further in the health field with our top-rated graduate program. Study more-advanced topics and gain high-level research skills with a masters or doctoral degree.

Graduates from our Bachelor of Health Science can progress to higher qualifications in health sciences or public health.

We offer varied and exciting research opportunities. Benefit from our excellent research centres and state-of-the-art facilities. Our collaborations with health institutes, other universities and community organisations give you fantastic real-world experience.

If you’re interested in a career in public health, our Master of Global Public Health will help you achieve your goals.

Aim to find work in:

  • government
  • international organisations such as the UN, WHO, UNICEF, ACSM
  • not-for-profit organisations
  • academic and research institutions.

VU’s Learning Hubs are welcoming spaces where you can improve your study and employability skills.

Our students can attend Learning Hubs at one of five VU campuses.

We offer maths, writing, careers and English-language advice and can show you effective ways to study and manage your time.

Our programs include:

  • workshops
  • drop-in sessions
  • peer mentoring
  • maths and writing resources
  • resume and career guidance.

We also have accessibility support services and counselling services available to all students.

At VU you can spend part of your degree studying overseas all while gaining credits towards your course.

Immerse yourself in a new culture and learn from a new perspective, while building experiences that will help you to stand out in the competitive job market.

Course e-Brochure

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Careers in health science

When you graduate, you may find employment in areas such as:

  • public health
  • health promotion
  • health and community organisations
  • pharmaceutical industries
  • professional associations
  • health foundations
  • health administration
  • public health research programs
  • policy and development
  • program development with non-government organisations.
  • education.

Salaries

Use Labour Market Insights to find average salaries in Australia for various health services professions, including:

Job growth is very strong for health and welfare service managers, nutrition professionals, and other health diagnostic and promotion professionals (Labour Market Insights).

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 (Extended) JQAH

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.