Public health aims to address social and environmental factors that lead to illness or poor health to prevent disease, prolong life and improve the health and wellbeing of populations and communities. Along with addressing determinants of poor health, you will cultivate skills to promote health and wellbeing in healthy populations to maintain health over the lifespan.

The field goes beyond the treatment of individuals to improving the health of populations. As a Public Health Practitioner, you will use diverse approaches including policy development, data analysis and reporting, media and advocacy, public events and community-based education and interventions to address health concerns and promote health and wellbeing within communities.  You will also have a focus on equity in access to health programs and services for priority population groups such as the homeless, Aboriginal people and migrants.

Students will benefit from a curriculum aligned to the Australian Public Health Competency Framework and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Curriculum Framework. This will provide you with transferable skills that can be applied across the growing health industry at all levels of government as well as in a variety of organisations such as the Royal Society for the Blind, the Heart Foundation, and the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI).

What you'll need

Students who undertake activities where interaction with patients/the public is required for their degree, such as field or clinical placements/visits and in University clinics and gyms, must demonstrate they meet mandatory pre-placement conditional requirements. These include criminal history clearance, a Working with Children Check and immunisation requirements. Please visit the Clinical Placement Unit for information on key requirements, and to access the full student checklists.

What you'll learn

Through a combination of theoretical and practical learning, you will become equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to contribute as a dynamic and forward-thinking generalist Public Health Practitioner.   

During your first year you will develop foundational knowledge in core areas of practice and in your second year you will focus on the application of that knowledge. In final year, there will be an emphasis on becoming a public health practitioner and your transition into the workforce, driving your career development.

Graduates of this degree will meet industry-relevant public health competencies in six key areas including:

• Health Monitoring and Surveillance
• Disease Prevention and Control
• Health Protection
• Health Promotion
• Health Policy, Planning and Management
• Evidence-based Professional Population Health Practice.

Benefit from the opportunity to study either one Minor or choose from four elective courses. Your Minor can be made up from the University’s wide list of Majors and Minors, allowing you to develop a unique combination of knowledge and skills to your interest and future career, becoming ready to work in either industry or research. On the other hand, your four elective courses can be selected from a specific list of courses related to the degree. For more information please see the Program Structure section.

Careers in health are on the rise. In fact, the Australian Government National Health and Medical Industry Growth Plan is a $1.3 billion investment aimed at driving a new era of better health care and fuel growth in new firms and industries through research.1

Public Health Practitioners can work in the following areas of public health practice within the health sector in Australia and overseas, and roles include:

• Public health research officer: Source, analyse and report on research data and information to inform public health policies or health promotion programs; collaborate with other researchers to develop research methods and interview techniques; possess extensive knowledge of local population and health trends; contribute to the delivery of research planning, policy, reporting and quality management processes in an organisation.
• Health promotion officer: Plan and develop policies, strategies and projects that promote health at a local, regional or national level; develop the health awareness of individuals, groups and organisations; run community training courses and workshops; write and produce leaflets, posters, videos and brochures to aid health promotion in different environments; and ensure work is underpinned by up-to-date knowledge of health promotion theory.
• Epidemiologist / Data analyst: Research, monitor and analyse infectious diseases; collect and analyse health data using a variety of statistical software; educate policy makers, healthcare workers and the community to contain or prevent disease outbreaks.
• Wellness and lifestyle coordinator: Design, evaluate and execute lifestyle programs; contribute to the social and emotional life of populations; establish relationships and networks to promote a healthier life.
• Community development officer: Deliver innovative programs and community engagement plans; identify and leverage funding opportunities; develop consultation activities; engage with stakeholders to deliver activities aimed at improving community health outcomes.
• Women’s health officer: Address the social, political and environmental causes of gender inequities impacting the health and wellbeing of women through research and advocacy for systemic change; deliver training and education programs on women’s health issues and gender awareness; raise awareness of health and wellbeing issues experienced by women.
• Aboriginal health officer: Deliver high quality, comprehensive and culturally appropriate primary health care services in urban, regional, rural and remote locations across Australia; develop tailored educational resources and training for community organisations and non-Aboriginal organisations; advocate for culturally respectful and needs based approaches to improving health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
• Clinical trials coordinator: Conduct and implement clinical trials through site set up, ongoing liaison and data monitoring for quality control, project management and monitoring of participants.
• Health Policy analyst: Research, report and manage healthcare policies and programs, with a focus on evaluating and improving current policies that consider the health of the public.
• Public health manager: Maintain healthcare standards, manage finances, coordinate treatment programs, and provide an efficient healthcare operation; responsible for human resources within a healthcare system and marketing and promotion of new treatments and healthcare policies to the public.

Depending on your results, you may also be eligible to proceed to postgraduate study. You could take your career to the next level with postgraduate coursework in Master of Occupational Therapy (Graduate Entry), or by undertaking research studies with a Masters by Research.
Graduates are also eligible for membership with the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) and other relevant professional bodies.