Why Bachelor of Public Health?
Pursue a career saving lives with this 100% online degree.
Public health is about supporting the wellbeing and resilience of populations. It touches on all aspects of health: preventing disease, addressing health disparities and empowering communities with knowledge.
As a public health practitioner, you can make a real difference to the world around you. You’ll be at the forefront of taking action to address global challenges like pandemics, climate change, natural disasters, ageing populations, food security, social disadvantage and chronic disease.
Decipher hidden patterns in health data. Pinpoint people at risk. Design targeted interventions. Give educated advice on health policy. Do more for your community – with your community.
Overview
In this online degree, you’ll learn to prevent disease, prolong life and tackle the health challenges of the future.
How do health crises, like pandemics and natural disasters, affect us? How can we prepare for them? What is the future of public health in a digital world?
Our teaching is informed by current evidence and leading-edge research in the field. You’ll study environmental factors that lead to illness and poor health. Explore health promotion, human biology and epidemiology. Unpack the laws and ethics of the field. Learn to plan, implement, evaluate and monitor public health activities.
Our curriculum has been designed to align with the Australian Public Health Competency Framework. This means you’ll graduate with highly sought-after industry knowledge and skills, ready to enter the public health workforce. You’ll be equipped to pursue exciting careers in government agencies, not-for-profit organisations and private healthcare firms.
Key features
Build skills in planning, managing and evaluating health care policy, projects, programs and services. - Create an industry-standard portfolio of work to present to future employers.
- Learn from experienced academics who’ve worked extensively in the sector.
- Study content aligned with the Foundation Competencies for public health graduates in Australia.
- Benefit from a fully online degree designed to suit busy adults on the go.
- Graduate equipped to work in local, national and global contexts and with Aboriginal communities.
What you'll learn
With our online Bachelor of Public Health, you can plan your study to fit around your life and access support seven days a week. You can view your learning resources 24/7, logging on to our interactive online environment anywhere, any time and on any device.
You’ll be taught by passionate academics and researchers who have decades of experience in public health. We’ve consulted industry representatives to ensure our course curriculum embeds the skills employers in the public health sector look for.
In your first year, you’ll develop foundational knowledge in core areas of public health practice. Your second year focuses on applying your knowledge to simulated real-world scenarios and case studies. In your final year, you’ll gain critical employment skills to develop your career as a leading-edge public health practitioner.
You’ll explore areas such as:
- Health promotion
- Health law and ethics
- Human biology
- Epidemiology
- Aboriginal health
- National and global health issues.
You’ll learn about strategies to improve the health of populations, including:
- Policy development
- Data analysis and reporting
- Media and advocacy
- Public events
- Community-based education and interventions.
At the heart of this degree is practical, real-world learning. You’ll evaluate current health services, programs and policies. Develop recommendations, factoring in Australia’s policy environment and political landscape. Undertake a research project, where you’ll use epidemiological data to investigate environmental impacts on different communities.
As a student, you’re encouraged to think as a public health practitioner would. Our learning activities have been designed to emulate tasks that public health professionals regularly perform in their jobs. Your assessments will contribute to an industry-standard portfolio of work that you can present to future employers.
As a graduate, you’ll meet the six areas of practice outlined in the national competency framework, which has been produced by the Council of Academic Public Health Institutions of Australia (CAPHIA). These competencies are a minimum prerequisite that can be expected of any Australian public health graduate in the industry. They include:
- Health monitoring and surveillance
- Disease prevention and control
- Health protection
- Health promotion
- Health policy, planning and management
- Evidence-based professional population health practice.
You’ll leave Adelaide University as a versatile professional who can advocate for change and creatively solve complex problems.
What courses you'll study
Complete 144 units comprising:
- 126 units for all Core courses, and
- 18 units for Electives
Complete 126 units for ALL of the following:
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Course name
UO Foundations of Human Biology 1
|
Course code
BIOL1028
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Foundations of Human Biology 2
|
Course code
BIOL1029
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO First Peoples' Health
|
Course code
PUBH1007
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Health Systems and Services
|
Course code
PUBH1009
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Introduction to Public Health Practice and Research
|
Course code
PUBH1010
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Research Methods for Public Health
|
Course code
PUBH1011
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Sociological Perspectives in Public Health
|
Course code
PUBH1012
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Human and Animal Relationships in Health and Society
|
Course code
PUBH1013
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Health Law, Ethics and Policy
|
Course code
HLTH2011
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Health Promotion
|
Course code
HLTH2015
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Marketing for Health and Wellbeing
|
Course code
MARK2012
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Aboriginal Public Health Practice and Research
|
Course code
PUBH2015
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Building Healthy Public Policy
|
Course code
PUBH2016
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Science and Politics of Preventive Health
|
Course code
PUBH2017
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Evaluation of Public Health Practices
|
Course code
PUBH2018
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Project Management for Health and Wellness
|
Course code
HLTH3020
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Epidemiological Principles and Methods
|
Course code
PUBH3008
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Fundamentals of Disease Control
|
Course code
PUBH3009
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Health Practice Project 1
|
Course code
PUBH3010
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Health Practice Project 2
|
Course code
PUBH3011
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Professional Practice in Public Health
|
Course code
PUBH3012
|
Units
6
|
| Course name | Units |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | |
|
Course name
Or Program elective |
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
| Year 2 | |
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
| Year 3 | |
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
Complete 18 units comprising:
- 18 units from Program electives
| Course name | Course code | Units | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Course name
UO Critical Approaches to Online Learning
|
Course code
SOCI3014
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Supporting Dignity through Enablement
|
Course code
HLTH3018
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Transition to Employment
|
Course code
HLTH3019
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Disability and Ageing: Diversity and Discrimination
|
Course code
SOCI3016
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
UO Case Management for Consumer Directed Care in Disability and Aged Care
|
Course code
SOCI3036
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Elective 1
|
Course code
AUXX1011
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Elective 2
|
Course code
AUXX1012
|
Units
6
|
|
|
Course name
Elective 3
|
Course code
AUXX1013
|
Units
6
|
| Course name | Units |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | |
|
Course name
Or Program elective |
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
| Year 2 | |
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
| Year 3 | |
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
|
Course name
|
Units
6
|
Career outcomes
There are so many employment opportunities in public health. You can find roles in grassroots community agencies and all levels of government. You could work locally, with groups like the Heart Foundation or Cancer Council. Or abroad in humanitarian and refugee settings, with international aid organisations like the World Health Organization, UNICEF, UNIAID and the Red Cross.
You could lead nutrition literacy initiatives, developing educational campaigns and tools. You might work in remote Aboriginal communities. Perhaps you’ll collaborate with urban planners to design healthier cities – or be at the forefront of disease management and prevention as South Australia’s Chief Public Health Officer.
You could also be a:
- Public health research officer
- Health promotion officer
- Epidemiologist / data analyst
- Wellness and lifestyle coordinator
- Community development officer
- Women’s health officer
- Aboriginal health officer
- Clinical trials coordinator
- Public health manager.
Or, go on to complete a master’s or PhD in public health to enhance your expertise and career prospects.
Industry trends
There’s never been a better time to work in public health. With global health challenges on the rise, such as changing demographics and chronic disease, the demand for expertise in the field is growing.
During the global pandemic, the profile of public health and prevention has been significantly elevated. Public health professionals have informed COVID-19 hand washing measures, contact tracing, social distancing, vaccine uptake, vulnerable community protection and communication of critical health information.
Climate change is also a major threat to public health. Between 2030 and 2050, it will be responsible for around 250,0000 additional deaths per year from heat stress, catastrophic storms and bushfires, malnutrition, malaria and diarrhoea (World Health Organization, 2023). This will generate demand for public health workers who can:
- Assess the impact of heat stress on the vulnerable
- Develop more green spaces to reduce ambient temperature
- Respond to climate-related events such as bushfires
- Deal with new disease threats
- Identify groups most vulnerable to health issues
- Develop policy and practical measures to protect them.
The Australian government recognises the importance of public health and is taking steps to strengthen and future-proof the sector. The National Preventive Health Strategy 2021-2030 will continue to create new public health roles and responsibilities.
Accreditation
This program is accredited by the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE).
Graduates are eligible for the title: 'IUHPE Registered Health Promotion Practitioner'.
Your study experience and support
Studying 100% online with Adelaide University means joining a dynamic community of learners – all supported by dedicated teams committed to your success. From day one to graduation, you’ll have access to comprehensive academic, student and technical support teams to ensure you get the most out of your online learning journey.
Student support services
Need help with enrolments, managing your study load, or setting your academic goals? Our student support team is here to assist. They’re your first point of contact for advice and are available seven days a week, including out-of-hours and on weekends. Get the help you need – when it suits you.
As an online student, you’ll also have access to our specialised on-campus student support services. Whether you’re looking for career advice, health and wellbeing support, international student assistance, accessibility services, or something else, we’ve got you covered. Visit the Support webpage to explore the services available.
Online academic support
From understanding course content to tackling assignments, writing, and referencing, our expert academics are here to guide you. Available seven days a week, they’ll provide personalised support to help you progress through your studies.
Tech support
We’ve got your back when it comes to technology. Our IT support team is available 24/7 to resolve any tech challenges you might face. With fast response times and tailored solutions, we’ll ensure nothing stands in your way. You’ll also enjoy free access to software downloads required for your program.
Study hours
Adelaide University’s 100% online programs offer the flexibility to fit your lifestyle. You can engage with course materials at any time that works for you – there’s no need to log in at set times. To stay on track, we recommend setting aside 10 to 15 hours per week for each course, but you can adapt your schedule and your study load to suit your needs.
Assessment
All assessments, including exams (if required) are conducted 100% online – so you’ll never need to travel to submit an assignment or sit an exam. Depending on your program, your assessments might include:
- An industry-relevant project or case study
- An online presentation
- Essays and reports.
