Bachelor of Health Science/Bachelor of Media and Communication

Overview

The Bachelor of Health Science/Bachelor of Media and Communication will equip students with a comprehensive set of skills, knowledge and attributes to effectively promote health messages, products and innovations to a wide range of audiences.

You'll explore Australian and international health challenges and examine the physical, psychological and social aspects of health in a variety of settings.

You'll also gain knowledge about how the media is evolving through an examination of issues such as diversity, the influence of social networking, data, ownership and privacy, automated media and the digital economy.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the course students will be able to:

• apply theoretical and practical knowledge in one or more health science disciplines to enhance health outcomes and the welfare of individuals and/or populations including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• perform specialised techniques and use technologies for the critical analysis and interpretation of health related data
• be able to apply skills in effective teamwork, initiative, judgement and responsibility, within the cultural, legal and ethical framework of health professions. 
• communicate effectively with various stakeholders in health to disseminate information, knowledge, skills and concepts using different delivery methods
• reflect on personal capabilities and behaviours to meet evolving professional demands in health and seek opportunities for lifelong self-improvement and professional development
• generate innovative and effective solutions for health-related problems using evidence-based approaches 
• identify and contextualise the impacts of digital transformation on media and communication industries, audiences and professional and creative practices
• analyse diverse socio-cultural influences on media and communication practices and their impact on audiences in Indigenous, local and global contexts 
• demonstrate critical thinking, including theoretical, practice-led and decolonised approaches, within a specialised media and communication discipline
• initiate professional approaches to planning, problem-solving and decision-making in a range of media and communication activities and processes, both individually and in collaboration with others
• design creative and professional media and communication artefacts that focus on examining the relationship between people and technology for social impact
• explore innovative use of new media and communication technologies to engage, influence and build communities for next generation media futures
• engage ethical approaches to research methodologies for socially responsible, just and fair content creation strategies
• apply learning from Indigenous, global and cross-cultural communication contexts to support accountability, self-assessment and independence in lifelong learning

Career opportunities

Future career opportunities for graduates in this degree may include medical researcher, health policy developer, clinical physiologist. hospital scientist, immersive content developer, madia analytics and sales coordinator, digital storyteller and more. 

Graduates who intend to pursue psychology as a career must follow a sequence of education and training in psychology as required by the Psychology Board of Australia.

The Psychology and Psychophysiology and Psychology and Forensic Science majors within the Bachelor of Health Science course are accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC). To be eligible for registration as a provisional psychologist, students must go on to complete the Bachelor of Psychological Sciences (Honours) or an equivalent APAC-accredited fourth-year program.

Those seeking general registration as practicing psychologists in Australia must subsequently successfully graduate from an accredited postgraduate program such as the Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology), Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical Psychology) or Doctor of Psychology (Clinical and Forensic Psychology).

For more detailed information on Australian requirements for registration as a psychologist, visit the Australian Psychological Society website.

Professional recognition

On completion of the Public Relations major students may be eligible to become a member of the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) and should confirm eligibility with the Institute.

The Advertising major is professionally accredited by the Media Federation of Australia (MFA).

Course rules

To qualify for the Bachelor of Health Science/Bachelor of Media and Communication, students must complete 400 - 450 credit points comprising:

• eight [8] core Health Science units of study (100 credit points)
• four [4] core Media and Communication units of study (50 credit points)
• eight [8] units of study from a Health Science discipline major in one of the following: Biomedical Science,Clinical Technologies, Health Promotion, Neuroscience, Nutrition (100 credit points)
  or 12 units of study in the Psychology and Forensic Science major (150 credit points)
  or 16 units of study in the Psychology and Psychophysiology major (200 credit points)
• eight [8] units of study from a Media and Communication discipline major in one of the following: Advertising, Cinema and Screen Studies, Creative Writing and Publishing, Journalism, Immersive Media, Public Relations, Social Media (100 credit points)
• Other studies comprising minor/s, advanced minor, or electives as applicable, (0 to 50 credit points)

Domestic students also have an opportunity to undertake a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Professional Placement. 

Please note that due to government regulation international students holding a student visa are not able to undertake Professional Placements in this course.

Due to government regulations international students holding an international student visa are not able to undertake the Psychology and Psychophysiology major or the Psychology and Forensic Science major as part of this double degree.

Students must not complete more than 175 credit points (normally 14 units) at Introductory level.

A unit of study can only be counted once, where units are shared between majors and/or minors, students must choose an approved alternative. Where there are no available units, students will be required to complete an alternative approved cognate unit.

Professional placements

Professional Placements are subject to a competitive selection process.

Students who undertake a 12-month professional placement are subject to the following course rules and must complete 475 credit points comprising:

• eight [8] core Health Science units of study (100 credit points)
• four [4] core Media and Communication units of study (50 credit points)
• eight [8] units of study from a Health Science discipline major in one of the following: Biomedical Science, Clinical Technologies, Health Promotion, Neuroscience, Nutrition (100 credit points)
  or 12 units of study in the Psychology and Forensic Science major (150 credit points)
  or 16 units of study in the Psychology and Psychophysiology major (200 credit points)
• eight [8] units of study from a Media and Communication discipline major in one of the following: Advertising, Cinema and Screen Studies, Creative Writing and Publishing, Journalism, Immersive Media, Public Relations, Social Media (100 credit points)
• other studies comprising electives (0 to 25 credit points)
• four [4] units of study from the Professional Placement co-major (100 credit points

Note: Students selecting the Psychology and Forensic Major will be required to complete 500 credit points in this course and will not need to undertake other studies.

Note: Students selecting the Psychology and Psychophysiology Major will be required to complete 550 credit points in this course and will not need to undertake other studies.

Students who elect to undertake a 6-month professional placement are subject to the following course rules and must complete 437.5 credit points comprising:

• eight [8] core Health Science units of study (100 credit points)
  
• four [4] core Media and Communication units of study (50 credit points
• eight [8] units of study from a Health Science discipline major in one of the following: Biomedical Science, Clinical Technologies, Health Promotion, Neuroscience, Nutrition (100 credit points)
  or 12 units of study in the Psychology and Forensic Science major (150 credit points)
  or 16 units of study in the Psychology and Psychophysiology major (200 credit points
• eight [8] units of study from a Media and Communication discipline major in one of the following: Advertising, Cinema and Screen Studies, Creative Writing and Publishing, Journalism, Immersive Media, Public Relations, Social Media (100 credit points
• other studies comprising of electives (0 to 37.5 credit points
• two [2] units of study from the Professional Placement Minor (50 credit points)

Note: Students selecting the Psychology and Forensic major will be required to complete 450 credit points in this course and will not need to undertake other studies.

Note: Students selecting the Psychology and Psychophysiology major will be required to complete 500 credit points in this course and will not need to undertake other studies

Maximum Academic Credit

The maximum level of credit that can be granted for the Bachelor of Health Science / Bachelor of Media and Communication is 200 credit points (normally 16 units), 100 credit points maximum from each discipline. 

B. Applicants with higher education study

Educational history 

An applicant's entire academic history, including results from previous higher education study will be considered for entry into this course. If previous higher education qualifications are incomplete, results must have been obtained in the last seven years. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent. 

STAT/Bridging courses 

Results from the STAT Multiple Choice will be considered for applicants without an ATAR and whose post-secondary studies do not meet the minimum requirements. Applicants who do not meet the English prerequisites can sit STAT Written English. STAT results are valid for two years.

C. Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study

Educational history 

An applicant's entire academic history from the past seven years, including complete and/or incomplete post-secondary VET studies, will be considered for entry into this course. Only graded results will be considered. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent. 

STAT/Bridging courses 

Results from the STAT Multiple Choice will be considered for applicants without an ATAR and whose post-secondary studies do not meet the minimum requirements. Applicants who do not meet the English prerequisites can sit STAT Written English. STAT results are valid for two years.

D. Applicants with work and life experience

Entire academic record 

This course uses an applicant's entire academic record as part of its selection considerations, including an applicant's ATAR results from the last seven years can be considered for entry into this course. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent. 

STAT/Bridging courses 

Results from the STAT Multiple Choice will be considered for applicants without an ATAR and whose post-secondary studies do not meet the minimum requirements. Applicants who do not meet the English prerequisites can sit STAT Written English. STAT results are valid for two years.