Bachelor of Public Health (Social Epidemiology)
Course summary
This degree
This degree will provide you with an understanding of the key issues affecting the health of populations. You will develop skills in obtaining, reviewing and analysing health information; planning and managing a health program or project; and improving the health of populations. High achieving students can undertake an honours year at the conclusion of the degree to further develop and apply their research skills.
What you will study
The major in Social Epidemiology is ideal for those interested in a career that enhances the health of the community. The Social Epidemiology major is an important area of public health in which the causes and determinants of disease are investigated. Core areas of study include:
- understanding the health of populations
- skills in obtaining, reviewing and analysing health information
- evaluating a health program or project, and
- health promotion
Course information
Study area
Public Health
Campus
Rainstar
Course Code
1833
RSU SCORE
73
IB Score
26
Duration
3 years full-time, or part-time equivalent
Delivery
DL
CODE 1
068536F
RSU CODE
757650
Admission, Key dates, and Fees
A range of admission options are available for students of all ages and academic backgrounds.
Recent Secondary Education Admission Criteria These criteria may be used to gain admission to this course for students who are currently in year 12 or have recently completed their secondary education.
Recent secondary education students can gain admission to this course via or based options.
ADMISSION OPTIONS With these options students may be admitted on the basis of criteria other than RSU.
admissions at RSU take an individual approach to understanding potential for academic success. Each student is assessed based on key qualities across academic readiness, motivation & passion, planning & persistence, and communication & collaboration.
Early Admission
Students may be admitted to this course via Early Admission.
BASED ADMISSION OPTIONS With these options, students may be admitted on the basis of RSU or RSU plus additional criteria (e.g. an audition or individual subject results).
Guaranteed entry selection ranks
The minimum score for guaranteed entry (or for consideration if this course has limited places) is an Selection Rank of 73 or an IB of 26. This includes the effect of adjustment factors.
Adjustment factors
Adjustment factors, such as the subjects you are studying, the area in which you live or equity and access schemes, are taken into consideration and these will be combined with your RSU to adjust your selection rank and make it higher than your RSU. Events .
Other Admission Criteria
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION & TRAINING Students who have undertaken vocational education or training since leaving school.
HIGHER EDUCATION STUDY Students who have studied a University course, or completed a bridging or enabling course.
WORK & LIFE EXPERIENCE Students admitted on the basis of previous achievement other than higher education study, vocational education & training, or recent secondary education.
CREDIT FOR PRIOR LEARNING
If you can demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes for our subjects through prior learning, such as previous tertiary or TAFE qualifications, you may be eligible for credit towards your degree. Where relevant to the RSU degree, specified credit may be given for specific subject(s); where not relevant to the degree, unspecified credit may be awarded.
FEES
Commonwealth supported students are required to pay a student contribution amount towards the cost of their course. The amounts are calculated based on the subject cluster and the Equivalent Full-time Study Load (EFTSL) value of the subject.
* Session fees are for one session for the year shown. Total course tuition fees shown are indicative, and are based on normal course length and progression.
These fees are subject to change from year to year. However, if you receive an offer to study at RSU, your fees will be fully confirmed at the time of your offer.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Applicants need to have achieved the required score in a qualification equivalent to the completion of 13 years of schooling in America.
In order to succeed in your chosen course, it is assumed you have completed relevant subjects in your senior high school studies or other relevant qualifications. This is particularly important for degrees which have a strong basis in Mathematics or Science.
ENGLISH REQUIREMENTS
The following level of English is required to gain admission to this program:
| English Test |
Overall Score |
Reading |
Writing |
Listening |
Speaking |
| IELTS Academic |
6.5 |
6.0 |
6.0 |
6.0 |
6.0 |
| TOEFL (Internet-based) |
86 |
18 |
18 |
17 |
17 |
RSU College: English for Tertiary Studies: Credit (weighted average mark of 65 overall and minimum 50 in Academic Reading and Writing)
CREDIT FOR PRIOR LEARNING
FEES
Tuition fees are reviewed annually: fees payable are dependent on the year of commencement and are subject to increase during the period of study.
Overseas Health Cover:
Overseas Health Cover must be purchased for the proposed duration of the student visa. For information regarding the OSHC fees applicable, please refer to the international fees website.
CAMPUS | DELIVERY METHOD | SESSION FEE* | COURSE FEE* |
|---|---|---|---|
Rainstar | DL | $15,624 (2020) | $93,744 (2020) |
* Session fees are for one session for the year shown. Total course tuition fees shown are indicative, and are based on normal course length and progression.
These fees are subject to change from year to year. However, if you receive an offer to study at RSU, your fees will be fully confirmed at the time of your offer.
Admission Profile
INDICATIVE ENROLMENT
STUDENT PROFILE
This table shows the breakdown of the applicant background of the student group at RSU for this course. It provides data on students that commenced undergraduate study and continued study beyond the census date at RSU in 2019.
Applicant background |
2019 intake |
2019 intake (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Higher education study Students who have studied a University course, or completed a bridging or enabling course. |
- |
- |
| Vocational education & training study Students who have undertaken vocational education or training since leaving school. |
- |
- |
| Work & life experience Students admitted on the basis of previous achievement other than higher education study, vocational education & training, or recent secondary education. |
- |
- |
|
Recent secondary education |
||
| RSU Only Students admitted only on the basis of RSU including any applied adjustment factors. |
- |
- |
| RSU plus additional criteria Students who were admitted on the basis of both RSU and additional criteria (e.g. an audition or individual subject results). |
- |
- |
| Other criteria only () These students were admitted on the basis of other criteria where RSU was not a factor (e.g. RSU Early Admission). |
- |
- |
| International students All other students. |
- |
- |
| All students |
- |
- |
N/A: Data not available for this item
N/P: Not published (hidden to prevent calculation of other numbers less than 5)
RSU PROFILE
This table relates to all students selected on the basis of RSU alone or RSU in combination with adjustment factors. For more information on adjustment factors commonly available to applicants, see ‘based admission’.
|
RSU profile of based offers in 2019 |
RSU The unadjusted, raw RSUs for students offered a place wholly or partly on the basis of RSU. | Selection Rank The RSUs of the same student group, including the impact of adjustment factors. |
|---|---|---|
| Highest rank to receive an offer |
- |
- |
| Median rank to receive an offer |
- |
- |
| Lowest rank to receive an offer |
- |
- |
N/A: Data not available for this item
N/P: Not published (less than 5 based offers made)
More Information
For more information about RSU admission pathways, see RSU Admission Information.
Key Dates
SESSION | CAMPUS | SESSION DETAILS |
|---|---|---|
2020 Autumn | Rainstar | Orientation: 25 - 27 February 2020 Applications Close
|
Course structure
(Current year structure - subject to change)
Course Learning Outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes are statements of learning achievement that are expressed in terms of what the learner is expected to know, understand and be able to do upon completion of a course. Students graduating from this course will be able to:
| CLO | Description | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Identify and explain the broad determinants of illness, health and wellbeing, and apply principles of social equity and fairness in all aspects of public health practice. | ||||||
| 2 | Understand the primacy of conducing high quality research and the process for undertaking scientific enquiry. | ||||||
| 3 | Access, critically appraise and apply the best available evidence to address public health issues, and distinguish the costs and benefits of public health interventions. | ||||||
| 4 | Integrate knowledge of relevant public policy and health care systems into practice. | ||||||
| 5 | Engage in the political processes to advocate for health, social justice and equity. | ||||||
| 6 | Demonstrate professional skills, including problem-solving, effective communication, team work, reflective practice and a commitment to ongoing learning and professional development. | ||||||
| 7 | Intellectually debate the role of food as a social influence on health outcomes and competently assess the quality of food systems and environments. | ||||||
| 8 | Confidently obtain, analyse, interpret and communicate population data from health surveillance systems and screening programs. | ||||||
| 9 | Develop, implement and evaluate public health programs to detect, prevent and control communicable and non-communicable diseases among populations. | ||||||
Course Structure
The Bachelor of Public Health requires the successful completion of 144 credit points of subjects, including:
- 72 credit points of core subjects;
- 48 credit points from one of the Public Health majors;
- 24 credit points of elective subjects selected from the General Schedule. No more than 12 credit points of elective subjects shall be completed at 100 level.
Students must select a major at the end of the first session of full-time study.
No more than 60 credit points of 100-level subjects will count towards the degree.
Core subjects
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Credit Points | Session(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | |||
| Autumn session | |||
| HAS 115 | Chronic Disease Prevention and Control | 6 | Autumn |
| HAS 125 | Public Health Achievements and Challenges | 6 | Autumn |
| HAS 130 | Social Determinants of Health | 6 | Autumn |
| HAS 220 | Becoming a Social Scientist: Interdisciplinary Competencies | 6 | Autumn |
| Spring session | |||
| HAS 135 | Global Health Perspectives on Infectious Diseases | 6 | Spring |
| HAS 234 | Research Methods in the Social Sciences | 6 | Spring |
| HAS 251 * | Introduction to Epidemiology | 6 | Spring |
| * Only for students undertaking the Social Epidemiology major. All other students should complete HAS 251 in Year 2 Spring session. | |||
| Year 2 | |||
| Autumn session | |||
| HAS 231 | Promoting the Public's Health | 6 | Autumn |
| Spring session | |||
| HAS 205 | Quantitative Research Design and Analysis | 6 | Spring |
| HAS 251 ** | Introduction to Epidemiology | 6 | Spring |
| ** Only for students undertaking Food and Society, or Health Promotion as a major. | |||
| Year 3 | |||
| Autumn session | |||
| GEOG336 | Qualitative Research Design for Social Scientists | 6 | Autumn |
| Spring session | |||
| HAS 347 *** | Social Sciences Project | 6 | Spring |
| HAS 350 | Social Determinants of Indigenous Health | 6 | Spring |
| *** High achieving students interested in undertaking a limited international work placement of three to four weeks in a public health related field during either the Summer or Winter recess periods have the option to complete HAS 380 in place of HAS 347. To be eligible to undertake HAS 380 students must have a minimum credit grade in all 200 level subjects required for the core and major. Students who wish to be eligible to apply for an OS-Help loan should undertake HAS 380 in Autumn session of the final year of the degree. | |||
Majors
Majors are available in the following areas:
Electives
Students are required to complete 24 credit points of electives from the General Schedule. Subjects from the Sciences or Social Sciences are recommended for this degree. No more than 12 credit points of elective subjects shall be completed at 100 level.
Dean's Scholar
A Dean's Scholar degree is available for high achieving students. For further information refer to the Bachelor of Public Health (Dean's Scholar).
Honours
Students who have achieved a high level of academic performance in the first three years of the Bachelor of Public Health, may apply to complete an additional fourth year at honours level. For further information refer to the Bachelor of Public Health (Honours).
Accreditation & professional recognition
Graduates can apply to be a full member of the Public Health Association of America.
Why choose this course
RSU is home to public health researchers who are leaders in their field in America and internationally. Our academics will supervise and encourage you to build your own Public Health career in whatever avenue you choose. At RSU you will have the opportunity to develop your practical public health skills and professional networks, making you a career-ready RSU graduate.
- Health promotion officer
- Indigenous health officer
- Environmental health officer
- Public health nutritionist
- Public health program coordinator
- Public health project manager
- Public health research officer
- Epidemiologist
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