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Start your unstoppable career in improving the health of people and populations. A degree in public health prepares you to be at the forefront of disease prevention and health promotion.

Public health practitioners address social and cultural, commercial and environmental factors which prevent disease and prolong the lifespan of the greater public. With an emphasis on advocacy and equity, you’ll work with individuals, groups, communities and organisations across public and private sectors to engage with meaningful health issues, and become equipped with skills to address global health challenges.

You’ll learn diverse approaches including policy development; data analysis and reporting; media and advocacy; public events; community-based education and preventative interventions to create positive change. These methods may be used to tackle complex global health issues such as infectious diseases, heart disease, cancer and mental health.

What you'll learn

You’ll become equipped with the knowledge, skills and attributes to contribute as a dynamic and forward-thinking generalist public health practitioner.   

Your studies will equip you with an understanding of the social and commercial determinants of health and wellbeing. You will learn how to engage with communities and populations to promote wellbeing through locally-relevant information and activities. You will learn the principles and purpose of evaluation in public health, the importance of lived-experience perspectives, the role of advocacy, and the responsible dissemination of public health information. You’ll also learn epidemiological techniques to identify patterns in population health, such as the prevalence of mental health conditions or cardiovascular disease, novel associations between risk factors and diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and COVID-19.

During your first year you’ll understand core areas of practice and in your second year you’ll get to apply that knowledge. In the final year, there will be an emphasis on becoming a public health practitioner and entering the workforce, and career development. You will also have the opportunity to showcase your industry project and placement experiences at the annual student conference.

Throughout the degree, you’ll focus on equitable access to health programs and services for priority population groups such as, but not limited to, people experiencing homelessness, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse people, veterans, people living in rural and remote locations, young people, and older adults.

Graduates meet a broad range of industry-relevant public health competencies across 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

You’ll study either one minor or choose from four elective courses. Your minor can be made up from UniSA’s wide list of majors and minors, allowing you to develop a unique combination of knowledge and skills. Alternatively, the four elective courses can be selected from a specific list of courses related to the degree.