Introduction
Due to the increase of ageing population worldwide and constantly advancing technology, health services are one of the world’s fastest growing industries and so is the career in public health. Studying public health involves much more than medicine. Public health science aims to protect and improve the health of communities through education, data analysis, research and government policy, being a broad area of study with the possibility to extension to a vast range of specializations.
Is public health a career in high demand?
Public health specialists can make a difference on a large scale. Their work influences the lives of millions of people around the world and can change the course of history. Preventing pandemics, challenging misconceptions about reproductive health and fighting malnutrition are just a few of the areas where public health workers have made their mark. Due to public health issues like demographic changes and rising rates of chronic disease, public health services are expanding rapidly, being the top industry for employment growth in Australia. According to the Australian Jobs Report 2019, the health care sector has grown by 21.4% since 2013 and is expected to grow another 14.9% by 2023. Public health professionals’ average salary in Australia varies from AU$74,000 to AU$101,000 per year, depending on the area of specialization.
Study Public Health in Australia
Public health is a rapidly developing field of study that offers a diverse range of pathways for students, depending on the career goals.
The most popular specialisations within the Public Health field are:
- Community Nutrition
- Epidemiology
- Biostatistics and Informatics
- Community Health
- Epidemiology
- Environmental Health
- Global Health
- Health Policy and Management
- Health Promotion and Communication
- Maternal and Child Health
If you are looking for pursuing a career in public health in Australia, here are some degrees and university options:
The Bachelor of Public Health is a three-year course that offers general knowledge and the ability to specialize in fields such as environmental health, health promotion, nutrition, occupational health and safety, epidemiology, etc. For some universities, Honours degree is available through an additional year of study.
| University | Placement | English entry requirements | Academic Entry requirements | Scholarship options |
| QUT | 185 hours of professional placement | IELTS or equivalent overall 6.5 (no band less than 6.0) | Completion of Year 12 | 25% of total tuition fee or up to $30,000 |
| University of Queensland (UQ) | 90 hours of work placement | IELTS or equivalent overall 6.5 (no band less than 6.0) | Completion of Year 12 | Up to 25% of total tuition fee |
| Griffith University | 240 hours of work integrated learning | IELTS or equivalent overall 6.5 (no band less than 6.0) | Completion of Year 12 | Up to 50% of total tuition |
| Australian Catholic University (ACU) | up to 200 hours of professional placement | IELTS or equivalent overall 6.5 (no band less than 6.0) | Completion of Year 12 | Up to 50% of total tuition |
A Master of Public Health prepares graduates for work in community-based and community-led health services and organisations including international agencies. Work areas can be on projects for government and non-government organisations relating to a number of health fields including health promotion and health administration. Although it is an excellent study option for Nurses or health related graduates, majority of universities do not require a health or medical background to study a Master of Public Health. Regardless of experience background, the structure of public health programs will provide students with advanced postgraduate training and equip them with the skills and requirements for a career as a public health professional.
- Kaplan Business offers an MBA program with the specialization in Health Services Management. This is a popular and flexible course with 12 subjects (6 core + 6 electives) that can be completed in two years, providing career outcomes as a Nursing manager (for those with Nursing background), Practice manager and Health care administrator. Students must have completed a bachelor’s degree to meet academic requirements. Option is to have completed an Advanced Diploma/Associate Degree and prove minimum two years of relevant industry experience. English requirement is IELTS overall 6.0 or equivalent.
- Torrens University is another popular option for the Master of Public Health. It is a 1.5-year program focused on equipping professionals from a broad range of backgrounds with the knowledge and skills to address public health challenges on current global and environmental health issues, health policy, systems and economics, along with social, behavioural and cultural determinants of health. Torrens also offers two options for course extension combining the Master of Public health with either the Master of Global Project Management or the Master of Business Administration. Both options are a two-year program, and the student can be eligible for a postgraduate visa upon the course completion.
Postgraduate
After successfully completing a degree in Public Health or a post-qualification, with the minimum course duration being two years, students can obtain a graduate visa (Temporary Graduate Visa Subclass 485) that allows them to stay in Australia for two more years (this time can be extended if study in a regional area).
To apply for a graduation visa, students must meet IELTS requires with overall score of 6.0 (no band less than 5.0) or equivalent (Note: English equivalent exams include: TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, OET, and Cambridge). Other requirements also apply. If you want more information, please contact one of our migration agents.