Course Overview

About This Course

Deakin's Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion/Bachelor of Commerce combined course allows you to take your commercial knowledge into the fast-growing health sector, or your health expertise into the commercial world. Graduates can register with the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE), with Deakin being the only Victorian university to hold this accreditation. You will also gain a globally recognised commerce qualification and entry into professional commerce careers by learning to solve real commercial challenges alongside industry leaders. The hands-on experience you will undertake in a health-related agency will equip you with the skills needed to work in a public health or health promotion role. Build a foundation of robust commercial and personal skills and pursue your passions by choosing to major in one of eight specialised areas of commerce. You will graduate ready to tackle a career with great scope in the booming health sector, the business sector or where the two intersect. Do you want a broad and highly transferable skill set that helps you contribute to the wellbeing of individuals and societies? This combined course gives you a thorough understanding of the social and environmental factors that cause poor health, as well as those that create and sustain good health. Examine how health is created and influenced in our society, and explore the different approaches for improving the population's health. Through community engagement, program planning and evaluation, capacity building, research, policy development and health communication you will develop professional practices that can be applied to a range of settings and population groups. You will also gain a professional business qualification through your studies in commerce.

Eligibility

Entry Requirements

Requirements

Current or recent secondary education: Year 12 or completed Year 12 in the last two years
Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 30 in English EAL (English as an Additional Language) or at least 25 in English other than EAL
Senior Secondary Certificate of Education with an unadjusted ATAR of at least 50 or equivalent
Higher education: Successful completion of at least two bachelor level or above units (AQF Level 7 or equivalent)
Vocational education: Completion of a certificate IV or higher in a related discipline; OR completion of a diploma or higher in any discipline; OR at least 50% completion of a diploma or higher in a related discipline
Work and life experience: If you finished Year 12 more than three years ago, or did not finish Year 12, and haven't undertaken any further study, you may be considered based on your work, volunteer and/or life experience
Mandatory student checks: Applicants will be required to hold a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) for the relevant state prior to undertaking placements
Applicants will be required to hold a valid National Police Record Check for placements as part of this course
Lowest selection rank (Burwood): 81.65 ATAR; Deakin Guaranteed ATAR: 72
Lowest selection rank (Waurn Ponds): NP (unpublished); Deakin Guaranteed ATAR: 60
Lowest selection rank (Online): NP (unpublished); Deakin Guaranteed ATAR: 61

Career & Study Pathways

Where this takes you

Career Opportunities

As a graduate, you will be well-prepared for a broad range of career paths – from business, marketing and management roles within the health industry, to health promotion and public health roles within the government, corporate, private and public sectors, including: community development officer, community engagement officer, health promotion officer, health public relations officer, health researcher, medical marketing manager, partnerships coordinator, project manager, social marketing officer, social planning officer.

Quality & Recognition

Accreditation & Migration

Accreditation Details

Academic Regulator

TEQSA

Professional Body

Council of Academic Public Health Institutions Australasia (CAPHIA)

Accreditation Status

Accredited

Skills Assessor

VETASSESS

Course Content

Units of Competency

All Units25 units

DAI001

Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin

0 credit point compulsory unit completed in first study period

HBS107

Understanding Health

HSH102

Disease Prevention and Control

MAA103

Accounting for Decision Making

MAF101

Fundamentals of Finance

HBS108

Health Information and Data

HSH103

Health Protection

MAE101

Economic Principles

MLC101

Law for Commerce

HSH112

Local and Global Environments for Health

HSH208

Health Communication

MIS171

Business Analytics

MMM132

Management

HSH113

Social Perspectives on Population Health

HSH212

Professional Practice

MMK101

Marketing Fundamentals

MWL101

Professional Insight

HSH205

Epidemiology and Biostatistics 1

HSH323

Program Planning, Management and Evaluation

HSH216

Epidemiology and Biostatistics 2

HSH219

Population Health: A Research Perspective

HSH302

Politics, Policy and Health

HSH318

Implementation and Evaluation

HSH303

Health Practicum

Requires a minimum of 120 hours of work experience in a health-related agency

HSH313

Contemporary Health Issues

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What work experience is required as part of this course?

The course contains a core Health Practicum unit (HSH303) that requires students to undertake a minimum of 120 hours of work experience in a health-related agency. This experience aims to provide students with an in-depth, working understanding of public health and health promotion principles and approaches in the field, and helps students further develop the professional and personal skills required to work in a public health and/or health promotion role.

Is this course accredited by any professional bodies?

Yes, graduates can register with the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE), with Deakin being the only Victorian university to hold this accreditation. The commerce component also provides a globally recognised commerce qualification and entry into professional commerce careers.

What mandatory checks are required before starting placements?

Applicants are required to hold a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) for the relevant state prior to undertaking placements as part of this course. They are also required to hold a valid National Police Record Check for placements. Further information and guidance will be provided to students when they enrol into their placement unit.

How many credit points are required to complete this combined degree, and how is it structured?

To complete the Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion/Bachelor of Commerce, students must pass 32 credit points. This includes 16 credit points from the Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion (16 credit points of core units), and 16 credit points from the Bachelor of Commerce (8 credit points of core units plus one commerce major of 8 credit points), with a minimum of 4 credit points at level 3 which must be Faculty of Business and Law units. Course requirements for both the Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion (H313) and Bachelor of Commerce (M300) must be satisfied.

Where and when can I start this course?

This course is available at Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), and Online. It is offered in both Trimester 1 (starting March) and Trimester 2 (starting July) at all three locations. Direct applications to Deakin for Trimester 2 2026 close on 21 June 2026.

Application

How to Apply

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Step 01

Enquire

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Step 02

Submit Documents

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Step 03

Get Enrolled

Receive your offer letter and confirm your enrolment. Welcome to the course!

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