Public health focuses on preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health. It's an excellent choice if you are keen to pursue a clinical career in areas like medicine, allied health or social work. The Public Health major will teach you to measure, plan, manage and evaluate health programs and services to prevent illness and promote good health in communities. You will study a wide range of health disciplines and competencies including biomedical sciences, public health, global health, health research methods, health policy and professional practice (e.g. health law and ethics) and gain in-depth skills and knowledge in health to bring about positive changes in communities. You will apply this knowledge in your third year, where you will spend 90 hours on placement in non-clinical health-related organisations around metropolitan and rural Australia. A public health major can also lead to a research career via Honours or a Master of Public Health.

Graduates may work in either the public and private health care sectors, dealing with health issues as varied as anti-smoking campaigns, communicable disease, drug and alcohol use, Indigenous health, chronic disease and women's health. Those students seeking non-clinical careers in health promotion or health services management will be at the front-line in improving health care delivery through their roles as health promotion officers, health managers, nutritionists and health researchers. As with most 3-year University degrees, employment prospects and remuneration will be enhanced by further study. Students seeking a clinical career (treating or testing patients) may complete this program and then, subject to entry requirements, pursue a clinical postgraduate or graduate-entry degree such as the Doctor of Medicine or Master of Dietetics Studies. Completion of an Honours year and a PhD may lead to an academic career in the university sector.