Bachelor of Health Science (4656)

  • Approved Abbreviation: BHlthSc
  • Western Sydney University Program Code: 4656
  • AQF Level: 7

CRICOS Code: 044779G

This program applies to students who commenced in 2022 or later

Students should follow the program structure for the session start date relevant to the year they commenced.

For Commencement Year 2021 - please refer to 4656.3 Bachelor of Health Science

For Commencement Year 2016 - please refer to 4656.2 Bachelor of Health Science

For Commencement Year 2010 - please refer to 4656.1 Bachelor of Health Science

The Bachelor of Health Science provides an understanding of health sciences. Students choose one of five majors.

These majors prepare students for work in related fields or to undertake further study. The health promotion, public health, health services management and recreational therapy programs qualify students for highly demanded positions in the workforce. The clinical sciences testamur major prepares students for graduate entry clinical health courses. Students have flexibility in their elective choices within the program and can select from a range of majors or minors, to complement their primary testamur major and extend their health discipline-specific knowledge and skill set.

The testamur majors Public Health, Health Promotion and Recreational Therapy are also offered as fully online courses.

Study Mode

Three years full-time or six years part-time.

Program Advice

HealthSciences@westernsydney.edu.au

Prospective students should visit the following websites for general enquiries about this program.

Enquire about this program| Local Admission | International Admission |

Location

Campus Attendance Mode Advice
Campbelltown Campus Full Time Internal See above
Online Full Time Online See above
Sydney City Campus* Full Time Internal Liz Atteya
*

Programs delivered through an agreement with another party

Accreditation

The Bachelor of Health Science (Health Service Management) program has Professional Accreditation with the Australasian College of Health Service Management (ACHSM). 

Work Integrated Learning

Western Sydney University seeks to enhance student learning experiences by enabling students to engage in the culture, expectations and practices of their profession or discipline.  This program includes a placement or other community-based unpaid practical experience.

There is a mandatory work component required for completion of this program.  Please contact the Program Advisor listed above for information.

International students should also refer to the link below for more information and a link to the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).

Work Integrated Learning (WIL) for international students

The health promotion, public health, health services management and recreational therapy majors each have work placements. These workplace-based placements are embedded in subjects within the testamur major and include threshold assessment tasks. Work placements are organised in NSW Health or other appropriate and equivalent placement settings. Students are supervised by qualified practitioners in these disciplines.

Work Integrated Learning Placements allow students the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in the health care setting. The program offers work placements blocks of 140hrs (Health Promotion and Public Health), 280hrs (Health Services Management) and 720hrs (Recreational Therapy). Clinical Sciences students can undertake a work placement by choosing a second major in 0052 Health Promotion, 0055 Public Health or 0053 Health Services Management. As most of these placements are with NSW Health, the special requirements are required to be completed in the students first year of study.

Admission

Assumed knowledge: Any 2 units of English.

Applications from Australian and New Zealand citizens and holders of permanent resident visas may be made via the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) or directly through the Western Portal. Use the links below to apply via UAC or Western Sydney University. Applications made directly to Western Sydney do not have an application fee.

http://www.uac.edu.au/
https://westernsydney.uac.edu.au/ws/

Applicants who have undertaken studies overseas may have to provide proof of proficiency in English. Local applicants who are applying through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) will find details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof on the UAC website. Local applicants applying directly to the University should also use the information provided on the UAC website.

International students currently completing an Australian Year 12 in or outside Australia, an International Baccalaureate in Australia or a New Zealand National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) level 3 must apply via UAC International.

http://www.uac.edu.au/

All other International applicants must apply directly to the University via the International Office.  

International students applying to the University through the International Office can find details of minimum English proficiency requirements and acceptable proof on their website.

International Office

Overseas qualifications must be deemed by the Australian Education International - National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (AEI-NOOSR) to be equivalent to Australian qualifications in order to be considered by UAC and Western Sydney University.

Special Requirements - NSW Health Legislative Pre-requisites

Student Compliance Information for all Health-Related Placements

To enrol in this program, students must meet Western Sydney University program requirements. To attend a health-related placement in this program, Special Legislative Requirements will be assessed from the first year of study.

Western Program Requirements

Visit the Special Requirements webpage for details about your program.

Special Requirements

Mandatory NSW Health student placement policy requirements

To be able to undertake placement in any NSW Health facility you must be assessed as compliant with NSW Health student placement policy in the first year of your program, regardless of when you expect to go on your first placement. Access and read the NSW Student Compliance Information Booklet

NSW Student Compliance Information Booklet

Please ensure that you

  1.  Find your existing National Police Check or apply for one
  2.  Gather documentary evidence of your vaccination history
  3.  Print and compete all relevant NSW Health forms relevant to the campus you are enrolled at or online enrolment requirements
  4.  Follow booklet instructions on how to have your compliance documents assessed by NSW health staff.

International students have additional requirements: the link to the booklet will inform you of these requirements.

School Requirements

Contact your School for further details regarding your School’s requirements, if any, such as

  • If you live outside of NSW or Australia and need to meet your state, territory or country’s compliance requirements
  • If you need to meet different state, territory or country compliance requirements.
  • NSW Working with Children Check (WWCC) or other state equivalent, valid for your entire program.
  • Current approved first aid certificate valid for your entire program - approved program providers can be found at the Government Training website
  • http://training.gov.au
  • Other non-health related requirements

Student Compliance Resources are also available on the Placements Hub web page (NSW students only)

https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/learning_futures/home/placements_hub/placements_hub/student_compliance

Program Structure

Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 240 credit points.

The Bachelor of Health Science is made up of a compulsory core group of 8 subjects (80cp) that focus on the foundation knowledge and skills required by all health professionals. These subjects focus on population health, health professional competencies, communication, anatomy and physiology, human development across the lifespan, diseases, psychology, research and evidence and project development and management. All 4656 students share the same core and some of these subjects are also shared with other clinical health courses in the School of Health Science.

The major is added to the core set. It is the primary focus of the degree and is written on the testamur at graduation. Testamur majors in Public Health, Health Promotion, Health Services Management and Recreational Therapy prepare graduates for industry-based health professional roles and course completion. Alternately, the Clinical Sciences testamur major has been designed as a pathway degree, to help students progress to post graduate study in clinical health areas. Clinical Sciences has been designed specifically to ensure foundation skills and presumed knowledge areas are covered.

Each testamur majors adds an additional 80cps to your program, except for Recreational Therapy which requires an additional 120cp.

Recommended Sequence

Campbelltown and Online

Core Subjects

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
Autumn sessionCredit Points
PUBH 1006 Population Health and Society 10
HLTH 1013 Professional Competencies in Health 10
Plus two flexible subjects (Select from Testamur Major And/or Electives) 20
 Credit Points40
Spring session
HLTH 1012 Evidence in Health 10
COMM 1007 Communication in Health 10
BIOS 1036 Human Development and Disease across the lifespan 10
Plus one flexible subject (Select from Testamur Major And/or Electives) 10
 Credit Points40
Year 2
Autumn session
PUBH 2005 Culture, Diversity and Health 10
Plus three flexible subjects (Select from Testamur Major And/or Electives) 30
 Credit Points40
Spring session
BEHV 1014 Psychology and Health 10
Plus three flexible subjects (Select from Testamur Major And/or Electives) 30
 Credit Points40
Year 3
Autumn session
PUBH 3028 Transforming Health 10
Plus three flexible subjects (Select from Testamur Major And/or Electives) 30
 Credit Points40
Spring session
Four Flexible Subjects (Select from Testamur Major And/or Electives) 40
 Credit Points40
 Total Credit Points240

Testamur Majors

Students must select and enrol in one of the following Major Testamurs before selecting individual subjects. Student can then choose a second major, two minors or a selection of electives. 

Only for students enrolled in 4656 Health Science

Majors

Chosen as a second major

Recommended Minors

Majors

For any student at Western not enrolled in 4656 B Health Science

Minors

Sydney City Campus

Click here for the recommended sequence at Sydney City Campus.

Major and Minor elective spaces

Elective subjects may be used toward obtaining an additional approved major (80 credit points) or minor (40 credit points).  Western Sydney University offers majors and minors in a range of areas including Sustainability and Indigenous Studies.

Global Sustainability Minor  
Indigenous Australian Studies Major   
Indigenous Australian Studies Minor

Western Sydney University also offers the following innovative transdisciplinary Challenge Minors which we encourage those students who have elective space to consider.

Equitable Technologies
Urban Evolution
Migration and Global Change   
Personal Innovation    
Innovating, Creating and Problem Solving 
Eco-Socially Conscious Design and Manufacturing
Water for Life 
Climate Justice
Creative and Visual Communication
Global Workplaces
Innovating For Humans
Creative Living for Cultural Wellbeing
Ideate. Strategise. Innovate. 
Humanising Data

For more information, visit the Challenge Minor website.  

Search for majors and minors

Students can apply for an elective major or minor via Western Now.

WesternNow