Study

Whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned professional, the School of Public Health offers world-class degrees to help you develop your career in health.

Studying with the School of Public Health will give you the knowledge and skills to tackle the major public health challenges facing the world today.

What’s more, you’ll enjoy individualised, hands-on student learning experiences, including practicums, internships and placements, enabling you to gain real world experience and graduate career-ready.

We practise public health through the engagement of our leading scientists, educators and students with our partners and the community to advance innovative ideas to change individual behaviours, public policies, and healthcare practices.Professor Tracy Merlin, Head of School

Public Health in undergraduate degrees

Why not study a Public Health major or minor within your degree? Doing so will enable you to take an informed, population-wide perspective to the task of measuring and improving health—enormously beneficial for many different careers.

You’ll develop practical skills in epidemiology and health promotion and prevention, and gain an understanding of how social, cultural and economic factors influence contemporary health problems in Australia and internationally. Study abroad opportunities are also available within some Public Health majors.

The following degrees offer a major or minor in Public Health:

You can also study Public Health in the Bachelor of Health Service Management (online) to equip you for administration, planning, management and evaluation of health services that enhance the community’s wellbeing.

Following a Bachelor degree, you can pursue a Public Health or Evidence-based healthcare specialisation in an Honours degree. The Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences (Honours) degree enables you to research an area of personal interest. You’ll undertake a research project, prepare a report for publication, and—in the process—acquire a potential point of difference in the eyes of employers. Find out more about applying for honours within the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences by contacting the coordinator of the public health specialisation.

For more information, download our health undergraduate program guide.

Postgraduate degrees in Public Health

Are you looking to advance your career, change direction, improve your employment prospects or investigate an area of personal interest? Our school offers a range of quality graduate certificates, graduate diplomas and masters postgraduate coursework degrees:

Or perhaps you’d like to gain a deeper insight into a specific public health area of personal interest with a postgraduate research degree? Choose from the Master of Clinical Science, Master of Philosophy (Public Health) or Doctor of Philosophy.

Find out more about all our undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.

Short courses

Up-skill with professional development short courses

Are you a working health professional looking to gain specialised public health knowledge and skills with immediate, practical application to your workplace? The school runs a number of high-quality short courses each year.

Find out more about our short courses

Scholarship opportunities

The University offers a number of scholarships to potential and currently enrolled undergraduate and postgraduate students, and there are also many others funded by industry and non-profit organisations.

Our Research Travel Scholarships enable talented students—and that could be you—to study abroad at some of the most prestigious institutions in the world. It’s an experience that could open the way for you to engage in cross or in-discipline collaboration with top researchers the world over. Additionally, the Philip Ryan Doctoral Travel Grant supports PhD students to present their research at conferences.

The Neville Derrington Hicks PhD Scholarship in Public Health Policy supports the next generation of excellence in public health policy by assisting eligible students with costs or expenses associated with their project, including living, professional development, conference, travel or publication. First awarded in 2018, the Neville Derrington Hicks PhD Scholarship in Public Health Policy was established due to the great generosity of Neville’s family.

At the School of Public Health, we’re also able to offer research projects for students who have a primary interest in public health by way of Honours and summer vacation scholarships.

Prizes

The Dr Teresa Burgess Memorial Prize in Public Health

In 2021 we lost a much-loved colleague, academic and friend, and in her honour staff, colleagues and friends contributed to set up a student prize, ‘The Dr Teresa Burgess Memorial Prize in Public Health’. In recognition of Dr Burgess’ care for her students, her service to the School, and her relationship with colleagues, this prize is awarded annually to a student who has demonstrated service of significant merit to others in their class, the School or the community in the field of Public Health.

The Professor Tony McMichael Memorial Prize

This prize was established by the generous donation from Prof McMichael’s family with a co-contribution of the School of Public Health, in recognition of Prof McMichael’s invaluable contribution to the University in the field of Public Health.

Study overseas

As a School of Public Health student, you’ll have the opportunity to study overseas through a range of programs, including student exchange, study tours and summer and winter schools. There are many exciting opportunities in Europe, Asia, the Americas and Africa.

Study the Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences and depending on the year level you can choose from overseas study experiences that count as elective credit in some majors (such as Public Health), or join an exchange program with one of the University’s partner institutions from around the globe. Contact for more information about studying overseas as a health and medical sciences or public health student.

Student clubs

University isn’t all work and no play. Joining a student club is a great way to pursue other interests and meet new people. From sports and hobbies to politics and culture; the University of Adelaide has a wide range of student clubs for you to consider. As a public health student, you may find the Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences Association  of particular interest.