#1 Victorian university for business undergraduate employment
#1 Victorian university for health undergraduate employment
Only Victorian university with International Union for Health Promotion and Education accreditation
Why choose Deakin
Combine public health expertise with commercial insight in Deakin’s Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion/Bachelor of Commerce. This double degree prepares you to address complex health challenges while applying business strategy across the health, business and community sectors. Graduates can register with the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE), with Deakin the only Victorian university to hold this accreditation.
Build a strong understanding of the social and environmental factors that influence health while developing commercial skills in areas such as marketing, management, finance or economics. You will learn to design and evaluate health initiatives, analyse data to inform decisions and communicate effectively with diverse audiences. With practical experience and a globally recognised commerce qualification, you will graduate ready to drive better health outcomes in complex professional contexts.
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Strong graduate outcomes across sectors
Study at the #1 Victorian university for business and management graduate employment and health graduate employment.
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Globally recognised and accredited
Graduate from a course accredited by the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE) and a business school with dual accreditation.
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High-quality learning experience
Deakin is ranked #1 Victorian university for course satisfaction and study experience in business and management.
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Gain practical experience
Complete a 120-hour professional placement in a health-related organisation, applying your skills in professional settings.
Connected to industry
Deakin’s strong industry connections help shape your learning. Build practical experience in real workplace contexts through work-integrated learning, mentoring and networking opportunities. Industry advisory boards also help shape our degrees, which means what you study is current, relevant and aligned to what your future employers need.
Deakin puts employability first
Career outcomes
Combine health expertise with business know-how to pursue roles across health, government, community and commercial organisations, using your skills to improve services, shape strategy and respond to complex health challenges.
Health promotion officer
Develop, coordinate and evaluate health promotion programs that address community health priorities, improve wellbeing and support positive health outcomes.
- $93k
Typical annual salary in Australia
- 4.8/5
Job satisfaction
Financial analyst
Assess financial data, evaluate business performance and provide insights that support investment, budgeting and strategic decision-making across organisations.
- $110k
Typical annual salary in Australia
- 32.2%
Projected job growth in 5 years
Professional areas
- Community development
- Health education
- Health policy
- Partnerships and stakeholder engagement
- Program evaluation
- Social planning
Key dates
Direct applications
Trimester 1 2027 applications close 7 February 2027
VTAC
FAQs
Yes – every Deakin student can access work-integrated learning (WIL) in their degree. Each year, more than 30,000+ students complete a placement or internship with partners including Microsoft, KPMG, EY and the National Australia Bank. You can access WIL through placements, industry projects, field-based experiences, simulations and global programs, helping you apply your skills and graduate with the experience and confidence employers value.
DeakinTALENT is Deakin's award-winning career service, and you can access it for life – not just while you're studying. From personalised career coaching sessions and AI-enhanced resume support to a jobs and internships board with employment opportunities, it’s designed to give you the career management skills and connections you need to stand out. Every Deakin degree is built with input from employers, so your course is designed around real workplace needs, now and into the future.
Entry requirements and the minimum ATAR vary by degree and are detailed on the degree page, but if your ATAR is below the cut-off, you still have options. Use the pathway finder tool to find the opportunities available to you, including associate degrees and Deakin Guaranteed ATAR, which offers eligible students a guaranteed entry score that's on average 10 points below the lowest selection rank. If you don't have an ATAR, Deakin Uni Ready is a free, supported program designed to build your skills and confidence and open doors to degrees in arts, health, science and business. Access programs and equity schemes are also available.
At Deakin, employability isn't an add-on – it's built in. Our degrees are designed with industry input, so your skills are aligned to what employers actually need. Every Deakin student can access work-integrated learning through opportunities such as placements, internships and industry projects, helping you build your professional network and practical experience before you even graduate. It's an approach that works: nine out of 10 Deakin graduates get a job within four to six months of finishing their degree.
Yes. Most eligible undergraduate students are offered a Commonwealth Supported Place meaning the government subsidises part of your tuition fees. If eligible, you can pay your student contribution using a HECS-HELP loan that you only start repaying once your income is above the repayment threshold. Deakin has scholarships that cater to our diverse student community, ranging from $5,000 per year for high ATAR achievers to $10,000 per year for students facing financial or personal hardship. The University also offers support services including financial counselling, budgeting help and access to short-term, interest-free loans to help you stay on track.
Deakin is the #1 Victorian university for student support and that starts the moment you accept your offer. Orientation is designed to help you feel welcome and get to know your community of classmates and teachers from day one. Across all campuses, there's a vibrant student community with clubs, events and opportunities to build real friendships. Deakin offers a range of services to help students stay healthy and safe, including sport and fitness facilities, free counselling, on-campus medical services and around-the-clock security.
Yes, and it's straightforward. You can transfer to Deakin in a few steps and apply for credit through recognition of prior learning (RPL), so you won't necessarily repeat subjects you've already completed. If you're coming from a TAFE partner, you may get guaranteed entry into second year with guaranteed RPL. Deakin's three-trimester system also means you may be able to start mid-year rather than waiting until March.
Most Deakin courses run across three trimesters per year instead of the traditional two semesters. Trimester 1 begins around March, Trimester 2 around July and Trimester 3 around November, each with roughly 12 weeks of teaching followed by an exam period. This means you can usually start your degree at three different points in the year and have more flexibility to manage your study load. Check the intakes by location section on the course page for details.
*Deakin references data from a range of government, higher education and reputable media sources. Learn more about our achievements on our University rankings page, or explore our sources page for supporting references.
What will I study in the Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion/Bachelor of Commerce?
Build a strong understanding of how health is shaped at individual, community and global levels while developing business skills to inform strategy and decision-making. You will learn to analyse data, design and evaluate health initiatives, and apply systems thinking to improve population health outcomes.
Build foundations in health and commerce
Understand health and disease prevention
Learn how social, environmental and behavioural factors influence health outcomes and how disease is prevented and controlled.
Begin your commerce major
Start your studies in areas such as marketing, management, finance, economics or accounting.
Work with data and information
Build your ability to interpret health and commercial data to support decision-making.
Develop applied knowledge and skills
Explore health environments and communication
Learn how local and global contexts shape health and how to design effective health messages.
Build analytical and management capability
Continue developing skills in areas such as analytics, management and marketing.
Apply professional practice
Strengthen your ability to work with evidence, communicate with stakeholders and apply your skills in practical contexts.
Build technical expertise and apply your skills
Analyse population health data
Develop technical skills in epidemiology and biostatistics to interpret health trends and inform decisions.
Plan and evaluate programs
Learn to design, manage and assess health initiatives using evidence and strategy.
Progress your commerce major
Build depth in your chosen discipline and apply commercial thinking in health contexts.
Complete your major and apply your skills in practice
Advance your commerce expertise
Consolidate specialist knowledge in your chosen discipline.
Apply policy and evaluation skills
Explore how policy shapes health outcomes and apply your knowledge to contemporary health challenges.
Gain industry experience
Complete a 120-hour professional placement in a health-related organisation, applying your skills in professional settings.
Course structure
To complete the Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion/Bachelor of Commerce, you must pass 32 credit points.
Most units are equal to one credit point. As a full-time student you will study four credit points per trimester and usually undertake two trimesters per year.
Are you a current student? For course information that applies to the year you started your degree, visit the handbook.
All students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements
Units
Level 1 - Trimester 1
Level 1 - Trimester 2
Level 2 - Trimester 1
Level 2 - Trimester 2
Level 3 - Trimester 1
Plus two commerce major units
Level 3 - Trimester 2
Plus two commerce major units
Level 4 - Trimester 1
Plus two commerce major units
Level 4 - Trimester 2
Plus two commerce major units
Refer to the Bachelor of Commerce (M380) course page for Commerce major sequences options.
Professional recognition
Gain the professional recognition you need to make your mark in health or business sectors, or where the two intersect.
Deakin’s Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion is fully accredited by the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE). This accreditation enables our health promotion graduates to register with the IUHPE as a registered Health Promotion Practitioner (HPP), securing you global as well as Australian recognition.
Graduates may also be eligible to become members of the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) and obtain professional accreditation as a Health Promotion Practitioner with the Australian Health Promotion Association (AHPA).
Deakin Business School holds the prestigious and globally recognised AACSB and EQUIS accreditations, which attest to quality, academic and professional excellence, ongoing improvement, innovation and graduate employability.
- Deakin's accounting major enables students to apply for the:
- CA Program of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (CA ANZ)
- Associate membership for the CPA Program
- IPA Program of the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA)
- Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). - Students who complete the finance major are recognised through the CFA Institute University Affiliation Program.
- The financial planning major satisfies the Financial Adviser Standards (FAS) education standards, meaning students can provide financial advice in Australia and are eligible for financial planning certification programs including:
- the Financial Adviser Association of Australia (FAAA) CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®.
Students should consult the professional body or a course adviser to identify additional requirements for membership.
Note: All information regarding professional recognition is accurate at the date of publication. Enquiries regarding accreditation and professional membership should be directed to the School of Health and Social Development or Deakin Business School in order to ascertain the current status of accreditation at any future point in time beyond publication. Representations about accreditation apply only to the course, and the relevant professional body retains discretion as to whom they admit as members of their association. Deakin University cannot exercise any control over membership of an external body.
What to expect while studying
You may be able to study available units in the optional third trimester to fast-track your degree, however your course duration may be extended if there are delays in meeting course requirements, such as completing a placement.
Working with Children Check
Applicants will be required to hold a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) for the relevant state prior to undertaking placements as part of this course. Further information and guidance will be provided to students when they enrol into their placement unit. Learn more about the Working with Children Check.
Police record check
Applicants will be required to hold a valid National Police Record Check for placements as part of this course. Further information and guidance will be provided to students when they enrol into their placement unit.
As a student in the Faculty of Health you can expect to participate in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include lectures, seminars, practicals and online interaction. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time.
The course contains a core Health Practicum unit that aims to provide students with an in-depth, working understanding of public health-health promotion principles and approaches in the field. Students are required to undertake a minimum of 120 hours of work experience in a health-related agency. In addition to developing a practical understanding of public health and health promotion, this experience will help students further develop the professional and personal skills required to work in a public health and/or health promotion role.
Public Health and Health Promotion
The Health Practicum unit requires you to undertake a minimum of 120 hours of work experience in a health-related agency. In addition to developing a practical understanding of public health-health promotion, this experience will help you further develop the professional and personal skills required to work in a public health-health promotion role.
At Deakin, we're committed to ensuring an inclusive environment that supports all students to belong, thrive and succeed. We work closely with students, where needed, to identify potential barriers to participation and where possible, provide tailored support so students can engage with learning and assessment activities.
If you are neurodivergent, have a disability, health condition or mental health condition that may impact your study or participation in university life, and want to know how Deakin could support you, contact our Domestic students (opens in a new window) or International students (opens in a new window) or Disability Resource Centre (opens email client) teams for a collaborative and confidential discussion. This discussion is to support you to make plans for your studies and future career and will not have any bearing on your application to the course.
When can I start?
When you study depends on your course, location and available intakes. Check the table to see when you can start and how study is offered throughout the year.
Your course learning outcomes describe the knowledge, skills and capabilities you’ll develop and be able to demonstrate by the time you graduate. Built into your course through your units and assessments, they provide a clear picture of what you’ll be equipped to know, understand and do – preparing you to apply your learning with confidence beyond university.
| Course Learning Outcomes Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion | Course Learning Outcomes Bachelor of Commerce |
|---|---|
| Apply evidence-based research and a determinants-based knowledge of public health and health promotion to advocate for social change, promote good health and wellbeing, prevent poor health and reduce inequalities for individuals and populations alike. | Evaluate broad knowledge of commerce, with depth in one or more business disciplines, and apply theoretical and technical expertise to inform financial, economic, and organisational decision-making. |
| Communicate effectively in oral and written forms with a range of stakeholders and promote positive, desired change. | Communicate knowledge and ideas clearly and effectively through written, spoken, and digital formats suited to the discipline and context, demonstrating the level of professionalism expected in business settings. |
| Use information technology to effectively communicate, locate information and analyse data. | Effectively use discipline-specific and general digital technologies to research, evaluate, synthesise, and communicate business-relevant information in a dynamic global environment. |
| Apply critical thinking and reflection to issues of contemporary health, related to policy and planning in public health and health promotion practice within an evidence-based framework. | Analyse and evaluate academic, professional, and commercial information using relevant theories and methods to form reasoned judgements and support ethical, evidence informed decisions in commercial contexts. |
| Apply an evidence-based learning framework to create solutions to diverse and complex health problems. | Apply creative, cognitive, and technical skills to identify, investigate, and solve complex, real world commercial problems using innovative and evidence-informed approaches. |
| Monitor and reflect on one’s own professional practice. | Engage in independent and continuous learning across business disciplines to support personal and professional growth in a dynamic business environment; effectively manage resources, time, and constraints to deliver high-quality, timely outcomes. |
| Develop knowledge and implement strategies in collaboration with others to build and enhance relevant partnerships and actions as a public health and health promotion practitioner. | Work and learn collaboratively with fellow peers, business professionals, and members of the wider community. |
| Support public health and health promotion practice within diverse social, cultural and environmental contexts and communities. | Develop an ethical awareness and a social responsibility by engaging respectfully and productively with Indigenous, local, national, and international stakeholders, and by applying knowledge and skills in ways that are culturally appropriate, inclusive, and informed by diverse worldviews and knowledges. |
- Award granted
- Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion / Bachelor of Commerce
- Year
2027 course information
- VTAC code
- 1400314251 - Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
1400514251 - Burwood (Melbourne), Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
1400614251 - Online, Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) - Deakin code
- D379
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition
The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7
Fees
Estimated tuition fee
$14,168
for 1 yr full-time - Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
The estimated tuition (student contribution) fee above is based on a typical first-year full-time enrolment of 8 credit points and is provided as a guide only. Your student contribution is determined by the units you enrol in and will vary depending on the units you choose, your study load, the course duration, and any approved recognition of prior learning. You may also be eligible for a HECS-HELP loan to defer payment of all or part of your student contribution.
Check your eligibility or learn more about CSP or HECS-HELP.
Scholarships
We want to help you excel at Deakin. Our scholarships recognise your dedication and achievements, providing financial support that can ease the cost of living and studying. With less pressure, you'll have more freedom to focus on what matters most – your education and future success.
Applications for 2027 are open
Ready to take the next step? Apply now to start your journey at Deakin and get ready for what’s next.
Key dates
Direct applications
Trimester 1 2027 applications close 7 February 2027
VTAC
Apply now
Apply direct
Simply create an account in the Deakin Application Portal, enter your personal and educational details, upload your supporting documents and submit your application.
Apply through VTAC
Applications are open. Apply through VTAC if you're:
- currently in Year 12 and applying for Trimester 1 or Semester 1
- applying for multiple undergraduate courses
Need help? Follow our step-by-step undergraduate guide to prepare and submit your application.
Recognition of prior learning
We value your previous study and experience. Recognition of prior learning enables you to get credit for what you've already achieved. When you apply, we'll consider your previous study and experience for recognition of prior learning.
Not sure if you'll meet entry requirements?
Deakin offers a range of pathways into the Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion/Bachelor of Commerce to suit your background and goals. Explore the pathways finder to see how previous study, diplomas or alternative qualifications can lead you into the course.
Looking ahead to what's next?
Upon graduation, you may go on to complete further study in health by applying for Deakin's Master of Public Health, Master of Health Promotion, Master of Health Economics or Master of Health Management. You may also be eligible for postgraduate study in business and commerce.