Bachelor of Community Health
Undergraduate
USA-BCH-DEG 2025Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
Prescribe a caring career.
Consider career choices in mental health, nutrition, disability or aging. Help to take care of vulnerable people. Prescribe wellbeing programs to nourish diverse communities. Shape and support health projects. Gain professional non-clinical skills online.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- 3 years full time or part time equivalent
- Total subjects
- 24
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
- CSP available
- Yes
Bachelor of Community Health
About this degree
This Bachelor of Community Health will prepare you for a career as a non-clinical health professional, covering areas such as mental health, human biology, psychology and cultural safety in both national and international settings.
You will learn to develop plans that assist in the delivery of care by health professionals, how to work with a diverse range of clients, and how to remain up-to-date with the changing regulations and technologies in this evolving field.
In your final year you will work on projects that directly enhance the lives of individuals and groups in your community.
Some of the subjects you will study include:
- Nutrition and Health
- Disability and Ageing – Diversity and Discrimination
- Project Management for Health and Wellness
- Public Health
You have the option of selecting three electives and tailoring your degree to your interests – which will broaden your career prospects.
Study On Demand – a 100% online community health degree designed specifically for online learning. Take full control over your study - access support seven days a week, plan your study to fit around your life, view learning resources 24/7, and log into the interactive online environment anywhere, any time and on any device.
You will learn how to develop end to end community health programs, along with strategies to address health challenges faced by diverse communities. By working on projects that contribute to the health and wellbeing of communities, you will gain real-world experience which could make a positive impact on the lives of individuals.
This degree will prepare you to work as a non-clinical health professional across the health and community care sector through industry focused assessments and projects underpinned by a strong theoretical foundation.
Recommended study pattern
Note: The program structure is subject to change at any time. (Information correct as at October 2023)
Year 1
- The Social World (SOCU 1008)
- Foundations of Human Biology 1 (BIOL 1052)
- Psychology Concepts (BEHL 1027)
- Foundations of Human Biology 2 (BIOL 1053)
- Exploring Global and National Health (HLTH 1050)
- First Peoples' Health (HLTH 1051) (Domestic Students) or Intercultural Communication (LANG 1064) (International Students)
- Introduction to Mental Health (HLTH 1052)
- Elective 1
Year 2
- Lifespan Growth and Motor Development (HLTH 1055)
- Professional Communication to Work in the Health Industry (HLTH 2031)
- Foundations of Nutrition and Health (BIOL 1054)
- Health Promotion (HLTH 2034)
- Health Law, Ethics and Policy (HLTH 2030)
- Elective 2
- Ageing and Disability Friendly Environments (WELF 2021)
- Project Management for Health and Wellness (HLTH 3065)
Year 3
- Public Health (HLTH 3060)
- Supporting Dignity through Enablement (HLTH 3061)
- Disability and Ageing: Diversity and Discrimination (WELF 3025)
- Case Management for Consumer Directed Care in Disability and Aged Care (WELF 3024)
- Transition to Employment (HLTH 3062)
- Health Practice Project 1 (HLTH 3075)
- Elective 3^
- Health Practice Project 2 (HLTH 3076)
^One elective in the final year is required to be at an advanced level and must be chosen from the suggested electives list for this degree. Other electives may be chosen from the UniSA Online electives list. Course pre-requisites must be satisfied.
Award requirements
Students must complete 24 subjects including 3 electives.
Choose your subjects
Electives
UniSA Online Advanced Electives
- Supporting Dignity through Enablement - HLTH 3061
- Transition to Employment - HLTH 3062
- Disability and Ageing: Diversity and Discrimination - WELF 3025
- Case Management for Consumer Directed Care in Disability and Aged Care - WELF 3024
- Digital Mediascapes - COMM 3071
- Managing Digital Media - COMM 3072
- Operations Management for Business - BUSS 2079
- Branding - MARK 3020
- Managing Decision Making - BUSS 3095
- International Management Ethics and Values - BUSS 3094
- Managing the Employment Relationship - BUSS 3090
- Organisational Leadership - BUSS 3096
- Big Data Analytics - INFS 2039
- Crime Prevention - JUST 3005
- Victimology - JUST 3008
- International Business Environments - BUSS 3107
- Crime, Gender and Sexuality - JUST 3009
Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.
Indicative first year fee
$11,099
Indicative total fee $33,297
The amounts shown here are indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.
Fees may vary depending on:
- the subjects you choose
- credit from previous work experience
- your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.
To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.
The University of South Australia (UniSA) is ranked as one of the best young universities in the world, and is the number one university in Australia for graduate employability. UniSA offers over 200 world-class degrees that are informed by industry and delivered with a highly practical approach to teaching and learning, and is a valuable partner with Open Universities Australia.
Learn more about UniSA.
Explore UniSA courses.
- QS Ranking 2024:
- 21
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 21
How to apply
University of South Australia manages enquiries and applications for this degree.
Complete your details and we'll make sure your enquiry is sent to University of South Australia who will contact you to discuss this degree.
Don't worry, we're still here to help you - you'll receive a personalised follow-up from an Open Universities Australia student advisor to make sure you have found the right degree for you.
Entry requirements
This UniSA Online degree is currently available for Commonwealth supported students.
Applicants are required to fulfil at least one of the following requirements with a competitive result and meet any other academic requirements for the program:
- successfully completed equivalent to a minimum of half a year of full-time study of a higher education program at a recognised higher education provider
- completed an award from a registered training organisation at Certificate IV level or above
- passed a UniSA Online literacy and numeracy test and have relevant work experience
- completed a secondary education qualification equivalent to SACE, such as an interstate year 12 or international qualification
- completed a UniSA Foundation Studies Program or equivalent
- qualified for Special Entry
Students who do not meet these criteria can start studying now by enrolling in the subjects below. Students will be eligible to apply upon successful completion of four subjects and all subjects will be credited towards the degree.
- SOCU1008 The Social World
- BIOL1052 Foundations of Human Biology 1
- BEHL1027 Psychology Concepts
- HLTH1050 Exploring Global and National Health
- HLTH1051 First Peoples' Health
- LANG1064 Intercultural Communication
- HLTH1052 Introduction to Mental Health
- HLTH1055 Lifespan Growth and Motor Development
- BIOL1054 Foundations of Nutrition and Health
- HLTH2034 Health Promotion
UniSA Online offers four start dates throughout the year so you can apply as soon as you’re ready. As part of your application, UniSA Online will share information about the next available study period for this program.
If you have previous work experience, or have studied before, you could fast-track your studies by reducing the time it takes to complete your degree.
Career opportunities
You will graduate with the skills to pursue career opportunities in environments that support community health in a range of areas including disability and ageing.
Careers to consider include:
- Community key health worker
- Project officer
- Professional services officer
- Community health development officer
- Health support worker
- Aged care and disability care coordinators
Australian job snapshots
Data sourced from Australian Jobs 2023.
Role | Earnings | Employment change |
---|---|---|
Aged and Disabled Carers | $60K to $74K | Up 67.4% |
Health and Welfare Services Managers | Over $120K | Up 56.6% |
Welfare Support Workers | $75K to $93K | Up 38.5% |