Health services and support
What to expect
Getting a degree in health services and support
What to expect
Health services and support is a very broad field of study with wide ranging options in both courses and careers. This area of study is likely to appeal to those interested in helping people and increasing quality of life.
Health services and support encompasses a wide range of professions. Health workers might focus on:
- running things (e.g. health administration)
- advising and educating people (e.g. health promotion, occupational health and safety)
- working for and/or advising public agencies (e.g. public health)
- delivering health services (e.g. radiography or nutrition).
- complementary health disciplines (e.g. homoeopathy, naturopathy, Chinese medicine), offering an alternative to Western approaches.
Getting a degree in health services and support
Visit the University Ratings section for health services and support course ratings.
Courses and specialisations
|
Aboriginal health studies |
Acupuncture |
Aged studies |
Ambulance services |
Beauty therapy |
|
Behavioural health sciences |
Biomedical science |
Community health |
Complementary medicine |
Dental therapy |
|
Disability studies |
Environmental health |
Ergonomics |
Family studies |
Health counselling |
|
Health education |
Health informatics |
Health information management |
Health administration |
Health care management |
|
Health planning |
Health promotion |
Health records |
Health science |
Health services management |
|
Health studies |
Health surveying |
Homoeopathy |
Human services |
Indigenous primary health care |
|
Massage |
Mental health |
Music therapy |
Natural therapies |
Natural medicine |
|
Naturopathy |
Nutrition |
Occupational health, safety and welfare |
Oral health |
Osteopathy |
|
Public health |
Radiography |
Rehabilitation counselling |
Remedial therapies |
Rural health |
|
Traditional Chinese medicine |
Women’s health |
Safety science |
Australian institutions offer a wide range of health courses with varied specialisations, listed above.
Remember that these degrees won’t always be called ‘health studies’ or ‘health science’; many will be named after their specialisations (e.g. Bachelor of Oral Health, Bachelor of Food and Nutrition Science).
Many of these courses will be focused on preparing students for particular occupations. Since it is likely that you will have little knowledge of the breadth of courses or occupations in this field, we strongly recommend that you thoroughly research the different occupations and courses that interest you. Ask course providers to suggest organisations that employ people in the field, and go and talk to some of them.
Getting in
Generally speaking, courses in the health field are quite tough to get into, many demanding high tertiary entrance scores. This is perhaps due to the fact that health studies includes a few rare and very popular courses, some glamorous (paramedics) and others closely related to increasingly important roles relating to healthy lifestyles and workplaces (e.g. nutrition, occupational safety).
Where to study
Courses in the health services and support field are widely available at around 70 campuses across the country, so you shouldn’t be limited for choice.
What to look for in a course
When it comes to choosing a particular institution or course consider the amount of practical training you will receive, and the clinical facilities available.
Many occupations in health, such as medical imaging technologists and osteopaths, need professional registration in order to gain accreditation to practise. It is therefore important to carefully check that any courses you’re considering meet the requirements of your chosen occupation before you apply.
Careers for health services and support degree graduates
Degree courses in the health services and support field prepare graduates for a great variety of interesting and rewarding careers. You might choose to become an acupuncturist, dietician, ergonomist, naturopath or massage therapist. This is definitely a field well worth exploring.
Graduates of courses in health have career options in a variety of different settings in both public and private health care organisations, in private practice or even research or teaching.
The national Course Experience Questionnaire survey found that university graduates gave their courses average satisfaction ratings overall. Starting salaries are about average compared to other fields ($47,682 in 2009). The graduate unemployment rate (23 per cent in 2009) is average compared to other fields of study. In the longer term the number of jobs in these occupations is expected to grow substantially.
For more information
If you are interested in health services and support you should also see what is on offer in associated fields. These include the health-related (rehabilitation
, nursing
, and perhaps medicine
, dentistry
and veterinary science
); the welfare-related (social work
); and those with similar subject matter and/or career activities (a few specialisations in fields as varied as built environment
, business and management
). See also sport and leisure studies
.
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