Bachelor of Health Science (Honours)

The purpose of this new Honours degree is to provide students with a pathway from their undergraduate studies in Health Sciences into a more intensive, specialised program related to their major.

It also provides potential candidates with the foundation for doctoral training in their chosen field.

The Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) program includes the following specialisations:

Biomedical Science, Clinical Technologies, Psychophysiology, Nutrition, Psychology and Forensic Science, Health Promotion and Neuroscience.

The program is designed to equip students with the necessary theory and skills advantageous for employment and research training in the Health Sciences.

Students will gain experience in project management, research skills, writing for research publication, oral seminar presentation and working in teams.

Please note that this Honours program does not have accreditation with the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council and does not allow students to practice as a professional psychologist.

Students who wish to become a professional psychologist should complete the Bachelor of Psychological Sciences (Honours).

To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Health Science (Honours), students must complete 100 credit points comprising:

• 2 core coursework units (2 x 12.5 credit points) - one research methods unit and one data management unit
• 2 project units (75 credit points)

All units allow students to focus on a topic from one of the following discipline areas: Applied Statistics and Epidemiology; Biomedical Science; Health Across the Life Span; Health Communication; Cognitive Neuroscience; Nutrition; Clinical Trials; Psychophysiology; or other health-related specialist areas.

Honours merit calculation

An overall Honours Grading is based on a weighted average of four units – HEA40002 (25 credit points), HEA40003 (50 credit points), one of NEU40002 or HEA40001 or NEU40001 (12.5 credit points) and one of STA60001 or STA60004 or PSY40001 (12.5 credit points)

• BHSc (Hons) with First Class Honours (H1); for students who achieve 80%-100%
• BHSc (Hons) with Upper Second Class honours (H2A); for students who achieve 70% – 79%
• BHSc (Hons) with Lower Second Class honours (H2B); for students who achieve 60% – 69%
• BHSc (Hons) with Third Class Honours (H3); for students who achieve 50%-59%

Final results are given for the year as a whole. Students will be graded as follows:

• First class Honours (H1) 80%-100%
• Second class Honours Division A (H2A) 70%-79%
• Second class Honours Division B (H2B) 60%-69%
• Third class Honours (H3) 50%-59%

Units of Study

Advanced Research Methods Core units

Students choose one of the following Advanced Research Methods units, according to their chosen academic specialisation:

• HEA40001 Advanced Research Methods in Health SciencesRecommended for students specialising in: Health Communication; Biomedical Science; Nutrition; Health across the Life Span; or equivalent.
• NEU40002 Neuroscience MethodsRecommended for students specialising in Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychophysiology or equivalent.
• NEU40001 Neuropsychology MethodsRecommended for students with a Psychology/Psychophysiology background.

Data Management Core units

Students choose one of the following Data Management units according to their chosen academic specialisation and prior study:

• STA60001 Statistical Practice 1Recommended for students without foundation statistics or equivalent (Online unit). Students with previous study in Statistics should enrol into STA60004.
• STA60004 Research DesignWith an emphasis on Health Statistics this unit is recommended for students having completed at least basic statistics (Online unit).
• PSY40001 Advanced Quantitative MethodsRecommended for students with a Psychology/Psychophysiology background who have completed a number of statistics units in their undergraduate degree.

Core outcome unitsAll students complete the following two units:HEA40002 Honours Research Training * (25 credit points)HEA40003 Honours Research Project * (50 credit points)

* Outcome unitsMatched exemptions are generally not granted for higher education outcome units.

The Bachelor of Health Science (Honours) degree produces graduates with the ability to:

• demonstrate advanced knowledge and skills in health sciences for professional or highly skilled work and/or further learning
• formulate advanced theoretical and technical arguments in one or more disciplines or areas of practice in health sciences
• demonstrate advanced cognitive, technical and communication skills associated with health sciences to select and apply methods and technologies to analyse critically, evaluate and transform information to complete a range of activities
• demonstrate advanced cognitive, technical and communication skills associated with health sciences to select and apply methods and technologies to analyse, generate and transmit solutions to complex problems
• apply advanced cognitive, technical and communication skills associated with health sciences to select and apply methods and technologies to transmit knowledge, skills and ideas to others
• apply knowledge and skills associated with health sciences to demonstrate autonomy, well-developed judgement, adaptability and responsibility as a practitioner or learner.