You're viewing this site as a domestic an international student

You're a domestic student if you are:

  • a citizen of Australia or New Zealand,
  • an Australian permanent resident, or
  • a holder of an Australian permanent humanitarian visa.

You're an international student if you are:

  • intending to study on a student visa,
  • not a citizen of Australia or New Zealand,
  • not an Australian permanent resident, or
  • a temporary resident (visa status) of Australia.
You're viewing this site as a domestic an international student
Change
Book case of vintage books

Major

Public Health

Bachelors of Music / Science
Overview Study details

Make a positive difference to people's lives by learning how to measure, plan, manage and evaluate health programs and services to prevent illness and promote good health within communities.

Public health is founded on a multidisciplinary understanding of health that allows you to explore and examine the basis of disease and wellbeing by considering human behaviour, physical environments, socio-economic and cultural factors, and systems of healthcare management.

This major provides a broad overview of public health and the critical issues it confronts. To establish core understanding of this field, you will examine the foundational disciplines of public health, including epidemiology, biostatistics, health systems, environmental health and social sciences.

Studying public health can lead to a variety of roles within public and global health, health research or public health policy.

This major is delivered at Herston and St Lucia.

Highlights

25 in the world for public health

Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2025

1 in Queensland for medical and health

Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025

Watch Why choose science at UQ? on YouTube.

Career possibilities

Our programs prepare you for your first job and beyond. Here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:

  • Public health researcher
  • Health promotion officer
  • Environmental health officer
  • Policy and research officer

How you'll learn

Your learning experiences are designed to best suit the learning outcomes of the courses you choose.

  • Lectures
  • Tutorials
  • Work placements
  • Online study
  • Overseas study
  • Research experience
  • Laboratory work
  • Fieldwork
  • Seminars
  • Workshops

What you'll study

At UQ, subjects are called 'courses'. Here's a sample of the courses you could study:

  • Health Systems and Policy
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
  • Global Health and Infectious Disease
  • Nutrition in the Lifespan

See courses and program structure

Keep up to date

Sign up to get information about applying and studying at UQ.

Select your country and then enter your mobile phone number.

We will use your information to keep you informed about UQ programs, news, events and scholarships. By submitting this form, you consent to the terms of UQ's Marketing consent and privacy notice.

Questions?
We're here to help.
Contact us