Undergraduate areas of study - Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Ambulance and paramedic studies

Ambulance paramedic education, which had been delivered by the Ambulance Officers' Training Centre (AOTC) for 30 years, has gained a national and international reputation for the quality of its courses and the performance of its graduates. In particular, the MICA paramedic course is regarded as a national benchmark. As a result of a state government decision to mainstream ambulance paramedic education, Monash University sought and won the contract to provide ambulance paramedic education for ambulance services in Victoria.

To meet these responsibilities, the university created the Department of Community Emergency Health and Paramedic Practice (CEHAPP) within the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, which is located in a purpose-built building funded by the Victorian State Government and located on the Peninsula campus. CEHAPP, in partnership with industry, has developed integrated programs in ambulance and paramedic studies to meet the needs of the industry.

Behavioural neuroscience

Behavioural neuroscience is an exciting biomedical science that addresses the biological basis of behaviour and cognition. In recent years there has been a rapid expansion of knowledge concerning the biochemical, anatomical and physiological correlates of brain function and dysfunction. This knowledge has substantially enhanced our understanding of the way the brain influences behaviour and cognition, and vice versa.

The Bachelor of Behavioural Neuroscience is a specialised three-year undergraduate degree. This multidisciplinary program provides a unique opportunity to study behavioural neuroscience in combination with psychology and the biomedical sciences. Through site visits and discussions with clinicians, students will acquire an appreciation of the central role that neuroscience plays in the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Students will gain practical laboratory skills. They will also learn to record, analyse and critically evaluate scientific data, and learn how to present their findings as oral, written or web-based reports.

Biomedical science

The Bachelor of Biomedical Science at Monash includes major contributions from many of the departments of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences and the Faculty of Science. The degree is structured to permit articulation into at least one of many specific health and biomedical careers and appropriate higher level studies in the biomedical sciences area.

Students have the opportunity to study units from a wide range of faculties as part of the degree structure. These include the faculties of Arts, Business and Economics, Information Technology, Law, and Science. The overall structure of the course permits students to choose up to six units from outside the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. The course is student-oriented and takes every opportunity to offer units with as much flexibility as possible, encompassing a wide range of teaching and learning approaches.

The degree encompasses a range of interdisciplinary core units to cover all areas of the modern biomedical sciences, human biology and public health. These include aspects of anatomy, biochemistry, cell biology, clinical medicine, epidemiology, genetics, immunology, microbiology, molecular biology, pharmacology and preventive medicine, and physiology. The core units have been designed to provide the student with the skills necessary to understand and investigate the functions of humans and other mammals and include aspects of the traditional biomedical sciences.

Biotechnology

The Bachelor of Biotechnology (with honours) is a four-year program that has substantial input from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences and the Faculty of Science with support from the faculties of Arts, Information Technology, Business and Economics, Engineering and Law, and the Victorian College of Pharmacy. The program was developed following extensive consultation with employers, consultants to the biotechnology industry, the Victorian Government, careers teachers and leaders of biotechnology programs at other universities.

While the program will utilise existing units available within the Bachelor of Science and the Bachelor of Biomedical Science, students will complete a core unit at each year level, focusing on current biotechnology and, in particular, the nature of commercial biotechnology.

After completing a common first year, students will choose an area of specialisation from areas including biomolecular processing, chemical biotechnology, medical biotechnology, nano-biotechnology, and cell and genetic biotechnology.

Health science

The Bachelor of Health Science is a three-year, full-time course offered at the Peninsula campus. The course provides foundation in learning in health science with major study options in health promotion and health policy and management. In addition, students may select a minor sequence in bioscience. Graduates will find employment in hospitals, health networks, community organisations, and public health in government and related organisations in local, national and international agencies. Other students will take the Bachelor of Health Science as a preparation for graduate entry into medical or physiotherapy degree courses, nutrition and dietetics, or chiropractic, or go on to take postgraduate qualifications in hospital management or public health. All students undertake half-day fieldwork visits, a one-week rural placement in year one, and a community-based placement for 2 days per week over one semester in third year.

Health science/social work

The Bachelor of Health Science/Bachelor of Social Work is a four-year, full-time course offered at the Peninsula campus. The course is for students who are interested in a career in social work concerned with the health sector, and provides an overview of health concepts and the health and social care system in which they will be practising.

The course brings together core components from the Bachelor of Health Science and Bachelor of Social Work. The health science component of the course covers population health and health promotion, as well as community and capacity building theory and practice. The social work component covers the theory and practice of working with individuals, families, groups and communities and is accredited by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).

The course includes fieldwork placements (14 weeks of full-time or equivalent in years three and four) as well as half-day site visits and a one-week rural placement in year one.

Medicine

The normal way for a person to become a medical practitioner in Victoria is by doing a university course leading to the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MB BS). The graduate is then eligible for provisional registration by the Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria. After serving a compulsory internship year in an approved hospital, he/she is eligible for final registration in Victoria, and for registration in other states of Australia.

The Australian Medical Council (AMC) has the responsibility for the accreditation of medical schools in Australia.

Nursing and Midwifery

Nursing and midwifery at Monash provides national and international leadership in nursing and midwifery education and research. A full range of courses is offered, from undergraduate through to postgraduate, using a variety of learning/teaching modes that encourage flexible approaches to learning and discovery.

Nursing studies are delivered by the School of Nursing and Midwifery based at the Gippsland and Peninsula campuses. In addition, the School of Nursing and Midwifery offers courses off-shore in Hong Kong and Malaysia. For details on the off-shore programs, please contact the Gippsland campus.

Undergraduate nursing and midwifery courses

The Bachelor of Nursing degree consists of three years of full-time study. Part-time study is available - daytime classes only. Graduates may apply for registration as a division I nurse with the Nurses Board of Victoria.

The Bachelor of Midwifery degree consists of three years of full-time study. Graduates may apply for registration with restricted practice (division 1) with the Nurses Board of Victoria.

The Bachelor of Nursing and Rural Health Practice consists of four years of full-time study. Part-time study is available - daytime classes only. The first two years of the course are identical to the Bachelor of Nursing. Students, having satisfactorily completed three years of this course and the requirements for the Bachelor of Nursing, may apply for registration as a division 1 nurse with the Nurses Board of Victoria.

The Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Emergency Health (Paramedic) is an integrated four year course in which students are required to undertake approx 35 per cent of their units in shared nursing discipline units, 35 per cent in shared emergency health discipline units, 15 per cent in inter-professional units and 15 per cent in shared health sciences units. This course is not offered on a part-time basis.

The Bachelor of Nursing (Psychological Studies) is a four year course in which students undertake an accredited APAC psychology major and the Bachelor of Nursing. Graduates may apply for registration as division 1 nurses with the Nurses Board of Victoria. This course may be taken on a part-time basis over 10 years.The Bachelor of Nursing (Post Registration) consists of two years of part-time study designed for registered nurses with current practicing certificates to upgrade to a degree. The course is offered by off-campus learning mode at the Gippsland campus.

Nutrition and dietetics

The Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics is a full-time, four-year course accredited by the Dietitians Association of Australia. The first two years provide a strong biomedical science training and understanding of the role of food in our society. Intensive full-time clinical experience in a range of settings is provided in the final two years, as well as a rural placement, studies in health promotion and public health, and a major program planning placement.

Graduates will be well equipped to meet a broad range of vocational and academic opportunities and challenges. The degree provides excellent preparation for entry into a variety of postgraduate areas.

It is expected that graduates will be eligible for membership of the Dietitians Association of Australia and can apply for Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) status.

Physiotherapy

The Bachelor of Physiotherapy is a full-time, four-year course based at the Peninsula campus. During the early years of the course, the basic medical and behavioural sciences, the foundations of physiotherapy practice and research are introduced in the context of a client-centred approach to learning. In the third and fourth years, the emphasis is on clinical education, gaining knowledge and practical experience in the delivery of physiotherapy as part of a multidisciplinary health care team.

Clinical education is undertaken in a range of clinical settings, with clinical challenges increasing from the third to fourth year. Paediatric clinical education and elective units form part of fourth year. Some students will undertake third or fourth-year clinical education in rural locations, and clinical attachments in rural locations are also offered as elective options in fourth year. An honours stream is also available.

Occupational therapy

The Bachelor of Occupational Therapy is a full-time, four-year course which qualifies graduates to practise as entry-level occupational therapists in Australia and overseas. The course is based at the Peninsula campus.

The curriculum uses a combination of traditional and scenario-based learning and teaching methods and incorporates knowledge from the disciplines of occupational science as well as biomedical, behavioural and social sciences.

Each year of the course includes a fieldwork placement in a metropolitan or regional location. Students complete a total of 1000 hours of fieldwork education by the completion of their course, as required by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT).

Psychology

The School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, offer students an undergraduate psychology program comprising of a 60-point major sequence which is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) and approved for registration purposes by the Psychologists Registration Board of Victoria. This program provides an avenue to further study in psychology and to the training required to practise as a psychologist. It provides the option of proceeding to a degree with honours or into postgraduate programs of study. The 60-point accredited major sequence may be taken in the Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Behavioural Neuroscience, Bachelor of Psychology (with honours), Bachelor of Psychology and Business, Bachelor of Behavioural Science, Bachelor of Psychology and Management/Marketing, Bachelor of Arts and some Bachelor of Arts degrees with specialisations. A 48-point major in psychology may be sufficient to satisfy the requirements for a major sequence in any of the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science, single or double degrees, but is not APAC-accredited and will not permit entry to fourth-year programs in psychology.

The school offers a common curriculum across all campuses and modes of study. The undergraduate psychology program is taught on-campus, in flexible learning mode (with on-campus laboratory classes and unit content taught through study notes and web-based material), and in the off-campus learning mode, with compulsory on-campus attendance. At Caulfield, Clayton, Gippsland and South Africa the program is taught on-campus. Caulfield offers some evening as well as day classes. At Peninsula campus, the first year of the program is taught on-campus, and the second and third years are taught in flexible learning mode. At Berwick campus, only the first-year program is offered, and this is in flexible learning mode. Therefore, study in later years needs to be undertaken at another campus or in the off-campus mode.

The School's curriculum development is based on the principle that training in the discipline of psychology should follow the scientist-practitioner model, where learning about professional practice is taught within the scientific perspective. Students are then able to make informed choices about psychology-related careers and further training at the fourth year and postgraduate level.

Undergraduate units

Students wishing to take the APAC-accredited major sequence in psychology must complete 10 six-point units (nine core units and one elective unit) from the list below. The core units are available by on-campus, flexible learning and off-campus learning. Some electives are available in the off-campus learning mode.

Core units

First-year

• PSY1011 Psychology 1A
• PSY1022 Psychology 1B

Second-year

• PSY2031 Developmental and biological psychology
• PSY2042 Cognitive and social psychology
• PSY2051 Research design and analysis

Third-year

• PSY3032 Abnormal psychology
• PSY3041 Psychological testing, theories of ability and ethics
• PSY3051 Perception and personality
• PSY3062 Research methods and theory

Elective units

Students may take an elective unit at second year, and up to four elective units at third year (ie it is possible for students to study 100 per cent psychology units in third year). Some third-year electives may be undertaken at second year, providing prerequisites and corequisites are met. The electives offered may vary from year to year depending on staff availability.

Second year

• PSY2112 Organisational psychology

Third year

• PSY3100 Advanced psychobiology: brain and behaviour
• PSY3120 Introduction to counselling
• PSY3130 Health psychology
• PSY3150 Contemporary social psychology
• PSY3160 Psychology of language
• PSY3170 Decision making in professional settings
• PSY3180 Human neuropsychology: developmental and neurodegenerative disorders
• PSY3190 Addiction studies
• PSY3210 Advanced leadership
• PSY3230 Psychological foundations of the law

Diploma of Psychology

This course is offered to undergraduates who wish to complete an APAC-accredited undergraduate major in psychology while undertaking a concurrent Monash undergraduate degree. The course is available only to students enrolled in degrees where it is not possible to study the 60-point APAC-accredited major sequence. Students must enrol in the diploma in their first year, or not later than the first semester of the second year of their concurrent degree.

Graduate Diploma in Psychology

This course is offered to graduates who have completed an undergraduate degree in any discipline and who wish to complete an APAC-accredited undergraduate major in psychology. The course structure is identical to the 60-point APAC-accredited undergraduate major sequence in psychology.

Further study in psychology

Students completing a degree with a 60-point APAC-accredited undergraduate major sequence in psychology will be eligible to apply for entry to a fourth year in psychology through an honours year, or the Postgraduate Diploma of Psychology. Masters and doctoral degrees are available by coursework and/or research after completion of a fourth year of study in psychology.

Radiography and medical imaging

The Department of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences is committed to providing students with an excellent education in the field of radiography. The overall aim of the Bachelor of Radiography and Medical Imaging is to prepare students for effective and ethical professional practice in a diverse range of modern medical imaging modalities and to pursue careers in medical imaging, research and management. Students will be actively encouraged to engage in a process of lifelong learning and contribute to the development of radiography as a research-based profession. In keeping with community expectations of health care professionals, a commitment to high professional standards will be expected from students. The course provides students with a wide range of academic and clinical experiences. In all its aspects, the course conforms to the expectations the Australian Institute of Radiography (AIR) has of its graduate practitioners.

Social work

The purpose of the Bachelor of Social Work is to equip social work graduates with a sound general foundation for beginning social work practice. Social Work at Monash seeks to comply with, and where possible exceed, the minimum requirements established by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) for social work educational courses leading to a first qualification in social work.

The Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Social Work aims to combine a professional qualification in social work with the achievement of an arts

degree. The latter develops students' knowledge and capacity for critical analysis in a wide range of arts disciplines.