Monash University Handbook 2011 Undergraduate - Course

This course allows students who are enrolled in course 3882 Bachelor of Health Science to undertake a public and health science honours program as a fourth year of study. Graduates from other disciplines can also apply for entry into the degree, assuming equivalence of studies.

Supervision of honours projects will be primarily provided by staff from the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, although opportunity exists for students to identify a project and co-supervisor with Monash partner organisations such as the Burnet Institute, the Baker-IDI (Heart and Diabetes Institute), and others. In keeping with the degree's focus on health in a global context and the breadth of expertise in the School of Public Health and Preventative Medicine (SPHPM) and its partner organisations, it is expected that a range of local, national, and internationally-focussed honours projects will be available for students.

Graduates will be able to:

• demonstrate a capacity to critically examine a public health or health science-related issue or issues within a global context
• critically review the public health, health science and related literatures
• demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical, methodological and ethical issues that underpin research
• describe the processes involved in the design, development and implementation of a research project
• analyse a set of relevant studies that are related to their research project
• undertake computer-based data acquisition, cleansing and analysis, presentation with proficiency
• write up scientific work to a potentially publishable standard
• use effective oral and written communication skills relevant when presenting to a specialist audience
• demonstrate a capacity to perform a variety of scientifically-relevant and appropriate procedures and techniques that are essential to the satisfactory completion and reporting of a research project
• outline a plan to pursue higher studies in medical science and its associated disciplines
• demonstrate insight into and describe the breadth and diversity of public health and health sciences within a global context.

Students require a distinction average (ie H2A) across third year units from course 3882 Bachelor of Health Sciences, or an equivalent degree.

Students undertake coursework and research units.

First semester

• HSC4011 Advanced studies in contemporary and global health research (12 credit points)
• HSC4001 Health science research project 1 (12 credit points)

Second semester

• HSC4002 Health science research project 2 (24 credit points)

Honours degree of the Bachelor of Health Science