Doctor of Health Science

What is this course about?

CSU's Doctor of Health Science is designed to provide for the academic and professional development of applicants working in the broad area of the health sciences while allowing significant flexibility to accommodate individual student, industry and/or professional requirements.

CSU's Doctor of Health Science aims to provide a tool for advanced research enabling candidates to contribute in a significant way to the knowledge and practice in their profession. Offered part-time by distance education, the course is designed to provide academic and professional development to applicants working in the broad area of the Health Sciences while allowing significant flexibility to accommodate individual student, industry and/or professional requirements and needs.

Candidates complete course-work and an applied research/professional component, which allows students to develop a research question or topic for investigation by conducting an intensive literature review, critique and reflect on their professional practices. The research/investigation will then be conducted and outcomes presented as reports or publications.

Career opportunities

This course is learner driven. The course aims to provide the individual with the skill and knowledge base to extend their clinical capability, providing opportunity for career advancement, employment diversification and a stimulating working environment. The course is particularly appropriate for the following disciplines:

• allied health
• community health
• complementary medicine
• dentistry
• medical radiation science
• medical science
• medicine
• nursing
• pharmaceutical science 

Credit

Upon admission, all students are awarded a credit package of 48 points for completion of discipline development within coursework Master studies.

International students

International Higher Degree by Research students can commence study on campus no sooner than six weeks before the session start date and no later than the census date.

Campus

Multi campus

Duration

3-4 years full-time, 6-8 years part-time

CRICOS code

068865M

Graduation requirements

To graduate, students must satisfactorily complete 192 points, comprising the credit package (48 points) awarded upon admission, and 144 points completed during enrolment in the course.

Admission requirements

Applicants would normally need to demonstrate that they:

• are working in an appropriate field within, or relevant to, the health professions and can demonstrate that they have the opportunity and facilities to complete the applied research/investigation components of the course
  
• have had a minimum of five years' relevant professional and/or vocational experience (with relevance being determined by the Doctor of Health Science Course Coordinator in conjunction with the proposed Principal Supervisor). The time taken while enrolled in a relevant Master degree will count towards the five years' required experience
  
• hold a Master degree or equivalent (by coursework) in an approved area of health sciences, with Credit grades or above in all subjects undertaken.

Note: Applicants who enter an approved CSU Master degree with significant credit must normally complete a minimum of 32 points while enrolled in that course to be eligible for entry into the Doctor of Health Science.

Academic transcripts of all applicants will be examined in detail by the Doctor of Health Science Course Coordinator and proposed Principal Supervisor to ensure adequate discipline development has been attained at Master level or above.

Applicants who have not acquired sufficient discipline development within their Master degree or elsewhere will be required to enrol in a CSU Master degree and complete subjects as specified, at Credit level or above, to be eligible for entry into the Doctor of Health Science.

Applicants who have not completed approved research methods subjects will be required to complete these in addition to normal course requirements.

Applicants with a first language other than English must satisfy CSU's normal requirements for language competency.

Intending applicants should contact the Sub-Dean, Graduate Studies to discuss the proposal before submitting the prescribed application form. In addition, applicants must complete a form describing their area of interest, which should accompany their application. Please phone info.csu on 1800 334 733 or make an online enquiry for the contact details of the appropriate person.

Admission to candidature is subject to approval by the Board of Graduate Studies.

Internet access

CSU places great emphasis on services to its students. It is a leader in the provision of online services and, in particular, the use of the internet in the support of teaching, administration and communications with students.

The online environment is so integrated into all aspects of student life and the learning experience at CSU that the University now assumes that all on campus and distance education students at CSU will have ongoing access to an internet connected computer capable of communicating with CSU online systems.

Students enrolled in Information Technology subjects (i.e. with an ITC subject code) may be required to have additional hardware and/or software that is deemed essential for the completion of the learning activities in that subject.

English proficiency

Applicants will be deemed to have sufficient English proficiency if they

1. have undertaken an academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with an average score of 7.0, and with no score lower than 6.5, within the last 12 months;  or
2. undertaken a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a score of 577 (or computerised TOEFL score of 233), with a Test for Written English Score (where reported) of at least 5.0 or an Internet-based score of 90 with a written score of 24 within the last 12 months; or
3. undertaken other equivalent examinations, as determined by the Board of Graduate Studies;  or
4. completed a university degree where the language of assessment is in English;

The Presiding Officer of the Board of Graduate Studies may, in special circumstances, on behalf of the Board waive the above proficiency requirements after consulting the relevant Dean, Sub-Dean and nominated Supervisor.

NOTE: A Faculty may require a higher standard of proficiency than that specified above for programs deemed to be linguistically demanding.

fee-paying
international-distance
international-oncampus

Apply now

This course is available to commence study in

Session 1; Session 2; Session 3