Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences (Advanced)

Be a health leader

Want to tackle humanity’s greatest health challenges? Aspire to be outstanding in your field? The Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences (Advanced) is a distinctive degree for students who want to excel.

What will you do?

Our advanced degree emphasises innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as applied clinical and research skills. You will:

  • explore health from cellular, system, individual and population perspectives
  • study solutions to frontline healthcare problems in a unique “hacking health” course
  • learn about health collaborations and get hands-on training in our state-of-the-art Adelaide Health Simulation
  • develop strategies for getting health discoveries into practice with the University’s Entrepreneurship, Commercialisation and Innovation Centre
  • learn from award-winning health researchers
  • undertake a year-long research placement or internship.

You’ll also pursue a specialisation in one of a diverse range of areas:

  • Neurosciences
  • Clinical Trials
  • Nutritional Health
  • Public Health
  • Medical Sciences
  • Reproductive and Childhood Health.

Where could it take you?

You’ll emerge with enhanced skills for either higher studies or leadership roles in your chosen career. You could lead programs to improve the health of vulnerable populations, develop policies to prevent obesity or tackle antimicrobial resistance. You might win the Nobel Prize in Medicine through ground-breaking research. Perhaps you’ll outsmart cancer with an innovative approach to treatment.


Direct access to industry leaders and paid internship opportunities: The Academy by Deloitte
Students who as part of their studies take part in The Academy by Deloitte experience will have the benefit of undertaking a paid internship with Deloitte. This internship is designed to shape their business readiness through significant real-world client exposure, access to multiple networking opportunities and relevant professional training.



  • 15% industry growth predicted by 2025
  • Focus on innovation and entrepreneurship
  • Full-year research or internship placement

*Imip.gov.au Occupation Projection

Entry Requirements

Choose your applicant type to view the relevant admissions information for this program.
I am a:

Before applying make sure you understand the eligibility and entry requirements for your chosen degree.

Look out for any prerequisites or assumed knowledge subjects. Some degrees also have additional entry requirements like interviews and auditions.

Domestic applicants

Admissions information

SATAC Code 324961
2023 CSP ATAR 95
2023 CSP IB 38.25
Guaranteed Entry Score - ATAR 95
Guaranteed Entry Score - IB 38.25
Deferment Yes - 2 year
Intake February and July
Additional Entry Requirements
Year 12 applicants must obtain an Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) of 95 or higher (or equivalent), including any applicable adjustment factors.
Selection Criteria
Recent Secondary Education Applicants with recent secondary education are those whose admission is primarily based on the completion of Year 12 within the last two years, however if you completed your secondary education more than two years ago, you may still be able to be considered on the basis of your secondary schooling. You must not have completed more than 2 years full time equivalent university study (48 units). You compete for a place with your Selection Rank (ATAR plus any applicable adjustment factors). Indigenous applicants may be eligible for entry through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access Pathway. See Wirltu Yarlu for further information.
Higher Education Study You must have completed at least six months full time equivalent higher education study (the number of courses and units will vary depending on your prior institution however at the University of Adelaide, this equates to 4 courses / 12 units). A Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated for each separate program you have undertaken (apart from some double degree programs where the GPA is combined). You compete on the basis of your best GPA. Indigenous applicants may be eligible for entry through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access Pathway. See Wirltu Yarlu for further information.
Work and life experience To be eligible to sit the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) as as pathway for entry, you must be 18 years or over before 1 February 2024. If you have studied at higher education level in the last two years (for 2024 entry this means you were enrolled in either 2023 or 2022), you must not have accumulated more than a TOTAL of 2 years full-time (or part-time equivalent) higher education study (ie. including any study prior to 2022). If you meet this criteria, you will be ranked according to your result in the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT). Your STAT result is not weighted between verbal and quantitative components. Indigenous applicants may be eligible for entry through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access Pathway. See Wirltu Yarlu for further information.
Other Entry Pathways

2023 Admissions Data for school leavers
ATAR
(raw ATAR, excluding any applicable adjustment factors)
Lowest ATAR to receive an offer 85.45
Median ATAR to receive an offer 96.98
Highest ATAR to receive an offer 99.95
Selection Rank
(ATAR plus any adjustment factors)
Lowest Selection Rank to receive an offer 95
Median Selection Rank to receive an offer 99.18
Highest Selection Rank to receive an offer 99.95
Minimum eligibility score 90
Additional criteria considered Selection rank only
  • Admissions Transparency Data
    Student Profile
    Applicant background Semester one/Full year intake 2023
    Number of students Percentage of all students
    (A) Higher Education study
    (includes a bridging or enabling course)
    19 17.6%
    (B) Vocational education and training (VET) study <5 N/A
    (C) Work and life experience
    (admitted on the basis of previous achievement not in the other three categories)
    <5 N/A
    (D) Recent secondary education:
    • Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR
      (regardless of whether this includes the consideration of adjustment factors)
    58 53.7%
    • Admitted where both ATAR and additional criteria were considered
      (e.g. portfolio, audition, extra test, early offer conditional on minimum ATAR)
    N/A N/A
    • Admitted on the basis of other criteria only and ATAR was not a factor
      (e.g. special consideration, audition alone, schools recommendation scheme with no minimum ATAR requirement)
    21 19.4%
    International students 6 5.6%
    All students 108 100.0%

Ready to Apply?

Find out more about the application process and start your studies at the University of Adelaide.

Be sure to check the critical dates to avoid missing application deadlines.

Apply

Fees and Scholarships

Choose your applicant type to view the relevant fees and scholarships information for this program.
I am a:

Domestic applicants

Indicative annual tuition fees
Commonwealth-supported place: $10,165

Where the standard duration of the program is less than one year the full cost of the program is displayed.

More information on Student Contribution Amounts.

Scholarships

These scholarships, as well as many others funded by industry and non-profit organisations, are available to potential and currently enrolled students.

Find a Scholarship.

Careers

Career Readiness

This degree has been developed in consultation with industry partners and employers who are seeking graduates with a broad range of skills and an understanding of health. Students will be given the foundation to develop the professional skills required to succeed in a future career in the health industry. Career opportunities for the Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences (Advanced) graduates vary depending on specific interests and the major selected, but may include:

  • Medical/research/clinical/nutrition scientists in research institutes, hospitals, diagnostic and pathology laboratories, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and universities
  • Health information and promotion officers, health policy advisors and planners; community health workers.
  • Further Masters and Postgraduate study to gain qualification in a health profession such as Medicine, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Nutrition and Dietetics etc.

Direct access to industry leaders and paid internship opportunities: The Academy by Deloitte
Students who as part of their studies take part in The Academy by Deloitte experience will have the benefit of undertaking a paid internship with Deloitte. This internship is designed to shape their business readiness through significant real-world client exposure, access to multiple networking opportunities and relevant professional training.

The University of Adelaide Careers Service prepares, inspires and empowers students to achieve successful career transitions and connect with industry.

Graduate Attributes

The objective of this program is to produce graduates with specific attributes as outlined in University of Adelaide Graduate Attributes.
  1. Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth
  2. Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving
  3. Teamwork and communication skills
  4. Professionalism and leadership readiness
  5. Intercultural and ethical competency
  6. Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural competency
  7. Digital capabilities
  8. Self-awareness and emotional intelligence

Potential careers

Graduates of this program have gone on to roles such as:

Microbiologist;  Physiologist;  Forensic Anthropologist;  Immunologist;  Pharmacologist;  Sports Nutritionist;  Laboratory Manager;  Laboratory Technician;  Medical Research;  Medical Scientist ...

Degree Structure

Providing general foundation studies in a broad range of areas in Health and Medical Sciences, the degree structure requires students to undertake a major, leading to an in-depth understanding in one specialised health-related area.

The degree offers majors in one of two streams.

The Medical Health stream offers majors in:
  • Clinical Trials
  • Medical Sciences
  • Neurosciences
The Lifespan Health stream offers majors in:
  • Nutritional Health
  • Public Health
  • Reproductive and Childhood Health
The degree structure permits students to complement this focus with a choice of broadening electives, as well as providing an opportunity for an international study experience. Unique to this degree are three courses which will develop skills for professional engagement in the workplace, as well as fostering leadership and initiative:
  • Clinical Skills and Simulation
  • Hacking Health
  • Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Health

Academic Program Rules

The Calendar is a comprehensive handbook of the University's academic program rules.

Areas of Specialisation

Students are required to undertake a major in one of two streams: Medical Health and Lifespan Health.

Medical Health majors
Clinical Trials
Are you interested in working with patients to advance human health? Clinical research is the process by which new therapies (medications, biological agents, and devices) are tested with patients prior to approval and marketing. The Clinical Trials major will allow you to acquire the expertise needed to design, develop, lead and conduct clinical trials in hospitals, research organisations/institutes and pharmaceutical companies.

Medical Sciences
Are you keen to learn how our bodies work? Our bodies are complex, but amazing biological machines. The Medical Sciences major will enable you to understand how the human body functions in health and disease, and how treatments for disease are developed. You will gain an understanding of the fundamental medical science disciplines of anatomy, physiology, and pathology.


Neurosciences
Are you fascinated by the inner workings of the brain? Neuroscience is a rapidly growing, interdisciplinary field that explores how our 100 billion plus nerve cells grow, connect and function. The Neurosciences major will equip you with an understanding of how the nervous system regulates the body and behaviour with a view to finding ways to prevent or cure neurological disorders.

Lifespan Health majors

Addiction and Mental Health
Are you keen to understand the link between addiction and mental health? Drug addiction changes the brain in fundamental ways. The Addiction and Mental Health major will give you an understanding of the scientific basis of substance abuse and mental health, and review interventions (pharmacological, psychosocial, and public health) used in addiction and mental health fields.

Nutritional Health
Are you passionate about nutrition, diet and healthy eating? Consuming the right food can promote good health and impact on the development of diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. The Nutritional Health major will explore our body’s mechanical and physiological responses to food including how we use energy and nutrients from the food we eat.

Public Health
Are you keen to promote optimal health through individual and community change? In the Public Health major, you will learn how to measure the health of populations, understand how social, cultural and economic factors influence contemporary health problems in Australia and internationally, and develop practical skills in health promotion and health educational strategies.

Reproductive and Childhood Health
Are you fascinated by the creation of new life? Reproduction is a fundamental process of life, but reproductive success (the birth of a baby that will enjoy a long and healthy life) is a multistep process that begins well before fertilisation. The Reproductive and Childhood Health major will equip you with knowledge about fertility, conception, pregnancy and birth. You will also learn about key health issues that affect children and adolescents.

Example Study Plan

Indicative study plan
Year 1  Clinical Skills and Simulation
Electives (7)
Year 2  Hacking Health
Major (2)
Electives (5)
Year 3 Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Health
Major Research Project (extends over the year)
Major courses (4)
Electives (1)

Example study plans for each of the available majors can be found at health.adelaide.edu.au/student-support/study-plans#health-and-medical-sciences-advanced 

Clinical Skills and Simulation: Assess, troubleshoot, propose and perform the correct treatment and procedures in a given scenario using high tech manikins and actors. This course is designed to develop and demonstrate knowledge and skills in observation, communication, clinical reasoning and procedural skills. Students will assess, troubleshoot, propose and perform correct treatments and procedures in a range of different health scenarios using state of the art technology.

Hacking Health: Collaborate with healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses, and clinicians), industry professionals and patients to investigate and co-create solutions to pressing healthcare challenges. In this course, Advanced students will partner with students from across the Faculty (Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing etc.), healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses, researchers), industry professionals and even patients to investigate and co-create solutions to pressing healthcare challenges through the use of emerging technology.

Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Health: An introduction to problem identification, solution design and entrepreneurial opportunities within the complex world of healthcare. This course will equip students with the knowledge and skills required to bring their Hacking Health ideas to fruition. Students will understand the concepts of entrepreneurship and innovation in health, and demonstrate an awareness of the challenges and opportunities to improve healthcare delivery

Related Degrees

Testimonial

I chose this degree because it offers such a broad range of subjects, so I could explore a variety of fields to find what sparks my interest.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Last updated: Thursday, 29 Feb 2024