The Faculty of Health Sciences at the Australian Catholic University (ACU) prepares highly qualified graduates in the areas of biomedical science, clinical education, clinical exercise physiology, counselling, exercise science, health administration, healthcare simulation education, high performance sport, mental health, midwifery, nursing, occupational therapy, paramedicine, physiotherapy, psychology, public health, rehabilitation, science, social work and speech pathology.
The Faculty of Health Sciences continues to develop its course offerings in response to the growing need for a flexible and responsive health workforce across Australia, while the University continues to invest in its infrastructure with the development of physiotherapy facilities in Ballarat, an exercise laboratory in Canberra as well as science laboratories at five of ACU’s seven campuses.
The Faculty’s courses are developed within the Catholic intellectual tradition with the goal of preparing graduates in health with an emphasis on social justice and equity, and sustainability.
At undergraduate level, 2017 saw the expansion of the Bachelor of Physiotherapy to Ballarat as well as the launch of a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Teaching/Bachelor of Science at our Brisbane, Melbourne and North Sydney campuses. In 2018 the Faculty launches a Bachelor of Nutrition Science to Melbourne and North Sydney and a Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Counselling double degree to Brisbane and Melbourne.
The Faculty expanded its postgraduate offerings in 2017 with a new specialisation in Cardiothoracics and Heart/Lung Transplant Nursing in addition to the existing specialisations already offered within the Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing and the expansion of the Master of Clinical Exercise Physiology to Brisbane.
The Faculty is represented on six of ACU’s seven campuses and is one of the largest faculties of Health Sciences in Australia. The Faculty is supported by the following structure:
As part of the curriculum, health sciences students undertake field and clinical experience that is supervised by experienced practitioners. Catholic hospitals and other public, private and specialty organisations, as well as schools and various health, fitness and sports centres offer this valued and essential experience to our students.
The Professional Experience Services unit within the Faculty supports the field and clinical experiences of our students and ensures every student within the Faculty has access to appropriate, sustainable and high-quality professional practice placements.
The Professional Experience Services unit also supports the ACU Health Clinics, which are situated in Brisbane, Melbourne, North Sydney and Strathfield. The ACU Health Clinics provide multi-disciplinary health services to ACU students, staff and the wider community. The clinics also provide quality opportunities for student professional practice placement experiences with expert clinicians.
The Faculty also has a high rate of student mobility where students undertake short or semester studies overseas. Depending on their discipline of study, students may have the opportunity to participate in international experiences in countries such as Chile, Taiwan, USA, Italy, France, Vietnam, Cambodia, UK or China.
As part of ACU’s research intensification strategy the Faculty of Health Sciences has continued to strengthen its research agenda. The Faculty has experienced continued growth in research performance across all metrics and a remarkable achievement in the latest Excellence in Australia Research (ERA) round.
ACU has been recognised as having well above world standard research in the research areas of nursing; human movement and sports sciences; public health and health services; and psychology. ACU has achieved above world standard in the medical and health sciences research area. The Faculty continues to provide a wide range of research support initiatives to cement our position as a leading contributor to health sciences research.
As a community of scholars, the Faculty seeks to promote the uniqueness, personal integrity and the potential of each of its members. Its goals are closely linked to the mission of the University with key areas of achievement that include learning and teaching, research and community engagement with specific objectives regarding internationalisation, quality and resource management. The Faculty is committed to helping the vulnerable in society including Indigenous, the elderly and disabled people and aims to enhance the dignity of each individual within its Schools.
If you are enrolling in one of our courses for the first time this year, I extend a warm welcome to you. The Faculty of Health Sciences endeavours to promote an approachable, friendly atmosphere in which students can pursue their studies under the direction of qualified and professional staff. I am sure you will find your studies with the Faculty of Health Sciences a rewarding experience.
Professor Michelle Campbell
Executive Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences
Page last updated: 2017-06-28
Short url: https://handbook.acu.edu.au/1293107
Page last updated: 2017-06-28
Short url: https://handbook.acu.edu.au/1293107