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Medical & Health Sciences

If you have a passion for enhancing the quality of people's lives, this study area offers you a variety of health-related courses and career directions. Here, you can specialise in areas like Biomedical Science, Exercise and Sports Science, Paramedicine, Nutrition and Dietetics, Occupational Therapy or Speech Pathology.

Why ECU?

  • QILT logo

    ECU top in teaching quality

    For the fifth year in a row, ECU has received the top undergraduate teaching quality ranking of all 37 public universities in Australia.

    ECU was also the top-ranked public university in Australia for undergraduate skills development for the sixth year in a row.

    View QILT results.

  • The Good Universities Guide 2021

    Good Universities Guide

    In the 2021 Good Universities Guide, ECU graduates have given us a 5-star rating for teaching quality, skills development, student support, learning resources, learner engagement and overall student experience.

    The 5-star rating for undergraduate teaching quality has now been achieved for 14 straight years.

    Read more about the Good Universities Guide.

  • THE Impact Rankings 2020

    THE Impact Rankings

    ECU has been ranked number 9 in the world for Quality Education and is in the top 100 overall in the 2020 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact rankings, showing how the global higher education sector is working towards the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

    Read more about the THE Impact Rankings

  • THE World University Rankings 2020 Top 100 Young

    THE Young University Rankings

    ECU has been ranked in the world's top 100 universities under 50 years old in the 2020 Times Higher Education (THE) Young Universities Rankings, THE World University Rankings.

Courses

Our undergraduate courses lay the groundwork for a variety of future careers in health and medicine.

This includes areas like medical science, human biology, laboratory-based research, emergency medical services, health promotion, nutrition, environmental health, occupational safety and health, exercise and sports science and occupational therapy.

Medical & Health Sciences

If you already know what you're interested in, choose a discipline.

Exercise & Sports Science Exercise Medicine (Oncology) Health Science Medical & Biomedical Science Nutrition & Dietetics Occupational Health & Safety Occupational Hygiene & Toxicology Occupational Therapy Paramedicine Public Health Speech Pathology

Need some help deciding what to study?

Our future student events include a mix of on-campus and online sessions designed to help you decide what to study at ECU.

Download a guide

If you prefer paper over pixels, please download one of our guides.

Domestic Students

Study area guide Undergraduate course guide Postgraduate course guide

International Students

Create your own guide International student guide

Become World Ready

Experience Medical & Health Sciences at ECU.

World Ready facilities

Scholarship opportunities to reduce your expenses

Scholarships recognise those whose life journey may have been challenging, as well as students who've shown outstanding academic excellence and endeavour.

A scholarship can help you realise your ambitions by paying for fees, text books and living expenses.

Realise your dream with our scholarships

Explore your options

  • Professor of Strength and Conditioning Greg Haff's research is focussed on encouraging kids to start building their fitness through Youth Resistance Training.

  • Associate Dean of Public Health and OHS and Professor of Public Medicine Amanda Devine is working to develop education resources about healthy food and drinks for kids.

  • Master of Occupational Hygiene & Toxicology student Constanze Spicer talks about study at ECU.

  • Senior Lecturer and researcher Dr Carolyn McIntyre is an integral part of ECU's exercise medicine oncology team.

  • Belinda Owen, Master of Occupational Health & Safety student, talks about the flexibility offered by online study.

  • Master of Public Health by Research student Nathan Hambly discusses his Addiction Studies major and why he chose ECU.

  • "Practical experiences, including the placements really helped shape where I wanted to go for a meaningful career."

  • Master of Nutrition and Dietetics graduates, Tristan Schwartzkopff and Amber Harland discuss some of the best things about studying this course at ECU, including the great facilities and the work placement opportunity.

  • Lecturer Natalie Ciccone and students discuss Speech Pathology at ECU, including the benefits of gaining practical experience from year one.

  • Health Science student Shona Halleen, who is majoring in Nutrition, talks about her course and why she chose to study at ECU.

  • Master of Nutrition and Dietetics graduate, Jayde Sedgman talks about her role as a sports dietitian working with the Fremantle Football Club, and what she enjoyed about studying at ECU.

  • Associate Professor Erin Godecke is Senior Research Fellow in Speech Pathology and the Clinical Director of the Very Early Rehabilitation in SpeEch (VERSE) Trial for Aphasia after Stroke.

  • Bachelor of Medical Science student, Melissa, discusses why she chose to study Medical Science at ECU, and the benefits of guest lecturers from industry.

  • Professor of Occupational and Environmental Health Jacques Oosthuizen is investigating the affects of hazardous chemicals on firefighters.

  • Science student Tamara Pullella, who is majoring in Occupational Therapy, talks about her course and why she chose to study at ECU.

  • I was always interested in athletic performance.

  • Associate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics Therese O'Sullivan's research into dairy products for children has received global attention.

  • In this short video, Course Coordinator, Associate Professor Greg Haff explains how ECU is Australia's only Level 2 accreditation provider for strength and conditioning.

  • ECU's Exercise Medicine Research Institute's work with exercise and cancer patients is having a significant impact on the rate of survivorship, especially in the area of prostate cancer, where the EMRI team is leading the world.

  • Bachelor of Science (Paramedical Science) student Meghann Laverty talks about her ECU experience.

  • Professor of Occupational and Environmental Health Jacques Oosthuizen is investigating the affects of hazardous chemicals on firefighters.

Student stories

  • Kim McClean

    Kim McClean

    Master of Occupational Health and Safety graduate and current ECU PhD candidate

    "The opportunity to conduct OHS-related research was a fantastic experience"

    All of the lecturers have remarkable academic and industry backgrounds, and while my course was primarily online, the lecturer support and ongoing contact I received was outstanding.

  • Danica Lee Larcombe

    Danica-Lea Larcombe

    Integrated PhD candidate (Biodiversity and Human Health)

    "Writing, rewriting and more rewriting!"

    The skills I have learnt while studying the Integrated PhD have assisted with my research proposal, literature reviews, data analysis and grant writing.

    My ethics application helped with recruitment of participants and surveys. I've also learnt how to develop and analyse complex surveys.

    I've attended many workshops run by GRS and found them invaluable. And the GRS SOAR centre helped when I experienced issues designing my surveys.

    My greatest challenge has been multitasking between data analysis, writing literature and coordination of participants. Also writing, rewriting and more rewriting!

    In the future I want to work with developers and government, and continue writing and teaching about the importance of nature to human health.

  • Rena Vithiatharan

    Master of Public Health graduate

    "Improving community health"

    Master of Public Health student, Rena Vithiatharan, talks about studying the course with ECU. Rena discusses why she chose to study Public Health to equip her to work with communities and working with people to improve their health and their lives. Her course covers a broad spectrum of public health issues, from communicable diseases, epidemiology, aspects of leadership and strategic decision making.