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Doctor of Health (DOHH) - DHealth

 External
Semester intake:Semester 1 (February)
Semester 2 (July)
Fees:Domestic full fee paying place
International full fee paying place
Research Training Program (RTP) - Fees Offset scheme
Standard duration:3 years full-time; 6 years part-time 

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Contact us

Future Australian and New Zealand students  Future International students  Current students 
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Freecall (within Australia): 1800 269 500
Phone (from outside Australia): +61 7 4631 5315
Email: study@usq.edu.au 
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Phone: +61 7 4631 5543
Email: international@usq.edu.au 
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Freecall (within Australia): 1800 007 252
Phone (from outside Australia): +61 7 4631 2285
Email: usq.support@usq.edu.au  

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Program aims

Provide Honours or Masters graduates in a health discipline with advanced professional development that makes a significant, original contribution to health in the context of professional practice.

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Program objectives

Graduates will:

  1. Systematically and critically evaluate a complex health field with specialised research skills for the advancement of professional practice.

  2. Systematically and critically evaluate a substantial and complex body of knowledge at the frontier of health and wellbeing.

  3. Apply specialised cognitive, technical and research skills to independently and systematically:

    • Critically evaluate relevant professional research literature.

    • Implement required research methodologies.

    • Disseminate new results and insights to peers and professional colleagues.

    • Generate original knowledge and understanding to make a substantial contribution to health.


  4. Apply knowledge and skills to demonstrate autonomy, professional judgement, adaptability and responsibility as an expert practitioner in health discipline.


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Australian Qualifications Framework

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is a single national, comprehensive system of qualifications offered by higher education institutions (including universities), vocational education and training institutions and secondary schools. Each AQF qualification has a set of descriptors which define the type and complexity of knowledge, skills and application of knowledge and skills that a graduate who has been awarded that qualification has attained, and the typical volume of learning associated with that qualification type.

This program is at AQF Qualification Level 10. Graduates at this level will have systematic and critical understanding of a complex field of learning and specialised research skills for the advancement of learning and/or for professional practice.

The full set of levels criteria and qualification type descriptors can be found by visiting www.aqf.edu.au.

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Admission requirements

To be eligible for admission, applicants must satisfy the following requirements:

  • Completion of a relevant Australian university Bachelor degree with First Class Honours or Second Class Honours (Division A) or equivalent.

    Or

    Completion of an Australian university Masters degree (with a research component), or other qualifications equivalent to First Class or 2A Honours.

  • English Language Proficiency Requirements for Category 3


All students are required to satisfy the applicable English language requirements.

If students do not meet the English language requirements they may apply to study a University-approved English language program. On successful completion of the English language program, students may be admitted to an award program.

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Program fees

Domestic full fee paying place

Domestic full fee paying places are funded entirely through the full fees paid by the student. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the Course Fee Finder.

Domestic full fee paying students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called FEE-HELP provided they meet the residency and citizenship requirements.

Australian citizens, Permanent Humanitarian Visa holders, Permanent Resident visa holders and New Zealand citizens who will be resident outside Australia for the duration of their program pay full tuition fees and are not eligible for FEE-Help.

International full fee paying place

International students pay full fees. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken and whether they are studied on-campus, via distance education/online. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the Course Fee Finder.

Research Training Program (RTP) - Fees Offset scheme

All Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and New Zealand citizens commencing a Higher Degree by Research (HDR) program will have their tuition fees paid by the Australian Commonwealth Government under the Research Training Program (RTP) Fees Offset scheme. The RTP Fees Offset scheme covers program fees for an HDR student up to a maximum period of four years for full-time study or up to eight years part-time study for a Doctoral program, and up to a maximum period of two years for full-time or four years part-time for a Masters by Research program.
As part of the enrolment process, students are required to submit proof of citizenship or permanent residency status and transcripts of all previous academic study. This documentation enables the University of Southern Queensland to determine eligibility for an RTP Fees Offset place.

If a student's RTP Fees Offset entitlement expires before completion of the program, the student will be required to pay full tuition fees.

Students eligible for an RTP Fees Offset place are those who:

  • have not used RTP Fees Offset funding in the previous three years; or

  • have already used RTP Fees Offset funding and have successfully completed an HDR program. Once a student completes an HDR program, full entitlements of RTP Fees Offset are restored.


The Australian Commonwealth Government’s contribution to program fees must be acknowledged on all published material relating to a research project via a statement identifying the support received through the RTP Fees Offset scheme.

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Program structure

This program is a 24-unit program made up of eight units of academic coursework courses and 16 units of independent research.

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Program completion requirements

The award of a Doctor of Health requires the successful completion of:

  • all eight coursework courses

  • an external examination of the student’s thesis.


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Required time limits

Full-time candidates normally complete in 3 years. Part-time candidates will normally complete the program within 6 years of part-time study.

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IT requirements

Access to an up-to-date computer is necessary. On-campus students can access appropriately equipped laboratories, but should consider acquisition of their own computer. External students should be able to access a computer with the following minimum standards as advised by the University. All students should have access to email and the Internet via a computer running the latest versions of Internet web browsers such as Internet Explorer or Firefox. The University has a wireless network for on-campus students' computers. In order to take advantage of this facility and further enhance their on-campus learning environment, students should consider purchasing a notebook/laptop computer with wireless connectivity. A notebook/laptop may be required for some courses.

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Exit points

A student may, on completion of four approved courses including HEA8001 Contexts of Practice, exit with a GCHH Graduate Certificate of Health, or on completion of eight approved courses including HEA8001 Contexts of Practice and HSC8050 Research Methodology for the Human Sciences exit with a GDHH Graduate Diploma of Health.

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Credit

Exemptions/credit will be assessed based on the USQ Credit and Exemption Procedure.

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Enrolment

Candidates for admission to the program should note that some of the courses specify enrolment requirements. This will mean that successful applicants may be enrolling in courses for which they do not have sufficient pre-requisite knowledge. Applicants should refer to the course specification to determine the enrolment requirements for the courses they intend enrolling in. Candidates will be expected to rectify any deficiencies in their pre-requisite knowledge by private study, guided if necessary by the examiners of the relevant courses.

Candidates must complete:

  • 8 units of coursework as specified below

  • 16 units of research project courses as specified below


Recommended enrolment patterns

In this section:

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Recommended enrolment pattern - Full time

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, external or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.


CourseYear of program and semester
in which course is normally studied
Enrolment requirements
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Course Work - Students must complete 8 units coursework as follows.* These courses can be taken via either part- time or full-time program enrolment.

Before enrolling in any courses, candidates should read the section entitled Enrolment Requirements. Students must complete their coursework units before enrolling in the research units (RES9502 or RES9503 ).

Schedule A - Compulsory Courses

HEA8001 Contexts of Practice11,2Pre-requisite: Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: BHEH or MNRS or MNSG or PDEV or GCHH or GDHH or MOHH or DOHH
HSC8050 Research Methodology for the Human Sciences11,2
HSC8060 Research Project Design11,2Pre-requisite: Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: DPHD or MNRS or MNSG or PDEV or GCHH or GDHH or MOHH or DOHH

Schedule B – Elective Studies – Students must complete five courses of any Level 8 course elective courses approved by the Program Co-ordinator*

Level 8 Electives (Subject to Approval)11,2
Level 8 Electives (Subject to Approval)11,2
Level 8 Electives (Subject to Approval)11,2
Level 8 Electives (Subject to Approval)11,2
Level 8 Electives (Subject to Approval)11,2

Schedule C - Research Work

Students must also complete 16 units of Doctoral research units as follows:

     RES9502 Doctoral Research Project D (Non-Lab)**^Pre-requisite: Student must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: DPHD or DOHH

OR

     RES9503 Doctoral Research Project D (Lab)**^Pre-requisite: Student must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: MPHD or DPHD or DOHH or DASC

Footnotes
*Before enrolling in any courses, candidates should read the section entitled Enrolment Requirements. Students must complete their coursework units before enrolling in the research units (e.g. RES9502)
**Students re-enrol in this course each semester
^Four unit courses

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Recommended enrolment pattern - Part-time

Students are able to enrol in any offered mode of a course (on-campus, external or online), regardless of the program mode of study they enrolled in.


CourseYear of program and semester
in which course is normally studied
Enrolment requirements
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Course Work - Students must complete 8 units coursework as follows.* These courses can be taken via either part- time or full-time program enrolment.

Before enrolling in any courses, candidates should read the section entitled Enrolment Requirements. Students must complete their coursework units before enrolling in the research units (RES9502 or RES9503 ).

Schedule A - Compulsory Courses

HEA8001 Contexts of Practice11,2Pre-requisite: Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: BHEH or MNRS or MNSG or PDEV or GCHH or GDHH or MOHH or DOHH
HSC8050 Research Methodology for the Human Sciences11,2
HSC8060 Research Project Design11,2Pre-requisite: Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: DPHD or MNRS or MNSG or PDEV or GCHH or GDHH or MOHH or DOHH

Schedule B – Elective Studies – Students must complete five courses of any Level 8 course elective courses approved by the Program Co-ordinator*

Level 8 Electives (Subject to Approval)11,2
Level 8 Electives (Subject to Approval)21,2
Level 8 Electives (Subject to Approval)21,2
Level 8 Electives (Subject to Approval)21,2
Level 8 Electives (Subject to Approval)21,2

Schedule C - Research Work

Students must also complete 16 units of Doctoral research units as follows:

     RES9500 Doctoral Research Project B (Non-Lab)**^Pre-requisite: Student must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: DPHD or DOHH

OR

     RES9501 Doctoral Research Project B (Lab)**^Pre-requisite: Student must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: DPHD or DOHH or DASC

Footnotes
*Before enrolling in any courses, candidates should read the section entitled Enrolment Requirements. Students must complete their coursework units before enrolling in the research units (e.g. RES9502)
**Students re-enrol in this course each semester
^Four unit courses