Associate Degree in Applied Health and Community Support

Graduation from the Associate Degree in Applied Health and Community Support can provide an entry opportunity for those who are interested in a career in the health and community service sectors with or without prior experience. It will also provide an opportunity to accelerate progression and/or promotion within a graduate’s current organisation, or open up new career paths and opportunities.

Potential career opportunities exist in the voluntary, private, not-for-profit, non-government and/or government sectors in health and community services. Roles include team leaders, coordinators, supervisors, service managers, coaches, service navigators and community development/engagement officers.

Opportunities also exist for graduates to work in direct service roles such as physical health workers, rural health workers and mental health workers or to become service brokers, service planners, project managers, project officers, consultants and administrators, or to pursue roles in occupational, corporate or community health and wellbeing.

Electives offered within this degree provide opportunities for further knowledge expansion and skills development in health, business and/or community development.

Higher education via OUA

Successful completion of any 4 OUA open access subjects of study at the equivalent AQF level, unless otherwise specified

Higher education

Domestic Applicants with higher education study - Completed at least one undergraduate unit (equivalent to 12.5 UTAS credit points) within an equivalent AQF Level course or higher.

Secondary education

Completed the TCE (or equivalent)

VET studies

Successful completion of Certificate III or higher

Work and Life

Domestic Applicants with work and life experience: If you have not successfully completed senior secondary, tertiary or TAFE/VET study, but have extensive or sustained work experience.

The University of Tasmania grants credit and recognition of prior learning that may include formal and/or informal prior learning. More information is available here.

https://www.utas.edu.au/study/apply/admission-requirements/recognition-of-prior-learning

Working with people, you’ll have a real impact on people’s daily lives, with meaningful and fulfilling work. By studying the Associate Degree in Applied Health and Community Support you’ll gain a practical qualification that will set you up in a rewarding career for life.

This course has been designed to help you start or accelerate your career in the health and community services sector. You will learn the knowledge and skills required to support the delivery of quality health and community services. You’ll also learn essential skills for career advancement such as leadership, management and communication. Developed in consultation with the health and community service sectors, this course will address significant changes in service models and consumer expectation. This course has also been developed to meet the projected increases in role complexity and workforce demands in these sectors.

This course is suited to school leavers pursuing a career in the health, social or community service sectors or those seeking an alternative career choice in health and community services. Individuals with vocational qualifications or relevant experience may undertake the course to upskill into roles with additional functional requirements and higher levels of responsibility, and/or to acquire a formal University qualification.

The Associate Degree in Applied Health and Community Support has a focus on applied learning opportunities including working with sector leaders, service consumers, organisations, individuals and communities.

Delivered through on-line learning, flexible tutorials, face-to-face workshops, authentic case studies, individual and community projects, the program is available for full-time and part-time students across all campuses in Tasmania. Sector experts and service consumers will be actively involved in the development and delivery of the program to ensure that it remains relevant and up-to-date. The development of a professional portfolio over the duration of the course will enable graduates to reflect upon their learning and provide evidence of their capabilities for potential career opportunities.

On completion of an Associate Degree in Applied Health and Community Support, graduates are provided with:

• an entry point to a career in the health, social and community service sectors;
• an opportunity to accelerate progression within a current job;
• an opportunity for promotion to a new role;
• an opportunity to open up a new career path; or
• articulation into further study at the University of Tasmania.

Recommended Study Pattern

For students undertaking full-time study the following study pattern is recommended.

Year 1

 8 subjects in first year including:

• 3 Core subjects:
  • TAS-ZAC101 Supporting People and Diversity
  • TAS-ZAC102 Foundations of Health and Wellbeing
  • TAS-ZAC103 Contemporary Support in Health and Community Services
• Core Option: choose 1 from the following subjects
  • TAS-ZAC104 Promoting Health and Wellbeing
  • TAS-ZPP101 Professional Skills in Practice
• 2 Subjects from the following stream
  • Support Systems and Services
    • TAS-ZAC105 Health and Community Services in Australia
    • TAS-ZAC106 Quality Systems and Practice in Health and Community Services
• 2 UTAS Electives 

Year 2

 8 subjects in second year including:

• 4 Core subjects:
  • TAS-ZAC201 Community Health and Wellbeing
  • TAS-ZAC202 Change, Resilience and Sustainability
  • TAS-ZAC204 Empowering Your Career in Health and Community Services
  • TAS-ZAC209 Building Cultural Capability in Health and Community Services
• 2 Subjects from the following stream
  • Support Systems and Services
    • TAS-ZAC207 Mental Health and Wellbeing
    • TAS-ZAC208 Contemporary Disability Practice
• 2 UTAS electives 

Award Requirements

Satisfactory completion of 16 subjects, as required in the schedule, within 2-5 years from commencement.