Why study sexual health?
Sexual health empowers individuals to live a life without shame, promotes overall health and contributes to sustaining an equally inclusive, healthy and informed society. The curriculum includes Australian and international case studies that deliver a comprehensive understanding of sexual health in different environments and communities.
Our teaching team comes with broad expertise and offers diverse perspectives on sexual health influences. In the classroom, you will discuss global issues such as HIV prevention, reproductive health rights, cultural differences and rising sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates, along with the challenges presented by antibiotic resistance.
Study options in sexual health
Why study sexual health at Melbourne?
- Engage with Melbourne Sexual Health Centre – an internationally recognised leader in the public health approach to the provision of clinical services.
- Collaborate with the Centre for Excellence in Rural Sexual Health and support sexual health and wellness centres and projects in Victoria, including:
- Victorian Clinical Network for Abortion and Contraception Care
- Communities of Practice
- Sexual Health Out and About (SHOUT) initiative
- Sexual Health Month
- SexRurality Conference.
- Louise Bourchier
Explore our industry-leading research outputs:
Diverse careers
We are a global institution, and our qualifications enable you to progress in your career. The range of roles you can expect after completing a public health education include, but are not limited to:
- Sexuality Educator
- Research and Intervention Specialist
- Sexual Health Clinician
- Sexual Health Care Coordinator
- Sexual and Representation Health Policy Analyst
- Communications Analyst – Sexual and Reproductive Health
Sexual health sectors
Graduates from this elective stream often find themselves in roles within organisations such as:
- Specialist sexual health clinical services such as Melbourne Sexual Health Centre
- Sexual health promotion in community health centres
- Local and state government infectious diseases departments
- Sex education counselling in schools
- NGOs working in the sexual health promotion
- World Health Organisation
- Public health departments of universities
Hear from our alumni
I was working as a registered nurse at the Royal Women’s Hospital and I wanted to consolidate my knowledge and have a specialist qualification, so I chose to study the Graduate Certificate in Sexual Health. My end goal was to work at Melbourne Sexual Health Centre and I’m pleased to have achieved that.
Susan Rose, Graduate Certificate in Sexual Health 2020
I’d always been interested in sexual health and we were being inundated with requests from schools for information about issues like puberty and safe sex. When I learned that Ballarat has the highest rate of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Victoria, I wanted to help do something about it.
Tameaka Lakey, Graduate Certificate in Sexual Health