| Semester 1, 2021 Online | |
| Short Description: | Pub Health in Practice A |
| Units : | 1 |
| Faculty or Section : | Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences |
| School or Department : | School of Health and Wellbeing |
| Student contribution band : | Band 2 |
| ASCED code : | 061399 - Public Health not elsewhere cl |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
Staffing
Examiner:
Other requisites
Students must be enrolled in Masters of Public Health, or Graduate Diploma in Public Health, or Graduate Certificate in Public Health, or any other Masters degree programs.
Rationale
Public health as a discipline is ideally placed to play a central role in addressing some of the key issues we face as a society. It is the art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts of society. This course allows students to apply the theory presented in other courses using a case-based learning approach, with cases presented by practitioners working in public health. By the end of this course students should be able to understand the inter-disciplinary nature of public health and apply the core public health competencies to real world, complex health issues. The course content and outcomes are informed by the Council of Academic Public Health Institutions of Australia (CAPHIA). Please note, that while CAPHIA does not provide accreditation for courses, they represent universities that offer public health programs and aims to promote high academic standards in public health education and practice.
Synopsis
Public health practitioners work in multi-disciplinary teams fostering inter-disciplinary collaboration and competence, while enhancing individual professional skills and knowledge. A multi-disciplinary and case-based approach will be utilised so that students can apply theoretical content to real wold examples of public health problems and related outcomes and programs. At the completion of this course students should have the knowledge and skills to engage professionally across population health with generic knowledge and skills of systematic research, ethical practice, teamwork, stakeholder analysis, health communication and cultural safety.
This course contains three (3) mandatory online workshops.
Objectives
On completion of this course students should be able to:
- Discuss the features of different types of surveillance systems and screening programs designed to address specific population health problems.
- Working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and health services to analyse key comparative indicators regarding the social determinants of health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
- Formulate and implement a response to a public health emergency.
- Appraise and critique the impact of social, cultural, political and regulatory factors that influence responses to environmental health issues.
- Identify and discuss the roles of key professionals, community leaders, and other relevant stakeholders to collaborate on a public health intervention (including environmental interventions).
- Working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and health services to evaluate, discuss and communicate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander public health policy and programs and apply principles of economic evaluation to program development and implementation.
- Develop a health promotion plan, specifying target groups and including specific goals, objectives, strategies, broad budgetary implications and related evaluation criteria based on best available evidence.
- Analyse the management of a population health program in terms of strategic focus, organisational authority, leadership capacity, strategic partnerships, resource allocation, workforce capacity and mechanisms of accountability.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Biostatics | 10.00 |
| 2. | Epidemiology | 20.00 |
| 3. | Environmental Health | 25.00 |
| 4. | Social and behavioural science | 25.00 |
| 5. | Health policy, planning and management | 20.00 |
Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed
ALL textbooks and materials available to be purchased can be sourced from (unless otherwise stated). (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/textbooks/?year=2021&sem=01&subject1=PUH8030)
Please for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/info/contact/)
Reference materials
Student workload expectations
| Activity | Hours |
|---|---|
| Assessments | 55.00 |
| Directed Study | 60.00 |
| Online Discussion Groups | 20.00 |
| Online Lectures | 24.00 |
| Online Tutorials or Workshops | 6.00 |
Assessment details
| Description | Marks out of | Wtg (%) | Due Date | Objectives Assessed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1 | 100 | 40 | 01 Apr 2021 | 1,2,3,4,5 | (see note 1) |
| Online Workshop | 50 | 10 | 13 May 2021 | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 | (see note 2) |
| Forum Discussion | 50 | 10 | 20 May 2021 | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 | (see note 3) |
| Assessment 2 | 100 | 40 | 10 Jun 2021 | 5,6,7,8 | (see note 4) |
Notes
- Assessment 1 will comprise of an essay based on the content delivered in weeks one to five.
- This course contains a mandatory online workshop and attendance is included as an assessment component. Students must attend at least 80% of the time allocated to workshops. Students are required to deliver a group-based presentation upon completion of the 3rd workshop, which will contribute to the grade for this assessment.
- Weekly tasks and discussions will be posted on the forum. Students will be graded based on their contributions (initiating and contributing to discussions).
- Assessment 2 will comprise of an essay and stakeholder report based on the content from weeks 6-12.
Important assessment information
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Attendance requirements:
There are no weekly attendance requirements for this course. However, it is the students’ responsibility to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration. Students are expected to contribute to forum discussions weekly.
Students must attend the mandatory online workshops in weeks 4, 10 and 13. -
Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks for that item. In addition, students must attend 80% of the time allocated for the mandatory online workshops. -
Penalties for late submission of required work:
Students should refer to the Assessment Procedure (point 4.2.4) -
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must obtain at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course. In addition, students must attend 80% of the time allocated for the mandatory online workshops.
Supplementary assessment may be offered where a student has undertaken all of the required summative assessment items but failed to achieve a passing Final Grade by 5% or less of the total weighted Marks. -
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
To be awarded a passing grade for a supplementary assessment item (if applicable), a student must achieve at least 50% of the available marks for the supplementary assessment item as per the Assessment Procedure (point 4.4.2). -
Examination information:
NO EXAM: There is no examination in this course. -
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
NO EXAM: There is no examination in this course, there will be no deferred or supplementary examinations. -
University Student Policies:
Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene University policies and practices. These policies can be found at .
Assessment notes
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Students must familiarise themselves with the USQ Assessment Procedures (.
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Referencing in assignments must comply with the Harvard (AGPS) referencing system. This system should be used by students to format details of the information sources they have cited in their work. The Harvard (APGS) style to be used is defined by the USQ library’s referencing guide. This guide can be found at
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As part of the mandatory online workshops, students are be expected to complete a case-study and presentation (contributing to assessment 1) as advised by the course examiner.
Evaluation and benchmarking
In meeting the University’s aims to establish quality learning and teaching for all programs, this course monitors and ensures quality assurance and improvements in at least two ways. This course:
- .Conforms to the USQ Policy on Evaluation of Teaching, Courses and Programs to ensure ongoing monitoring and systematic improvement.
- Forms part of the MPUH – Masters of Public Health (and GDPUH, GCPUH)and is benchmarked against the:
(i) stringent standards in the independent accreditation of its academic programs, (ii) close integration between business and academic planning, and (iii) regular and rigorous review.
• professional accreditation standards of the Council of Academic Public Health Institutions Australia (CAPHIA)
Other requirements
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Students are required to have access to a personal computer, e-mail capabilities and Internet access to UConnect. Current details of computer requirements can be found at .
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Students can expect that questions in assessment items in this course may draw upon knowledge and skills that they can reasonably be expected to have acquired before enrolling in this course. This includes knowledge contained in pre-requisite courses and appropriate communication, information literacy, analytical, critical thinking, problem solving or numeracy skills. Students who do not possess such knowledge and skills should not expect the same grades as those students who do possess them.
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Mandatory online workshops will be conducted in weeks 4, 10 and 13, starting at 18:00 to account for students who might be working.