This unit provides students with an overview of the ethical and political issues that underlie public health and public health research. The unit begins with some fundamentals: the nature of ethics, of public health (and how it might be different to clinical medicine) and of public health ethics. It introduces key concepts in public health ethics including liberty, utility, justice, solidarity and reciprocity, and introduces students to different ways of reasoning about the ethics of public health. A range of practical public health problems and issues will be considered, including ethical dimensions of communicable and non-communicable diseases in populations, and the ethical challenges of public health research. Throughout, the emphasis is on learning to make sound arguments about the ethical aspects of public health policy, practice and research. Most learning occurs in the context of five teaching intensives, which are highly interactive and focus on the development and application of reasoning skills.

Constructs of mental health and mental illness are highly contextual to culture, history and societal notions of normative experience and conduct. Mental illness can place an individual in a position of particular disadvantage and unique vulnerability through diminished (and deprived) autonomy. In light of this, ethical deliberation in the field of mental health care differs from other lines of inquiry in biomedical ethics. This unit of study begins with an examination of the unique status of the 'psychiatric patient' and the problems in applying normative ethical approaches to moral deliberation in mental health care. We then explore particular topics in mental health ethics including the legacies of the National Socialist persecution of the sick and disabled; and unique challenges in the care of groups in the community including Aboriginal Australians, refugees and asylum seekers, people in LGBTIQ communities, and adults and children living with learning and intellectual disabilities. We also explore contemporary controversies in mental health care including coercion and involuntary treatment, the mental health implications of the euthanasia debate, gendered power, medicalisation of children's behaviour, the problem of 'evil', and mental health professionals speaking out in the media on topics of public interest. During the semester, the course coordinators provide participants with regular feedback and guidance in their engagement with the topic. Each week features a podcast lecture and/or interview with an expert in the area under consideration and recommended readings, as well as other media where relevant.

BETH5206 Ethics and Public Health introduces you to a range of ethical issues that arise within the practice of public health. It begins with an orientation to the field: we will discuss conceptualisations of public health, what ethics is, and how ethics relates to evidence. We will talk about the origins and development of public health ethics as a (relatively new) field, and how it is distinguished from other areas of ethics. Your learning will then be structured around three sets of important concepts. The first are concepts central to utilitarian reasoning: benefit, harm and cost. The second cluster of concepts relates to the proper relationship between the citizen and the state (including public health as an institution): they are freedom, liberty and paternalism. The third cluster includes fairness, justice and equity, concepts that are often used rhetorically in public health, but not always carried through into practice. We will focus on two main case studies to apply what you learn. Throughout this unit you will be encouraged to ask questions, and to compare and debate competing answers to those questions. What is public health? What does it mean to say that something is harmful? To what extent should we each be free to engage in practices that harm our health? What is the proper role of the state in attempting to change the health of populations? What is equity and why does it matter (and if it matters, why aren't we doing more about it)? This is a Core Unit for Graduate Diploma and Master in Public Health students. Most learning occurs in the context of two teaching intensives, which are highly interactive and focus on the development and application of reasoning skills.

This unit of study introduces students to human research ethics in its wider context. It explores the ethical underpinnings of the research endeavour including the justifications for engaging in research and research integrity. The unit also briefly reviews the history of research and the impact of research abuse on human participants.

Medicines save lives but they can be costly and can have serious adverse effects. Value-laden decisions are continuously being made at individual, institutional, national and international levels regarding the medicines we need, want and can afford. In this unit of study, we will explore and critique global and national policies and processes related to medicines, examining how research and development agendas are set; how medicines are assessed and evaluated; and how new technologies are translated into practice. We will also explore broader trends such as globalisation, commercialisation and changing consumer expectations. By the end of the course, students will understand the forces shaping the development, regulation, funding and uptake of medicines both nationally and internationally, and the political, ethical, legal and economic issues that are at stake. This course is designed to appeal to a wide range of students from ethics, law, public health, health care, policy, communications, economics, business, politics, administration, and biomedical science.

This course is specifically designed for health professionals who are working in health care. It will equip participants with underpinning knowledge about patient safety. The course modules cover quality and safety principles, professionalism and ethics, risk management and risk information, complexity theory, clinical governance and the impact of adverse events, methods to measure and make improvements in health care. The modules, tools and the discussions are designed to enable participants to change behaviours by understanding the main causes of adverse events-poor team work, busyness, hierachies. The course provides foundation knowledge about quality and safety; governments around the world are concerned to address unsafe care. The course will better prepare health professional to understand the complexity of health care and take steps to minimise the opportunities for errors and address vulnerabilities in the system.

Students will work at their own pace through 9 modules covering research integrity, medical style, abstracts, presentations and posters, constructing a paper, data visualisation, manuscript submission, responding to reviewers comments, publication dissemination, and reviewing a paper. This unit aims to teach students the principles of research integrity in writing for medical journals, typical issues they may face, and link to resources to help them maintain integrity through their publishing careers. It will guide them to reliable evidence based resources to improve their conference abstract, presentation and poster design, and manuscript style and writing.. Students will learn about reporting guidelines, common pitfalls in writing and presenting research, choosing a journal, keywords, improving tables and figures for manuscripts through open source software, copyright, writing cover letters and response letters to reviewers. Students will learn about measuring research impact and ways to improve your research reach, dealing with the media and press releases, using social media in dissemination, digital archiving and basic skills needed to act as a quality peer-reviewer. This is an online unit, but those needing to study in block mode will do online study as well as a workshop.

This unit covers statistical analysis techniques that are commonly required for analysing data that arise from clinical or epidemiological studies. Students will gain hands on experience applying model-building strategies and fitting advanced statistical models. In particular, students will learn a statistical software package called Stata, how to handle non-linear continuous variables, and how to analyse correlated data. Correlated data arise from clustered or longitudinal study designs, such as, cross-over studies, matched case-control studies, cluster randomised trials and studies involving repeated measurements. Statistical models that will be covered include fixed effects models, marginal models using Generalised Estimating Equations (GEE), and mixed effects models (also known as hierarchical or multilevel models). This unit of study focuses on data analyses using Stata and the interpretation of results.

This unit of study introduces the student to basic concepts behind diagnostic and screening tests, including: test accuracy, sources of bias in test evaluation, critical appraisal of test evaluation studies, principles and use of evidence in making decisions about population screening. After completing this unit of study, the student should have a basic understanding of contemporary issues and the methodology underlying, diagnostic and screening test evaluation and application.

This unit of study introduces the student to basic concepts behind diagnostic and screening tests, including: test accuracy, sources of bias in test evaluation, critical appraisal of test evaluation studies, principles and use of evidence in making decisions about population screening. It will then move to more advanced topics including: application of test results to individual patients, place of tests in diagnostic pathways, impact of tests on patient outcome, tests with continuous outcome, receiver-operator characteristic curves, systematic review of diagnostic tests, predictive models, monitoring, diagnostic tests in the health system, and over-diagnosis. After completing this unit of study, the student should have a comprehensive understanding of contemporary issues and the methodology underlying, diagnostic and screening test evaluation and application.

Information technology (IT) has significantly contributed to the research and practice of medicine, biology and health care. The IT field is growing enormously in scope with biomedicine taking a lead role in utilising the evolving applications to its best advantage. The goal of this unit of study is to provide students with the necessary knowledge to understand the information technology in biomedicine. The major emphasis will be on the principles associated with biomedical digital imaging systems and related biomedicine data processing, analysis, visualisation, registration, modelling, retrieval and management. A broad range of practical integrated clinical applications will be also elaborated.

Dental disease remains prevalent in Australia. The AIHW reports that in 2010, 55% of 6 year olds; 48% of 12 year olds in their deciduous and permanent dentitions, respectively.
The burden of this disease is significant and falls inequitably on those who are the most socially disadvantaged and those least able to access expensive treatment.
The most ethical and cost-effective manner of addressing oral disease is through preventative dental care.
To that end, this unit of study will permit post-graduate students with pre-existing oral health education to gain an advanced understanding of the factors that place an individual at risk of dental disease, including dental caries, oral cancer and periodontal disease. Students will examine the impact of such disease through a public health lens.
Students will also learn the theoretical basis for preventative dental care and how this knowledge may be applied for population-level effect.
Particular emphasis will be placed on the Australian context.
The ability to source and identify high-quality information is key to the practice of public health. As such, students will learn how to search and critically analyse the dental evidence base in order to identify robust material.
The course may also be suitable for other MPH and MIPH students who wish to obtain an understanding of oral health disease prevention and oral health promotion.
Teaching in this topic will draw on the expertise of public health academics and clinical oral health professionals.
improvement through effective oral health promotion strategies.

This unit of study provides students with an appreciation of the role and scope of oral health services within the Australian health care system by offering both foundational and applied knowledge required for analysis and evaluation of oral health service delivery. On the completion of this unit of study, students will understand the underpinning principles that contextualise primary oral health care; identify and articulate the socioeconomic and socio-political determinants that impact on the delivery and management of oral health services; and to critically evaluate the appropriateness of existing and proposed oral health services and programs for different population groups

To provide students with sufficient background and appreciation of the importance of population oral health and to provide them with the opportunity to develop skills and acquire essential knowledge in this field for the effective practice of population oral health. This unit focuses on the determinants of oral health and the importance of upstream measures to attack the root cause of oral diseases and the planning, implementing and evaluating of these approaches. The following topics will be covered: principles of population health approach, planning and policy framework for population oral health, the changing profile oral health and patterns of oral health care; water fluoridation (including legislation, benefits/risks, the politics of fluoridation, the arguments for and against water fluoridation, how to respond to antifluoridationists; how to promote and extend water fluoridation,), overview of policies and initiatives regarding dental services - the example of New South Wales; and oral health workforce and emerging workforce issues. On the completion of this unit of study students should be able to demonstrate ability to design/develop, implement and evaluate population based oral health programs to improve overall oral health and reduce inequalities in oral health.

This unit gives candidates essential knowledge of prevention and control of communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries using country-specific examples. After successfully completing this unit of study, candidates will understand the key issues in communicable diseases and their control in developing countries, as well as gain the knowledge and insight on how prevention and control mechanisms and programs are developed for these diseases in resource-poor settings. The unit covers disease emergence, respiratory tract infections (including TB), vector-borne infections, food- and water-borne infections, neurological infections, neglected tropical diseases, bloodborne and sexually transmitted infections (including HIV) and drug-resistant infections.

This unit aims to develop a critical and comparative understanding of the history, theory and practice of health policy. It gives an overview of the political choices and frameworks - national and global - that shape policymaking. The unit examines policy frameworks, and the roles of politics, evidence and advocacy in setting policy priorities. Analysis and debates regarding health policy will be placed in broader contexts - comparing different health systems and priorities for health. Case studies will be used to examine the relationships between policy and practice.
Learning outcomes. By the end of this unit students will be able to: (i) Define the boundaries and key features of health policy; (ii) Understand the basic history and features of the Australian health system; (iii) Identify policy instruments and how they function; (iv) Understand the main frameworks used for analysing policy; (v) Understand the factors influencing how policy issues are prioritized in health; (vi) Gain skills in policy communication, including preparation of a policy brief.

This unit aims to provide students with an understanding of the main concepts and analytical methods of health economics, political economy and finance to examine the workings of health systems in Australia and comparable countries. Topics covered include the debates over the public-private mix and governance and accountability - who makes decisions about funding priorities? To whom should decision makers be held accountable and for what aspects of their work? How does health finance shape broader policy reform, such as universal health coverage?
Learning outcomes. By the end of this unit students will be able to: (i) apply basic concepts and methodologies of health economics and political economy in policy analysis; (ii) understand the role of economic analysis in planning and evaluating health policy change; (iii) understand the main models and debates regarding health system funding and the implications for equity, delivery and governance of health services; (iv) be familiar with theoretical frameworks underlying health economics and current debates over health finance.(v) apply this knowledge to current Australian and global health systems and debates over reform.

This unit aims to develop skills for undertaking policy research and analysis. The unit takes a multidisciplinary approach to familiarise students with fundamental frameworks and methodologies that can be applied to analyse policy from multiple disciplines including public health, social and political sciences, behavioural sciences, public policy and history.
Learning outcomes. By the end of the unit students will be able to: (i) Apply a critical analysis to questions of policy success or failure; (ii) Understand and explain the different methodological approaches that can be applied in policy analysis and research; (iii) Identify appropriate research methodologies, data collection methods and analysis for specific policy research questions; (iv) Design a health policy research project.

Healthcare is now one of the largest employers and sectors in the Australian economy. Approximately two thirds of its funding comes from government, while two thirds of services are provided by the private sector. This unit explores this complex mix, building an understanding of the inter-relationships among the players in the industry, public and private. The course will explore the financial and regulatory environment in which providers operate and identify the main business models used by different players in the industry, including service providers, private insurers, employers, and government regulators. The unit draws on expert lecturers, international comparisons and case studies to give an understanding of the incentives and constraints that shape strategies to create value in health care.
Learning outcomes. By the end of the unit students will: (i) have an understanding of the `eco-system¿ of health care; (ii) be able to navigate the regulatory and technological aspects of business in the health sector; (iii) be able to identify and evaluate public and private business strategies in the main health care sectors.

The aim of this unit is to equip students with the knowledge and skills to identify and articulate political and policy processes at the global level, become familiar with institutions and actors involved in global health policy, and utilize strategies for influencing policy making at the global level. We analyse the influence and power of institutions and actors in the development and implementation of global health policy, and investigate the governance of global health policy responses. Teaching makes extensive use of current case studies from recognised experts in the field.
Learning outcomes. By the end of this unit students will be able to: (i) Explain the effects of globalization on health of populations; (ii) Demonstrate how events and trends in health and non-health areas affect global health policy; (iii) Identify and classify the different types of actors/institutions that influence health policy; (iv) Undertake a policy stakeholder analysis with reference to power, influence and interests; (v) Develop strategies to influence global health policy development and implementation; (vi) Define global health governance and its role in structuring and regulating global health policy.

Healthcare systems intimately coupled to ICT have been at the forefront of many of the medical advances in modern society in the past decade. As is already the case in many other service-driven sectors, it is widely recognised that a key approach to solve some of the healthcare challenges is to harness and further ICT innovations. This unit is designed to help fill a massive technology talent gap where one of the biggest IT challenges in history is in the technology transformation of healthcare.
The unit will consist of weekly lectures, a set of group discussions (tutorials) and practical lab sessions. The contents will offer students the opportunity to develop IT knowledge and skills related to all aspects of Enterprise Healthcare Information Systems.
Key Topics covered include: Health Information System e. g. , Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) and Radiology IS; Electronic Health Records / Personal Health Records; Health data management; Healthcare Transactions; Health Statistics and Research; Decision Support Systems including Image-based systems; Cost Assessments and Ethics / Privacy; TeleHealth / eHealth; Cases studies with Australian Hospitals.
Guest lecturers from the healthcare industry will be invited. The core of student's assessments will be based on individual research reports (topics related to the current industry IT needs), software / practical assignment and quizzes.

Information technologies (IT) and systems have emerged as the primary platform to support communication, collaboration, research, decision making, and problem solving in contemporary health organisations. The essential necessity for students to acquire the fundamental knowledge and skills for applying IT effectively for a wide range of tasks is widely recognised. This is an introductory unit of study which prepares students in the Health discipline to develop the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to be competent in the use of information technology for solving a variety of problems. The main focus of this unit is on modelling and problem solving through the effective use of using IT. Students will learn how to navigate independently to solve their problems on their own, and to be capable of fully applying the power of IT tools in the service of their goals in their own health domains while not losing sight of the fundamental concepts of computing.
Students are taught core skills related to general purpose computing involving a range of software tools such as spreadsheets, database management systems, internet search engine. Students will undertake practical tasks including scripting languages and building a small scale application for managing information. In addition, the course will address the issues arising from the wide-spread use of information technology in a variety of Health area.

This is a compulsory unit for all postgraduate students who do not hold a law degree or equivalent from a common law jurisdiction entering the: Master of Administrative Law and Policy; Master of Business Law; Master of Environmental Law; Master of Environmental Science and Law; Master of Health Law; Master of Labour Law and Relations as well as Graduate Diplomas offered in these programs. The unit has been designed to equip students with the necessary legal skills and legal knowledge to competently apply themselves in their chosen area of law. Instruction will cover the legislative process; the judiciary and specialist tribunals; precedent; court hierarchies; legal reasoning; constitutional law; administrative law; contracts; and torts. Some elements of the unit will be tailored in accordance with the requirements of the particular specialist programs.

This unit provides an introduction to key topics in public health law, and a foundation for further study in this field. It begins by exploring the use of law - both historically and conceptually - as a tool for protecting the public's health, for responding to health risks and implementing strategies designed to promote public health. It reviews the sources of public health law, considers the strategies that law can deploy to protect and promote health, as well as debates about the appropriate limits for law in the protection of public health in a liberal democracy.
The unit also provides a review of the law's role within several critical areas, including: acute public health threats (with a focus on SARS, pandemic influenza, and bioterrorism); sexual health and STIs; and tobacco control.
Key topics include: The definition and role of public health law; Case studies illustrating the sources of public health law; The legal framework for managing pandemic influenza and other acute public health threats; An introduction to tobacco control law; and Law's role in promoting sexual health.
Throughout the unit, students will be trained to identify legal issues and to explore their health significance, or impact on population health. Students will be encouraged and expected to critically evaluate the success of public health laws and their underlying strategies for protecting and promoting health. Students will also explore the tension between the public health interest, and competing public and private interests.
Students wishing to extend their knowledge of public health law can enrol in the companion unit, LAWS6848 Law and Healthy Lifestyles. These units comprise a core program in public health law.

This unit is about legal and regulatory responses to tobacco use, obesity, poor diet, harmful use of alcohol and sedentary lifestyle - the leading causes of preventable disease in Australia, in high-income countries generally, and increasingly, in developing economies. Cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and tobacco-related diseases (known as 'non-communicable diseases' or NCDs) are society's greatest killers. But what can law do - and what should law be doing - to prevent them? Unlike other health threats, NCDs and their risk factors are partly caused by consumer choices that are lived out every day across the country. The challenge of encouraging healthier lifestyles cannot be separated, then, from the regulation of the businesses that all too often have a vested interest in unhealthy lifestyles. Law's relationship with smoking, alcohol and food is complex and contested. Nevertheless, governments around the world are experimenting with a wide range of legal strategies to encourage healthier lifestyles. This unit will focus on developments in Australia and the United States, placing legal developments in these countries in an international context. During the course, we will confront some important over-arching questions. What are the global determinants of NCDs, and to what extent are global solutions needed? What do global solutions look like? To what extent should law intervene to influence the behaviour of populations-as distinct from treating lifestyle-related risk factors as the personal responsibility of each individual? Does a regulatory approach to the prevention of NCDs imply coercion? Does it signal the emergence of the 'nanny state'? Does progress depend on motivating people to consciously improve their habits and lifestyles? Is it possible to regulate business without micro-managing or dictating commercial decisions and 'legislating the recipe for tomato ketchup?' Throughout the unit, students will be encouraged to explore the tension between personal responsibility and freedom, and the broader public interest in a healthy population and a productive economy. Key topics include: Frameworks for thinking about law, and environments that support healthier lifestyles; Global health governance and the prevention of non-communicable diseases; Tobacco control: where to from here? Personal responsibility for health, and law's role; Regulating alcohol; Obesity prevention; and Law's role in improving diet and nutrition, and encouraging active living.

This unit introduces key concepts in health communication. Students will explore micro- and macro-level theories of health (behaviour) communication that inform the design and implementation of health communication campaigns, planned and unplanned effects of communication campaigns, and the evaluation of such campaigns. It aims to give students a critical and practical understanding of theory and research concerning the role of communication in health promotion efforts.

This unit aims to provide an overview of common health issues and emerging travel-related diseases, with a general look at prevention and control of these problems for travellers or those intending to work in tropical or resource-poor settings for a significant period of time. During the short course, students will also explore issues such as pre-travel preparations, vaccinations, protection from vector-borne diseases, gastrointestinal illnesses in travellers, refugee health, disater preparedness focusing on water and sanitation and travel health issues in humanitarian and disater relief settings. The teaching method is face-to-face teaching only. Attendance is compulsory.

This unit is an introduction to the health status of women and children in low and middle income countries and highlights the interconnectedness of women's and children's health. It presents some of the major causes of mortality and morbidity and interventions and approaches to improving outcomes from a public health perspective. Each week a different expert covers relevant issues such as perinatal mortality, contraception, nutrition, HIV, cancer, diarrhoeal disease, vaccine preventable diseases and childhood disability.

This unit aims to provide candidates with an understanding of the causes and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) with a focus on low and middle income countries (LMIC). These diseases are associated with social and economic development and the demographic and health transitions. Topics covered in the unit include cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, primary health care in relation to NCDs, health promotion for NCDs and approaches to NCD research in developing countries. Lectures are given by health professionals with direct experience of NCD control in LMICs.

This unit gives students an overview of public health aspects of humanitarian emergencies in developing country situations and the range of appropriate responses. This includes considering problems faced by government and non-government organisations in humanitarian emergency relief efforts. Topics covered in the unit include international and human rights law, the role of donor agencies, refugee health, nutritional emergencies, site planning for refugee camps, water and sanitation, sexual violence, protection of vulnerable groups, and communicable disease surveillance and control.

This unit aims to present an overview and critique of mental disorders in an international context. It covers broad issues related to the classification of disorders, their prevalence and population burden and their determinants. While the focus of the module is on international epidemiology, the course also aims to promote understanding of the economic and humanitarian implications of the burden of mental and substance use disorders for prevention, treatment and health policy. The unit will cover what a mental disorder is, how frequent and how disabling mental disorders are and what the major correlates and determinants of mental disorders are,with a focus on health policy.

This unit of study is designed for students who have completed or are working towards a health degree. It assumes some clinical background knowledge and aims to prepare students to a basic level for applying public health principles in low resource primary healthcare settings. In the past, students with a non-clinical background have successfully completed this unit and there are no pre-requisites. The course will introduce and revise the fundamental aspects of effective primary health care, define different aspects of low-resource settings (health system, healthcare worker, patient factors etc) and their effect on knowledge translation. The key learning component will comprise a series of problems which will be solved in online or face-to-face groups and supported by guest lecturers, tutors and resources. Problems will include low-income country settings but also resource-challenged settings due to remoteness and/or socioeconomic and other disadvantage. Students will be expected to be self-directed adult learners during this unit. This unit of study can be combined with MIPH5004 International Health Independent Study 1 (2cp) for a total of 6 credit points.Students can choose to do this course either by face-to-face or distance mode.

Health systems are complex and multi-faceted. Successful health systems require attention to political economy, governance, institutions, and local context. This unit will cover health systems in developing countries to equip students with a conceptual understanding and a set of tools to address major public health challenges from a health systems perspective. With a focus on evidence-based decision making, the unit will provide an understanding of health systems including specific topics such as health workforce, financing, service delivery, information systems and policy, and how these impact health interventions and health status in less developed countries. A multi-sectoral, integrated model will be used to understand the varied aspects of development challenges related to health systems. A case study approach will then provide students with concrete examples of health systems challenges and will strengthen students' ability to view health problems in a holistic, multi-faceted manner. The unit will provide students with the tools needed to make a practical difference in health systems in less developed countries with emphasis on implementation of health projects and bringing interventions to scale.

The aim of this unit is to provide students with insights into the major nutrition-related public health problems in low- and middle-income countries; knowledge and practical skills about nutritional assessment; and the design and evaluation of nutritional interventions. The content areas include an overview of nutrition as a major determinant of health and disease; methods to assess community nutritional status; the impact of maternal and child under-nutrition on mortality and overall disease burden; design and evaluation of effective interventions; issues surrounding food security; agriculture and nutrition; and nutrition policies and resources. The unit is taught in two 2-day workshops, with the first workshop focusing on nutritional assessment and major nutrition-related public health problems in low- and middle-income countries, and the second workshop focusing on design and evaluation of interventions. On completion students should be able to recognise key nutritional problems facing low- and middle-income countries; have acquired knowledge and practical skills as to how these problems can be assessed; and gained insights into a number of different multi-sectoral approaches to address these problems.

Effective international health projects management contributes to the achievement of health and development in developing countries. The Unit aims to provide students with a good understanding of the concepts and key elements of a health project design and evaluation, and to demonstrate tools and techniques used in effective project management. A detailed step by step application of the Logical Framework Approach (LFA) in project design will be presented, including stakeholder analysis, problem and objective analysis, and the logframe matrix. The Unit also gives students an opportunity for hands-on practice through the design of a project in an international setting and allows them to consider the challenges and practical issues faced by people involved in international health project management. The key topic areas covered include: concepts and principles of international project management; context and situation analysis; the LFA for project design; real life project management cases; and project monitoring and evaluation. At the end of the course, students should be able to: identify the key aspects of the LFA to project design; develop a project proposal in international settings; recognise challenges and practical issues faced by people involved in international health project management; and apply a systematic approach to project planning and management in international settings.

This unit of study introduces students to the concepts and principles underlying, and issues associated with, nutrition in community and public health contexts. It covers the principles of health promotion and teaches the students how to plan, implement and evaluate nutrition promotion strategies. The scope and distribution of chronic diseases and the role of nutrition in the etiology of diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity is examined. This unit of study also investigates the food habits of culturally and linguistically diverse groups, nutritional intakes and requirements of people across the lifespan, and the current nutrition policies and guidelines aimed at preventing chronic diseases.

This unit provides students with core skills in epidemiology, particularly the ability to critically appraise public health and clinical epidemiological research literature regarding public health and clinical issue. This unit covers: study types; measures of frequency and association; measurement bias; confounding/effect modification; randomized trials; systematic reviews; screening and test evaluation; infectious disease outbreaks; measuring public health impact and use and interpretation of population health data. In addition to formal classes or their on-line equivalent,it is expected that students spend an additional 2-3 hours at least each week preparing for their tutorials.

This unit aims to provide students with an introduction to statistical concepts, their use and relevance in public health. This unit covers descriptive analyses to summarise and display data; concepts underlying statistical inference; basic statistical methods for the analysis of continuous and binary data; and statistical aspects of study design. Specific topics include: sampling; probability distributions; sampling distribution of the mean; confidence interval and significance tests for one-sample, two paired samples and two independent samples for continuous data and also binary data; correlation and simple linear regression; distribution-free methods for two paired samples, two independent samples and correlation; power and sample size estimation for simple studies; statistical aspects of study design and analysis. Students will be required to perform analyses using a calculator and will also be required to conduct analyses using statistical software (SPSS). It is expected that students spend an additional 2 hours per week preparing for their tutorials. Computing tasks are self-directed.

This unit aims to provide students with specific information on the concepts, methods and applications underpinning cancer prevention and control at population level. It is designed to address specific educational needs of students in various programs within the School of Public Health and to offer a broad-based perspective on cancer control, ranging from primary prevention, screening and early intervention, tertiary prevention and palliative care. Emphasis will be given to cancers with the greatest impact at population level and where evidence demonstrates that policies and interventions are capable of reducing cancer incidence, mortality, prolonging survival and improving quality of life. Although focusing on specific Australian conditions, the information will be presented in the context of regional and global cancer control efforts. At the completion of the unit, students will be equipped with the basic tools to design, plan, implement and evaluate cancer control programs in Australia or other countries.

This course offers a public health approach to examining the global issue of chronic diseases (e.g. cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, chronic lung disease) and their prevention. The course examines why chronic disease is a global problem, and describes WHO frameworks for chronic disease prevention. It also reviews the epidemiology of specific chronic diseases including trends in and surveillance of these conditions, and the global (and country level) burden of disease. Teaching will focus on clinical prevention, in particular, the role of primary care, other clinicians and allied health professionals in providing lifestyle advice for people with chronic disease (tertiary prevention) and for people without chronic disease (primary prevention). Students will be involved in evaluating the effectiveness of different prevention strategies and will examine the role of health policy and strategic planning in developing effective and sustainable chronic disease management programs and health services in different settings (in Australia and the region).

This unit focuses on mass-reach public health campaigns used to promote health and prevent disease. Building on introductory Masters of Public Health units of study in health promotion/disease prevention [or equivalent], this unit describes the rationale for mass-media led campaigns, social marketing interventions, and how they fit into a comprehensive approach to population health promotion and chronic disease prevention. The major themes covered are the principles of mass-reach communications in public health; designing campaigns [formative evaluation]; developing public health campaigns as part of comprehensive health promotion; understanding the messages, branding and marketing of campaigns; process and impact evaluation of campaigns; the differences between campaigns and social marketing initiatives; and the role of ancillary and supportive health promotion strategies, including media placement and advocacy. In addition, the role of, and evaluating social media campaigns will be included. The unit will equip students with skills to plan, design, implement and evaluate public health campaigns.

This unit of study is taught over two days of residential workshop and is an introduction to public health program evaluation principles. It builds on core MPH methods subjects, but extends learning objectives to develop skills in practical and applied public health and health promotion program planning, evaluation and research methods. Both qualitative and quantitative methods will be used in program evaluation discussions, but the major focus will be on measuring the implementation of programs, and assessing public health program impact. There is an emphasis on evaluating 'real world' programs that address chronic disease prevention and health promotion, but other broad public health content areas will also be used as examples. The unit comprises four areas of discussion, including the [i] principles of evaluation; [ii] research designs and methodological issues for community and applied public health settings; [iii] methods for measuring program impact and outcomes; [iv] the principles of research translation and dissemination; and [v] evaluation values and disciplines. Attendance at the two days of residential teaching is compulsory for participants.

The unit provides students with a broad understanding of key public health nutrition practices and principles which will enable them to better understand and address population nutrition issues. There will be a strong focus on understanding dietary intake assessment and the use of data generated from nutrition surveys to improve the understanding of nutrition epidemiological studies and the relationship between diet and chronic disease. The concept of nutrition environments will be central to the exploration of community nutrition status and how dietary interventions are planned and evaluated. Global and local food and nutrition policy issues will be addressed and related to sustainability and environmental health concerns. The teaching approach involves class interaction and provides opportunities for self-reflection with practice-focussed assessment tasks.

This unit introduces students to public health in the context of Australian and international histories, cultures and geopolitics. We will begin by briefly reviewing the major challenges that drove development of modern public health theory and practice. We will then discuss current challenges with leading public health practioners, activists, theoreticians and commentators. Our focus will include public health ethics, equity and empowerment. Students will also have the opportunity to interact with and learn from non-academic guests from diverse backgrounds who will share their public health issues and solutions. The unit culminates with a discussion around emerging public health challenges and potential solutions. The particular problems of societal inequities as drivers of injury and illness, and the importance of multidisciplinary approaches to public health solutions, are emphasised.

This unit introduces students to the methods by which evidence is translated, used and abused when governments make decisions affecting public health. Students will become familiar with the main tools used by health economists and policy analysts. The unit will emphasize the role of different forms of evidence and values for priority-setting and policy-making. Unit technical content is unified by common themes and case studies. Students will apply methods and principles of health economics e.g. resource scarcity, opportunity cost, efficiency and equity to practical real-life examples (including specific indigenous health issues) to critically consider the role of economic evidence in health decision-making in Australia.
Students will then use policy analysis methods to critically examine the Australian health care system and decision-making in public health. The unit will pay particular attention to questions of power and equity, including the position of indigenous peoples. Finally, it will look at how evidence is framed and used in decision-making. Teaching will make use of contemporary case studies so students learn how technical analytical tools are used in practical examples of policy development, decision-making and public debate. The unit gives public health students an essential basic knowledge of both disciplines (health economics and health policy) and lays the groundwork for more advanced studies.

This core unit of study introduces students to evidence-based health promotion as a fundamental approach to preventing disease and reducing health inequalities in populations. The unit is divided into three modules: (i) building blocks of disease prevention and health promotion, (ii) using evidence and evaluating disease prevention and health promotion programs, and (iii) using research to inform policy and practice. This unit will give students an understanding of disease prevention and health promotion and their relationship to public health, introduce design, implementation, and evaluation of disease prevention and health promotion interventions, and develop and refine students' research, critical appraisal, and communication skills. The unit will also illustrate how prevention and health promotion principles are applied in Aboriginal settings. The role of translation of research into policy and practice to enhance public health impact will also be explored.

This unit provides students with an opportunity to draw together and integrate their learning in core and elective Public Health units and apply this to a project relevant to employment in public health. With an academic as a topic leader, students will develop a practical or hypothetical project and literature review largely as an individual self-directed activity but may work within a supported, group-based environment. The nature of the project can be a research proposal (quantitative or qualitative methods), public health program plan or evaluation, policy analysis, extended rapid review, environmental impact assessment or data analysis, amongst others. Topic areas are also wide-ranging and include obesity and physical activity, injury, environmental health, work-related disorders, mental health, communicable diseases, cancer and tobacco control. Self-directed learning is supported by a half-day workshop, literature search strategy training, possible group meetings (face-to-face or online) and a study guide.

This unit provides students with an opportunity to draw together and integrate their learning in core and elective Public Health units and apply this to a project relevant to employment in public health. With an academic as a topic leader, students will develop a practical or hypothetical project and literature review largely as an individual self-directed activity but will work within a supported, group-based environment. The nature of the project can be a research proposal (quantitative or qualitative methods), a public health program plan or evaluation, a policy analysis, an extended rapid review, an environmental impact assessment or data analysis, amongst others. Topic areas are also wide-ranging and include obesity and physical activity, injury, environmental health, work-related disorders, mental health, communicable diseases, cancer and tobacco control. Self-directed learning is supported by a half-day workshop, literature search strategy training, possible group meetings (face-to-face or online) and a study guide.

This unit gives high-achieving students who have completed their MPH and have an average weighted mark of 75% or more in their first 24 units of coursework the opportunity to undertake a supervised work placement in a Public Health institution. Places are limited and selection of candidates will be based on academic merit. During this placement you will undertake a project which will make a useful contribution to the workplace. Your project proposal, the final report based on your project or portfolio and your supervisor's report will constitute your assessment for the unit. The placement will consist of a minimum of 216 hours' work, that is approximately six weeks' full-time (or equivalent part-time) work. Initially placements will only be possible in Australia, although this may change in the future. The Public Health institutions would normally be located outside university environments. Examples include NSW Department of Health Public Health Units or Health Promotion Units, government supported agencies such as the Sax Institute and Family Planning NSW, and non-government organisations such as NSW Cancer Council or advocacy groups.

This unit gives high-achieving students who have completed their MPH and have an average weighted mark of 75% or more in their first 24 units of coursework the opportunity to undertake a supervised work placement in a Public Health institution. Places are limited and selection of candidates will be based on academic merit. During this placement you will undertake a project which will make a useful contribution to the workplace. Your project proposal, the final report based on your project or portfolio and your supervisor's report will constitute your assessment for the two related units (PUBH5041 and PUBH5042). The placement will consist of a minimum of 216 hours' work, that is approximately six weeks' full-time (or equivalent part-time) work across 12 credit points. This unit (PUBH5041) is designed to cover six of these credit points to allow the placement to be undertaken over two semesters. Initially placements will only be possible in Australia, although this may change in the future. The Public Health institutions would normally be located outside university environments. Examples include NSW Department of Health Public Health Units or Health Promotion Units, government supported agencies such as the Sax Institute and Family Planning NSW, and non-government organisations such as NSW Cancer Council or advocacy groups.

This unit gives high-achieving students who have completed their MPH and have an average weighted mark of 75% or more in their first 24 units of coursework the opportunity to undertake a supervised work placement in a Public Health institution. Places are limited and selection of candidates will be based on academic merit. During this placement you will undertake a project which will make a useful contribution to the workplace. Your project proposal, the final report based on your project or portfolio and your supervisor's report will constitute your assessment for the two related units (PUBH5041 and PUBH5042). The placement will consist of a minimum of 216 hours' work in a practice placement, that is approximately six weeks' full-time (or equivalent part-time) work across 12 credit points.This unit (PUBH5042) is designed to cover six of these credit points to allow the placement to be undertaken over two semesters. Initially placements will only be possible in Australia, although this may change in the future. The Public Health institutions would normally be located outside university environments. Examples include NSW Department of Health Public Health Units or Health Promotion Units, government supported agencies such as the Sax Institute and Family Planning NSW, and non-government organisations such as NSW Cancer Council or advocacy groups.

This unit is intended for students nearing the end of their MPH. The Special Project is a self-directed unit focussed on a specific MPH-related topic of interest to the student. The project is supervised by an academic within the School. An external person can act as the main supervisor but a School academic would also be required. This project may be developed by the student or the student could develop a project in consultation with an intended supervisor. The student needs to meet with the supervisor during the semester. Preferably this would be at least three times but the frequency will depend on the project and the preference of the supervisor. The project is meant to be self-directed so there is not an expectation that the supervisor would have close involvement, although they can if they want to. The student would be expected to undertake approximately 80 to 100 hours of work for this unit. The format of the final report or other output can be whatever is appropriate, as agreed with the supervisor(s). The report is due no later than the Monday of Week 13, or a later date as agreed with the supervisor(s) and the unit coordinator.

This unit is intended for students nearing the end of their MPH. The Special Project is a self-directed unit focussed on a specific MPH-related topic of interest to the student. The project is supervised by an academic within the School. An external person can act as the main supervisor but a School academic would also be required. This project may be developed by the student or the student could develop a project in consultation with an intended supervisor. The student needs to meet with the supervisor during the semester. Preferably this would be at least three times but the frequency will depend on the project and the preference of the supervisor. The project is meant to be self-directed so there is not an expectation that the supervisor would have close involvement, although they can if they want to. The student would be expected to undertake approximately 50 to 50 hours of work for this unit. The format of the final report or other output can be whatever is appropriate, as agreed with the supervisor(s). The report is due no later than the Monday of Week 13, or a later date as agreed with the supervisor(s) and the unit coordinator.

This course aims to describe the interrelation between our environment and human populations, local communities and individuals and the potential impact on health of environmental agents/contaminants. The unit will explore the major categories of environmental health hazards including air quality, water quality, chemical hazards (eg soils and contaminated sites), physical hazards (eg noise and radiation), microbiological hazards (eg Legionnaires' disease) and food safety. Regional and global issues of sustainability, climate change and land use planning will also be covered. The disciplines of epidemiology, toxicology and ecology will be applied within a risk assessment framework to characterise health risks associated with environmental hazards and determine risk management options and inform risk communication strategies. Students completing this unit will appreciate the multi-disciplinary nature of environmental health, the application of a risk assessment framework to characterise environmental health risks and inform risk management and risk communication, and the need to work closely with a broad range of stakeholders including commonwealth and state health, environment and planning agencies, local government, industry, researchers and the community.

This unit aims to assist students in developing an evidence-based understanding of the epidemiology of alcohol and drug use and its impact on health, and the effectiveness of methods for prevention and management of related problems. This fuller drug and alcohol elective covers all the content of PUBH5115 and goes on to assist the student to develop more advanced understanding of research, policy and treatment services for alcohol and drug use disorders, and to examine the needs of special populations.

This unit aims to assist students in developing an evidence-based understanding of the epidemiology of alcohol and drug use and its impact on health, and the effectiveness of methods for the prevention and management of related problems.

This unit caters for practitioners, policy and decision-makers, students and researchers in public health, public policy, journalism, law, epidemiology, medicine, science, industry, ethics, philosophy, communication and advocacy. It gives a basic introduction to genetics and genetic epidemiology and covers issues like genetic determinants of disease, genetic testing and screening, psychosocial, legal and ethical aspects of genetics and genetic testing, genetic education and genetics and public policy.

This fully online unit aims to provide students with an understanding of the burden of communicable diseases of public health significance in Australia, as well as the biology, epidemiology and surveillance for and control of those communicable diseases. By the end of this unit, the student will have the theoretical background to take up a position as a member of a Communicable Diseases section of a Commonwealth or State Health Department or Public Health Unit. It is expected that the students undertake an extra hour per week of reading, research and preparation for discussion.

Health promotion in urban, regional and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities requires working collaboratively with each community to develop human capital and capabilities within a paradigm of hope and respect for alternate worldviews. In this unit, you will acquire an understanding of health promotion in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contexts, and examine the distal, medial and proximal determinants of health and subsequent risk factors that have resulted in high rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander morbidity and mortality. You will learn how to ethically engage and work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and invest in relationships that enable genuine partnerships to develop. You will also identify and challenge neo-colonial policies and practices, and learn how to navigate around other barriers that hinder Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination. And you may end up questioning some of your own assumptions and behaviours as part of this process.
Later in the unit you will choose and explore a particular community and health issue, then work with an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health promotion professional and/or leader from that community to apply your skills and understanding in a compulsory workshop. The outcome will be a draft health promotion plan that addresses a specific priority health issue in a specific urban, regional or remote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community. The conceptual and technical tools learned may then be built upon and applied to any health issue in any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander setting.

This unit examines quantitative approaches to public health and clinical decision-making. Topics of study include: decision trees and health-related utility assessment; incorporating diagnostic information in decision making; sensitivity and threshold analysis; and application of decision analysis to economic evaluation.Lectures are accompanied by practical exercises and readings. Students gain practical skills using decision analysis software (TreeAge) via computer practicals. Lectures and practicals may be completed online (however on-line students must purchase their own TreeAge software student licence).

This unit introduces the principles underpinning the design and conduct of high quality clinical trials to generate good evidence for health care decision making. The topics include clinical trial design, randomization, sample size, measures of treatment effect, methodological issues, trial protocols, and ethical principles. The unit is delivered over 2 full days via formal lectures followed by practical sessions. This material may be completed online.

Students will learn how to analyse data using multiple linear regression. Multiple linear regression is a powerful statistical method for analysing a continuous outcome variable with several explanatory variables. This unit will cover how to compare more than two groups, adjust for confounders, test for effect modification, calculate adjusted means, conduct appropriate model checking, and teaches strategies for selecting the 'best' regression model. Students will learn how to apply these methods using the statistical package called SAS. The focus of this unit is on the application of fitting appropriate linear regression models and interpreting the results. The material in this unit is covered by lectures, tutorials, course notes and online discussions. This unit is the prerequiste for learning other types of regression models, such as logistic regression (PUBH5212) and survival analysis (PUBH5213).

In this unit the biostatistical concepts covered in earlier units are extended to cover analysis of epidemiological studies where the outcome variable is categorical. Topics of study include: testing for trend in a 2 x r contingency table; the Mantel-Haenszel test for the combination of several 2 x 2 tables, with estimation of the combined odds ratio and confidence limits; multiple logistic regression; Poisson regression; modelling strategy. The assignments will involve practical analysis and interpretation of categorical data. Data analyses will be conducted using statistical software (SAS).

During this unit, students learn to analyse data from studies in which individuals are followed up until a particular event occurs (e.g. death, cure, relapse), making use of follow-up data for those who do not experience the event of interest. This unit covers: Kaplan-Meier life tables; logrank test to compare two or more groups; Cox's proportional hazards regression model; checking the proportional hazards assumption; and sample size calculations for survival studies. For each topic, participants are given materials to read beforehand. This is followed by a lecture, then participants are given a small number of exercise to do for the following week. These exercises are discussed in the tutorial at the next session before moving on to the next topic. That is, in most weeks the first hour is a tutorial, followed by the lecture given in the second hour. Participants are expected to run SAS programs in their own time. Preparation time for each session is 2-3 hours. The assignments both invlove use of SAS to analyse survival data sets.

This unit introduces the topic of linked health data analysis. It will usually run in late June and late November. The topic is a very specialised one and will not be relevant to most MPH students. The modular structure of the unit provides students with a theoretical grounding in the classroom on each topic, followed by hands-on practical exercises in the computing lab using de-identified linked NSW data files. The computing component assumes a basic familiarity with SAS computing syntax and methods of basic statistical analysis of fixed-format data files. Contents include: an overview of the theory of data linkage methods and features of comprehensive data linkage systems, sufficient to know the sources and limitations of linked health data sets; design of linked data studies using epidemiological principles; construction of numerators and denominators used for the analysis of disease trends and health care utilisation and outcomes; assessment of the accuracy and reliability of data sources; data linkage checking and quality assurance of the study process; basic statistical analyses of linked longitudinal health data; manipulation of large linked data files; writing syntax to prepare linked data files for analysis, derive exposure and outcome variables, relate numerators and denominators and produce results from statistical procedures at an introductory to intermediate level. The main assignment involves the analysis of NSW linked data, which can be done only in the Sydney School of Public Health Computer Lab, and is due 10 days after the end of the unit.

This unit of study is intended for students who have completed Epidemiology Methods and Uses (or an equivalent unit of study) at a credit or higher level. It is designed to extend students' practical and theoretical knowledge of epidemiology beyond basic principles, provide students with an opportunity to consolidate critical appraisal skills and to acquire some of the practical knowledge and skills needed to design epidemilogocal research.

This unit aims to develop students' knowledge and skills of economic evaluation as an aid to priority setting in health care. This unit covers: principles of economic evaluation; critical appraisal guidelines; measuring and valuing benefits; methods of costing; modeling in economic evaluation. The workshops consist of interactive lectures and class exercises.

The aims of this unit are to provide students with an understanding of the concepts, application and analytical techniques of more advanced methods of health economic evaluation and with practical working knowledge of how to conduct economic evaluations using stochastic and deterministic data. This unit will focus on students developing the hands-on skills of conducting economic evaluations, included detailed practical instruction in the use of decision analytic software such as TreeAge and Excel. The format will be in face to face workshops with lectures followed by computer based exercises directly relating to the lectures. The broad topic areas covered are: 1) analysis of health outcomes including survival and quality of life measures 2) analysis of costs 3) economic modeling, including conduct of sensitivity analyses (one way, multi-way and probabilistic sensitivity analysis) and 4) presenting and interpreting results of cost effectiveness analyses.

This unit will examine the major mechanisms of health workforce planning in Australia. The nature of the Australian health workforce will be considered, and the processes by which planning is influenced through government policy and research translated and integrated with policy. Current health workforce issues such as adequacy of education and training programs, ageing, and the distribution of the workforce will be addressed. Current approaches to planning for an adequate health workforce, and evaluations of the quality of evidence on current health workforce models of care will be examined using practical examples.

The aim of this unit is to provide students with an understanding of immunisation principles, the impact of vaccination on the epidemiology of vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs), how to assess the need for new vaccines and how to implement and monitor a new vaccination program. This unit covers the history and impact of vaccination; basic immunological principles of immunisation; surveillance of diseases, vaccination coverage, vaccine effectiveness and adverse events; vaccine scares; risk communication; immunisation in the developing country context; assessing disease burden and new vaccines. Learning activities include short online preparatory lectures and a workshop with interactive lectures and small group case studies.

The unit consists of learning topics, each of which is supported by extensive Web based resources, and 4 moderated online discussion forums, each focusing on a problem related to tobacco use and control. Lecture topics include: history of tobacco use and control; the burden of illness from tobacco use; secondhand smoke: the research evidence; measuring tobacco use, uptake and cessation in communities; international trends in tobacco consumption; the tobacco industry; the WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and new forms of tobacco advertising and promotion. Problem focused discussion forums include: Harm reduction and tobacco control, regulation of tobacco, improving and implementing pack warnings; promoting smoking cessation, prevention of uptake (youth programs); denormalisation of the tobacco industry; controlling advertising; and controlling exposure to tobacco smoke, making news on tobacco and influencing political policy on tobacco.

This fully online unit aims to teach students about the principles of falls prevention in the older person with an emphasis on the application of these principles in the field. This unit will focus on risk factors for falls and the development, implementation and evaluation of fall prevention programs. Students will learn about and discuss research methods for the understanding of, prediction of, and prevention of falls, critically evaluate journal articles, and discuss the development of fall prevention programs using case studies.

Students will have the opportunity to critique and analyse case studies from a variety of both successful and unsuccessful public health advocacy examples. There will be an emphasis on how online environments and social media tools are contributing to public health advocacy debates and campaigns. Recent examples of how online media have influenced health policy and programming will be presented. Students will examine and prepare writing for online media such as news, blogs, and social media. The lectures will include guest speakers from non-government organisations, government and other experienced stakeholders from across the public heath sector.

Attendance, in person, at workshops is strongly recommended, to enable participation in discussions. However, lectures will be recorded and available online after the workshops. Students who are unable to attend some or all of workshop sessions can view them, but generally not the associated discussions, online. Assessments are online.
This unit will provide students with an understanding of the individual and societal risks of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) and the rationale for, and barriers to, their prevention and control (PC). A basic understanding of medical microbiology and communicable disease epidemiology will be assumed. The unit will cover such important concepts as: ethical and economic implications; psychological, behavioural, cultural and professional influences; the varying roles, responsibilities and perspectives of clinicians, health support staff, administrators, patients and the community; potential uses and implications of new technology (such as information and decision support systems, electronic medical records and highly discriminatory microbial strain typing, including whole genome sequencing) in HAI surveillance. The course will also address the rationales and strategies for implementation of HAI-related policies, such as hand hygiene, aseptic technique and antimicrobial stewardship, and some reasons for and consequences of failure to implement them, for individual patients, the health system and the community.

In this unit, students learn how to communicate effectively with respect to health risks, both to individuals with health concerns, and with respect to risks to the public. The first half covers individual health risk communication in clinical settings, including: theories of health communication, patient centred care and shared decision making; evidence-based communication skills; research paradigms including interaction analysis; cross-cultural communication in health care; discussing prognosis; and informed consent. The second half explores risk communication for public health, including: how to effectively manage outbreak or other crisis situations; how to communicate about issues where the risk is low but ublic concern is high (such as with respect to the fluoridation of water); and how to best manage controversies. We teach theories of risk perception and communication with particular application to public health incident responses. We give practical guides to media messages, risk message framing, public engagement, traditional and social media, and the ethical aspects of public communication. The unit offers students the opportunity to learn from outstanding guest lecturers who work in these areas and interactive opportunities for students to try their skills in risk communication and decision making.

This extension unit of study involves a student project under face-to-face supervision with concurrent online learning. Online content covers advanced concepts on immunisation for children, adolescents and adults. Students will have access to online learning resources such as readings and lectures and will be required to complete compulsory online quizzes over the 12 week semester. Students will also choose a project from a range of project-based activities offered by the NCIRS. Project topics include vaccine policy development; vaccine safety; vaccine effectiveness; evaluation of immunisation programs; immunisation in special populations; implementation of new vaccination programs; social research and latest developments in vaccinology. Students will be jointly supervised by the unit coordinator and other senior researchers associated with the NCIRS. They will work on their project at the NCIRS and have at least 4 compulsory face-to-face meetings with their supervisors across the semester. This includes an initial planning meeting followed by at least two meetings to discuss project progress and a final meeting to give feedback on the draft project report, before submission of the final project report (marked by an independent assessor).Students will spend approximately 6-8 hours/week (x 12 weeks) on the project.

This unit of study provides a comprehensive introduction to qualitative inquiry in health. It is designed for beginners and people who want an advanced-level introduction. Over the course of the unit we will address: What is qualitative research? How is it different from quantitative research? What is its history? What research problems can it address? How do I design a qualitative study? What are the different (and best) ways to generate data? How do you analyse qualitative data? Is methodology different to method? What are ontology and epistemology? What is reflexivity (and aren't qualitative researchers biased)? What are the ethical issues? What is good quality qualitative research? Can I generalise qualitative findings? You will get practical experience and skills through carrying out an observation, participating in a focus group, conducting an interview, analysing data, arguing for qualitative research in health, and appraising the quality of published literature. In both workshops you will meet working qualitative researchers and hear about their projects. This advanced unit will show you a new way of thinking critically about research and researching, and give you the skills and confidence to begin evaluating and doing qualitative research for yourself.

This unit provides an overview of climate change in the context of public health. The unit begins with climate change models and explores causation and the ways in which climate change interacts with human behaviour and population health. It comprises three parts: 1) the scientific evidence, including the history/trend, exposure assessment, and the consequences of climate change and extremes, 2) responses to climate change, including adaptation and mitigation, to build community resilience, and 3) an integrated multi-disciplinary perspective, e.g. international environmental governance and law, environmental economics, and environmental and social injustice, to address climate change and health in a broader concept of sustainability and global change. This unit will provide both Australian and international perspectives on climate change and health, supported by theoretical and empirical research in both developed and developing countries. It will enable students to have a critical thinking about climate change and health.

The prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) or chronic diseases - mainly diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, and cancers - involves shared risk factors. This unit introduces students to the principles of primordial and primary prevention and control of NCD risk factors, specifically tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, salt reduction, and obesity prevention. This unit provides an integrated exploration of the current state-of-the-art in research and practice for addressing these preventable 'lifestyle' risk factors. The emphasis is on primordial and primary prevention strategies, rather than the management of NCDs in those already with chronic disease. This solutions-focused unit comprises specific modules about each of tobacco control, harmful alcohol consumption, physical activity, nutrition and health, salt and health, and obesity prevention. By the end of this unit, students will understand the dynamic relationships between the key risk factors, and the important role of primary prevention approaches to reducing lifestyle risks that are precursors to NCDs.

This is the capstone unit for the Master of Health Security. The unit is designed to bring together the knowledge achieved throughout the degree for students to use critical thinking and leadership skills to solve global health security issues presented to them. The unit will consist of a series of eight lectures and seminars that will present students with complex health security issues. Students will then critically evaluate the human and animal, biosafety and biodefense, and agrosecurity perspectives to understand how they are interconnected and appreciate the difficulty in realistically and appropriately solving these issues.

The treatise gives the student an opportunity to produce a written piece of research work that is supervised by an academic member of staff. The aim is for the student to apply the knowledge and skills developed in their coursework to a particular topic or problem in public health. The student will produce a scholarly piece of written work that is suitable for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. As a general guide, the treatise would be completed in three months (or six months part time). The supervisor will help the student select a topic and define the research questions so that the treatise can be completed in this time. THIS UNIT IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS WHO COMMENCED THEIR CANDIDATURE PRIOR TO 2011.

The treatise gives the student an opportunity to produce a written piece of research work that is supervised by an academic member of staff. The aim is for the student to apply the knowledge and skills developed in their coursework to a particular topic or problem in public health. The student will produce a scholarly piece of written work that is suitable for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. As a general guide, the treatise would be completed in three months (or six months part time). The supervisor will help the student select a topic and define the research questions so that the treatise can be completed in this time. THIS UNIT IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS WHO COMMENCED THEIR CANDIDATURE PRIOR TO 2011.

The treatise gives the student an opportunity to produce a written piece of research work that is supervised by an academic member of staff. The aim is for the student to apply the knowledge and skills developed in their coursework to a particular topic or problem in public health. The student will produce a scholarly piece of written work that is suitable for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. As a general guide, the treatise would be completed in three months (or six months part time). The supervisor will help the student select a topic and define the research questions so that the treatise can be completed in this time. THIS UNIT IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS WHO COMMENCED THEIR CANDIDATURE PRIOR TO 2011.

In this Unit you will analyse and write about qualitative data. This intermediate unit assumes a basic understanding of qualitative research and focuses on qualitative analysis and writing. Across the first three workshop days we will explore the principles of qualiative analysis, learn about different analytic strategies and key analytic tools. You will learn how to develop codes and themes, use memos and analytic maps, and interpret data through the process of writing. The final workshop day focuses on writing; you will learn methods for starting writing, structuring articles, and editing your own work. Most importantly, we will practice thinking in genres, asking the question: who is going to read this, and how should I write for them? Between workshops, you will work to analyse a portfolio of qualitative data. After completing this Unit you will have increased your experience, skills and confidence in qualitative data analysis and writing.

This Unit of Study is only for students in the Qualitative Health Research program. It will draw together what you have learned over the course of your studies, and culminate in the production of a research plan, and a Human Research Ethics Committee application. You should come to the first workshop day with a problem that is appropriate to research qualitatively. Ideally the problem you work on will be either an intended PhD project, workplace project or a project for which you will be seeking grant funding. Day one of the Workshop will be spent learning about the research funding process, developing aims and formal research questions, exploring methods and methodology, and reviewing successful qualitative grant applications. Day two will be spent working through a funding proposal and learning about issues of ethics. Across the semester, you will refine and document your research plans and ethical reasoning and receive support from peers and the unit coordinator through regular meetings. The Unit of Study aims to ensure that as a graduate of the QHR program you are well-prepared to commence a qualitative PhD or qualitative research project.

Introducing Qualitative Health Research is perfect if you're a beginner and want to gain an overview of this research approach. Over the course of the unit we will address: What is qualitative research? How is it different from quantitative research? What research problems can it address? How do I design a qualitative study? What are the different (and best) ways to generate data? How do you analyse qualitative data? How are theories used in qualitative research? What is good quality qualitative research? Can I generalise qualitative findings? You will get practical experience and skills through carrying out an observation, participating in a focus group, conducting an interview, analysing data, arguing for qualitative research in health, and appraising the quality of published literature. You will also meet working qualitative researchers and hear about their projects. This introductory Unit will give you the skills and confidence to begin evaluating qualitative literature and doing qualitative research for yourself.

This unit will explore determinants of sexuality from a societal perspective, with particular reference to their potential impacts on public health. Social science theories of sexuality will be considered, and cross-cultural and historical accounts of sexual practices will be reviewed. Particular emphasis will be placed on the impact of diversity, culture, society, environment, life experiences, personal beliefs and health on sexual activity and potential public health impacts on sexual and reproductive health including HIV. Course content will include diversity; adolescent sexual development; sex education; sexual assault, gender; sexual orientation and sexual behaviour.

This unit aims to introduce the constructs of adolescent sexuality, explore the determinants of adolescent sexual health and to discuss the personal and public health implications of adolescent sexuality, with additional emphasis on a deeper exploration of an area of adolescent sexual health that is of particular interest to the student. The mainareas of learning are: adolescent sexuality, adolescent sexual health, reproductive health issues in adolescence, diversity, legal and ethical issues and sexual health promotion. On completion of this unit of study, students should be able to: (i) Describe the biological, developmental and socio-cultural contexts of adolescent sexual health as well as the constructs, challenges and diversities of adolescent sexuality. They will learn techniques used to optimise communication with adolescents and explore legal, ethical and public health implications of adolescent sexuality; and (ii) Understand and describe one area of adolescent sexual health that the student chooses to study in depth from a list of suggestions.

This unit of study aims to provide students with an understanding of fertility control across the reproductive lifespan including: hormonal and non-hormonal reversible contraceptive methods; emergency contraception; and permanenet methods of contraception. The impact of age, culture, tradition, society, personal beliefs, disability and health on contraceptive choices and reproductive health will be explored. The consequences of unintended pregnancy and the impact of unsafe abortion will be discussed. The unit is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills in the field of preconception care. The latest evidence regarding optimisation of preconception health will be emphasized particularly for women with diabetes, obesity and other medical conditions.

This unit will equip students to develop a foundational knowledge and skills to work with gender and sexuality issues, including gender and sexual discourses and practices. Students will develop an understanding of sensitive practice skills to work with the LGBTIQ community. The unit will also introduce the social construction and attitudes in modern society regarding gendered violence, gendered inequality, and gender performativity. Students will be able to formulate therapeutic applications respond ethically and empathically to the specific gendered issues which present in client groups. On completion of the unit, students should be able to: (i) Have a foundational knowledge and sensitivity with gender terminology; (ii) Evaluate various sexual differences and practices within gender and sexual diverse individuals and communities; (iii) Explore the psychosocial issues surrounding gender and sexual minorities in the community; (iv) Respond to issues related gendered violence; and (v) Apply therapeutic skills and tools in response to gender and sexuality, including gender and sexual diverse individuals/communities.

This unit of study will explore the evidence base, implications and considerations when delivering sexual health and relationships education from a public health perspective. Students will develop skills in the development and facilitation of training and education to different population groups. Students will be able to evaluate knowledge needs and synthesise information related to sexual and relationship education. On completion of the unit, students should be able to: (i) Plan and conduct a session which facilitates learning for a chosen population group/community using appropriate health education and learning frameworks; (ii) Develop the skills to enable people within a variety of settings to enhance their sexual health and relationship literacy; and (iii) Critically appraise various approaches to sexual health and relationship education development.

This unit of study is a combination of three (3), two (2) credit point units (SEXH5008, SEXH5418 and SEXH5419) and deals with public helath aspects of sexual and reproductive health (SRH), Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and HIV. This unit addresses sexuality, sex education, HIV/AIDS and STIs, unintended pregnancies, access to SRH services, maternal mortality, sexual violence, sexual and reproductive rights and discrimination/stigmatisation of vulnerable populations. Aspects of HIV/STIs and reproductive health will be discussed in the context of the UN's Sustainable Development Golas (SDGs) focusing on SDG 3 on health and SDG 5 on gender equality and women's and girls' empowerment. The unit further explores the epidemiological, societal and population aspects of SRH, STIs and HIV. Surveillance strategies, policy development and legislative responses will be discussed, with regards to the potential public health consequences. Emphasis will be placed on the delivery of effective prevention and management strategies.

This unit deals with a range of public health aspects of reproductive and maternal health including unintended pregnancies, maternal morbidity and mortality, sexual violence, sexual and reproductive rights and access to sexual and reproductive health services. Emphasis will be placed on the delivery of effective prevention and management strategies. Aspects of reproductive health will be discussed in the context of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) focussing on SDG 3 on health and SDG 5 on gender equality and womens and girls empowerment.

The unit aims to provide a public health perspective on the impact of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and HIV. On completion of this unit, students should be able to: (i) Understand the underlying principles of the surveillance systems used to monitor STIs and HIV; (ii) Understand the core risk activity groups involved in the transmissions of STIs and HIV; (iii) Understand how the epidemiologies of STIs and HIV vary within and between societies; (iv) Understand the public health impacts of STIs and HIV; and (v) Understand effective preventative strategies at individual and community levels. Course content will include an introduction to the basic biology of HIV and STIs; epidemilogy and surveillance methods; impact of vulnerable at-risk populations; prevention technologies and policy approaches.