Overview
This unit will introduce the student to the concept of environmental determinants of health and the need to protect people from hazards in the environment that pose a risk to health. Students will study the links between good health and the state of the environment, particularly those between the environment and society, economics and environment, politics and environment and environmental health development. Students will develop an appreciation of the interdisciplinary nature of environmental health issues and the interaction between human lifestyles, consumption patterns, urbanisation and health. It is a requirement of this unit to have access to the CQU website and the internet.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2024
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from SUTE
Some students considered the amount of weekly content to be too great.
Review the amount of weekly material. Inform students of the required commitment for a 6 credit point unit to ensure they are prepared for the amount of work required for university study i.e. 12-15 hours per week.
- Describe environmental determinants of health
- Explain the principles of environmental protection, ecologically sustainable development and the precautionary principle
- Discuss the historical development and current paradigms pertaining to the discipline of environmental health in Australia and overseas
- Analyse case studies which highlight the interdisciplinary nature of environmental health issues and the need to protect people from hazards in the environment that pose a risk to health
Describe This unit relates to the following requirements for accreditation by Environmental Health Australia:
Environmental health literacies
- Public heath principles
- Sustainable development and environmental health principles
- Foundational sciences
- Foundational environmental health practice
- Environmental health management
Environmental health graduate attributes
1. Apply relevant knowledge, principles and concepts to workplace needs
- Apply basic public health science principles and concepts to issues of concern
- Understand the discipline of environmental health, its theoretical underpinnings and spheres of operation
2. Communicate effectively
- Exchange of information with colleagues, practitioners, clients, policy-makers, interest groups and the public
- Persuasively argue for the value and importance of environmental & public health
3. Access, evaluate and synthesise information
- Identify and access information sources and compile relevant & appropriate information when needed
- Analyse data, recognise meaningful test results, and interpret results
4. Utilise lifelong learning skills
- Take responsibility for their own learning and development
- Critically evaluate personal beliefs and assumptions
5. Demonstrate international and cultural awareness and understanding
- Recognise individual and collective human rights
- Recognise the importance of cultural diversity and sensitivity
- Think globally
6. Apply professional skills
- Work independently and in teams
- Demonstrate ethical practices
- Employ systems thinking skills
7. Use technologies appropriately
- Decide on appropriate applications, recognising their advantages & limitations
8. Think critically, creatively and reflectively
- Apply logical and rational processes to analyse the components of an issue
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 5% | ||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 20% | ||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 20% | ||||
| 4 - Written Assessment - 55% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||
| 10 - First Nations Knowledges | ||||
| 11 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | |
| 1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 5% | |||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 20% | |||||||||||
| 3 - Written Assessment - 20% | |||||||||||
| 4 - Written Assessment - 55% | |||||||||||
Textbooks
Basic Environmental Health
- (2001)
- Authors: Yassi, A, Kjellstrom, T, de Kok, T & Guidotti, T
- Oxford University Press
- New York New York , NY , Australia
- ISBN: 9780195135589
- Binding: Hardcover
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
d.trott@cqu.edu.au
Week 1
Begin Date: 04 Mar 2024Module/Topic
Introduction to environmental health
Chapter
Yassi et al (2001) Chp. 1
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial (All modes, i.e. F2F, ISL & Zoom): Introduction & Introduction to Assessment 1
Week 2
Begin Date: 11 Mar 2024Module/Topic
The nature of environmental health hazards
Chapter
Yassi et al (2001) Chp. 2
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial (All modes): Evidence gathering and evaluation
Week 3
Begin Date: 18 Mar 2024Module/Topic
Managing environmental health hazards
Chapter
Yassi et al (2001) Chp. 3 & 4
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial (All modes): Preparing an Annotated bibliography
Week 4
Begin Date: 25 Mar 2024Module/Topic
Environmental determinants of health- air quality
Chapter
Yassi et al (2001) Chp. 5
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial (All modes): Causal reasoning & Introduction to Assessment 2
Ass task 1: Moodle quiz Due: Week 4 Monday (25 Mar 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 5
Begin Date: 01 Apr 2024Module/Topic
Environmental determinants of health- water quality and sanitation
Chapter
Yassi et al (2001) Chp. 6
Events and Submissions/Topic
Easter Monday (Public Holiday)
Vacation Week
Begin Date: 08 Apr 2024Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Week 6
Begin Date: 15 Apr 2024Module/Topic
Environmental determinants of health- food and agriculture
Chapter
Yassi et al (2001) Chp. 7
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial (All modes): Introduction to Assessment 3
Ass task 2: Annotated bibliography Due: Week 6 Monday (15 Apr 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 7
Begin Date: 22 Apr 2024Module/Topic
The role of insects and animals in disease transmission
Chapter
Selected readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial (All modes): Assessment 3 general help
Week 8
Begin Date: 29 Apr 2024Module/Topic
Human settlement and urbanisation
Chapter
Yassi et al (2001) Chp. 8
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial (Zoom only): Assessment 3 general help
Week 9
Begin Date: 06 May 2024Module/Topic
Environmental health in the indigenous population
Chapter
Online lecture & selected readings
Events and Submissions/Topic
Labour Day (Public Holiday)
Ass task 3: Short report Due: Week 9 Friday (10 May 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 10
Begin Date: 13 May 2024Module/Topic
Environmental health hazards in industrial and occupational environments
Chapter
Yassi et al (2001) Chp. 10
Events and Submissions/Topic
Tutorial (All modes): Introduction to Assessment 4
Week 11
Begin Date: 20 May 2024Module/Topic
Transboundary environmental health concerns
Chapter
Yassi et al (2001) Chp. 11
Events and Submissions/Topic
Worked Tutorial (All modes): Assessment 4 general help
Week 12
Begin Date: 27 May 2024Module/Topic
Protecting health and the environment
Chapter
Yassi et al (2001) Chp. 12
Events and Submissions/Topic
Worked Tutorial (Zoom only): Assessment 4 general help
Ass task 4: Case study Due: Week 12 Friday (31 May 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Review/Exam Week
Begin Date: 03 Jun 2024Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Exam Week
Begin Date: 10 Jun 2024Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Online Quiz(zes)
Complete the online quiz in Moodle relating to the general principles of environmental health. There is no time limit to the completion of each question, so save your answers as you progress and return to them for review before final submission.
0
Week 4 Monday (25 Mar 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Quiz opens Mon. (Wk.3) and closes Mon. (Wk.4)
Week 4 Monday (25 Mar 2024)
Results available when quiz has closed.
To pass this assessment task, the student must be able to:
- Explain the key components of the discipline of environmental health
- Identify different types of scholarly literature
- Locate scholarly literature
- Analyse case studies which highlight the interdisciplinary nature of environmental health issues and the need to protect people from hazards in the environment that pose a risk to health
- Communication
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
2 Written Assessment
A topic for your annotated bibliography will be provided on Moodle. Locate five (5) scholarly articles that relate to your assignment topic. Present an annotated bibliography for each article. Your bibliography should include the following:
- Full reference details, presented according to the CQU Harvard referencing style only.
- Identify whether the article represents primary, secondary or tertiary evidence. Explaining your belief as to why the evidence should be identified at that level.
- Finally, a personal description of the important points in the article that make it relevant to the assignment topic.
NB: Provide every bibliographic entry on a new page, with the reference in bold type at the start.
Word count: approximately 150 words per bibliographic entry.
Week 6 Monday (15 Apr 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Submission due Mon. (Wk.6) [NB: We have the mid term break the week prior to this submission]
Week 8 Monday (29 Apr 2024)
This assessment task will be graded according to the following criteria:
- Identifies relevant scholarly sources (20%)
- Identifies appropriate links between environmental factors and health (30%)
- Appropriately evaluates sources (15%)
- Referencing is correct in accordance with the CQU Harvard referencing style (15%)
- Structure is logical and written expression is scholarly (10%)
- Uses correct grammar, spelling and punctuation (10%)
- Describe environmental determinants of health
- Explain the principles of environmental protection, ecologically sustainable development and the precautionary principle
- Analyse case studies which highlight the interdisciplinary nature of environmental health issues and the need to protect people from hazards in the environment that pose a risk to health
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Cross Cultural Competence
3 Written Assessment
A real life scenario will be provided on Moodle. Write a report discussing the scenario, identifying the likely cause of the problem and your reasoning behind a solution for the problem. Use appropriate information from your required reading and other scholarly sources to support your conclusions and justify your recommendations.
Word count: 750 words (+/- 10%); Cover page & reference list are not included in the word count. Referencing is in CQU Harvard only.
Week 9 Friday (10 May 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 11 Friday (24 May 2024)
This assessment task will be graded according to the following criteria:
- Integrates knowledge of key discipline areas (20%)
- Identifies appropriate links between environmental factors and health (25%)
- Draws appropriate and justified conclusions (20%)
- Refers to a variety of relevant scholarly sources (10%)
- Structure is logical and written expression is scholarly (10%)
- Uses correct grammar, spelling and punctuation (5%)
- Referencing is appropriate and consistent in style (5%)
- Complies with word limit (5%)
- Describe environmental determinants of health
- Explain the principles of environmental protection, ecologically sustainable development and the precautionary principle
- Discuss the historical development and current paradigms pertaining to the discipline of environmental health in Australia and overseas
- Analyse case studies which highlight the interdisciplinary nature of environmental health issues and the need to protect people from hazards in the environment that pose a risk to health
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Ethical practice
4 Written Assessment
A case study will be provided to you on Moodle. Analyse the available information and write a report clearly describing the causes and potential outcomes of the situation. In your report, identify the immediate cause of the problem and how it could have been prevented. Explain the secondary factors potentially causing or contributing towards adverse health effects, both in this particular situation and in the wider community. You should also identify any long term health or environmental effects and/or impacts on the wider community. Suggest some ways this problem could be prevented in the future. Use appropriate references from the literature to support your statements.
Word count: 1500 words (+/- 10%); Cover page & reference list not included. Referencing is in CQU Harvard only.
Week 12 Friday (31 May 2024) 11:45 pm AEST
Following certification of grades.
This assessment task will be graded according to the following criteria:
- Integrates knowledge of key discipline areas (15%)
- Identifies appropriate links between environmental factors and health (20%)
- Draws appropriate and justified conclusions (15%)
- Proposes recommendations justified by analysis of the case study (15%)
- Refers to a variety of relevant scholarly sources (10%)
- Structure is logical and written expression is scholarly (10%)
- Uses correct grammar, spelling and punctuation (5%)
- Referencing is appropriate and consistent in style (5%)
- Complies with word limit (5%)
- Describe environmental determinants of health
- Discuss the historical development and current paradigms pertaining to the discipline of environmental health in Australia and overseas
- Analyse case studies which highlight the interdisciplinary nature of environmental health issues and the need to protect people from hazards in the environment that pose a risk to health
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
