Overview
Public Health Practice in the Cross-Cultural Community will develop the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively work in a cross-cultural context as a Public Health practitioner. These relate to developing effective working relationships with colleagues in an organisation or community, developing partnerships that promote the co-generation of knowledge within these organisations of communities, and to be able to effectively co-plan and evaluate your own learning. The unit will prepare you to successfully work in real Public Health contexts in effective partnership with communities, organisations, and other stakeholders.
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 2 - 2025
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 Postgraduate 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 Direct feedback from students
Students would like more direction in selecting a case study topic.
More explicit suggested topics should be provided that students can choose from to overcome the problem of less than ideal choices that do not allow for the assesment requirements to be thoroughly addressed.
- Synthesize and apply advanced public health principles to address complex issues in cross-cultural contexts
- Develop advanced knowledge and skills to collaborate effectively within diverse teams, fostering the co-generation of knowledge and enhancing teamwork and communication abilities
- Design culturally-responsive health promotion strategies by synthesizing public health knowledge and critically evaluating their theoretical rationale and anticipated impacts
- Reflect critically on personal experiences of socio-cultural practices to identify their impacts on health and well-being in cross-cultural contexts
- Critically evaluate and apply knowledge of the interplay between social structures, systemic determinants, and cultural beliefs in shaping health behaviors and outcomes in cross-cultural contexts.
N/A
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Group Work - 50% | |||||
| 2 - Case Study - 50% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Knowledge | |||||
| 2 - Communication | |||||
| 3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | |||||
| 4 - Research | |||||
| 5 - Self-management | |||||
| 6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | |||||
| 7 - Leadership | |||||
| 8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
a.fard@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Health Literacy and Community Diversity
Chapter
Recommended readings listed in study guide.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Health Literacy and Risk Communication
Chapter
Recommended readings listed in study guide.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Community Resilience, Health and Wellbeing
Chapter
Recommended readings listed in study guide.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Community Capacity Building and Health Promotion
Chapter
Recommended readings listed in study guide.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Social Inclusion, Health and Wellbeing
Chapter
Recommended readings listed in study guide.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Group Poster Discussion
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Group Poster Discussion
Module/Topic
Public Health and the Law
Chapter
Recommended readings listed in study guide.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Ethics in Public Health Practice
Chapter
Recommended readings listed in study guide.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Poster Assignment Due: Week 8 Monday, 5:00pm AEST
Poster Assignment Due: Week 8 Monday (8 Sept 2025) 5:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Health in All Policies
Chapter
Recommended readings listed in study guide.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Social Media and Informatics in Public Health
Chapter
Recommended readings listed in study guide.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Demographic Transition and the Ageing Population
Chapter
Recommended readings listed in study guide.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Final Session: Review and Assignment Support
Chapter
Recommended readings listed in study guide.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Case Study Due: Week 12 Friday, 5:00pm AEST
Case Study Due: Week 12 Friday (10 Oct 2025) 5:00 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Group Work
The first assessment task for this unit is a group poster assignment. Your lecturer will assign groups. In this task, you will work collaboratively to create a professional and visually engaging poster that presents a culturally responsive public health campaign. The poster must address a real-world public health issue framed within one of the topic areas listed in the Assessment Handbook on Moodle. The issue should significantly affect a specific cultural group or community. Your poster should demonstrate a strong understanding of public health principles/concepts, cultural relevance, effective communication, and the use of evidence to inform the campaign. It should also be presented in a clear and impactful format that enhances understanding and engagement. Visual tools such as diagrams and infographics are essential for effective communication.
In addition to the group poster, each student must submit an individual written report of 1200 words (+/-10%, excluding references). Please refer to the Assessment Handbook on Moodle for detailed information on the content and structure of both the group poster and the individual written report. Both components must be fully referenced, drawing on scholarly literature as well as reputable sources. All references must follow APA 7th edition guidelines.
This assignment is due by 5:00p.m on Monday of Week 8. You must achieve a minimum mark of 50% on this assignment to pass the unit.
Level of GenAI use allowed: Level 2- You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined those ideas.
Week 8 Monday (8 Sept 2025) 5:00 pm AEST
Week 11 Monday (29 Sept 2025)
The assessment criteria for this assignment are:
1. The issue and the context are clearly explained and supported with relevant data.
2. Research evidence is relevant, current, and effectively used to justify the campaign’s focus.
3. Campaign goals, strategies, and messages are clearly defined, culturally appropriate, and well planned.
4. Public health concepts/principles are accurately applied and meaningfully integrated into the campaign design.
5. Expected outcomes are clearly presented and persuasively communicated.
6. The poster is professionally designed, visually coherent, and properly cites all sources.
7. The individual written report is well-structured, addresses all required sections, and is accurately referenced.
- Synthesize and apply advanced public health principles to address complex issues in cross-cultural contexts
- Develop advanced knowledge and skills to collaborate effectively within diverse teams, fostering the co-generation of knowledge and enhancing teamwork and communication abilities
- Design culturally-responsive health promotion strategies by synthesizing public health knowledge and critically evaluating their theoretical rationale and anticipated impacts
- Critically evaluate and apply knowledge of the interplay between social structures, systemic determinants, and cultural beliefs in shaping health behaviors and outcomes in cross-cultural contexts.
2 Case Study
The second assessment task for this unit is an individual case study of 2000 words (+/-10%), excluding references. In this assessment, you will need to address the theme: ‘This is how culture/cultural changes can affect health and well-being’ by exploring how a specific cultural practice or cultural change you have personally experienced or observed has affected or could affect your own health and well-being, either mentally, physically, or both. To this end, you will need to critically analyse and identify real-world cultural practices, behaviours, environments, objects, etc. from daily life that can help you illustrate the above theme. You are expected to critically explore how this cultural practice or change impacts health, apply key public health concepts, and propose realistic, culturally relevant public health responses. As part of this task, you must include at least one original photograph taken by you, which visually represents the cultural practice or change. In fact, your case study must be directly grounded in the photograph you have taken, using it as the focal point to explore the cultural practice or change and its impact on health and well-being. The experience you choose to explore can come from the Australian context, or from any cross-cultural community that you belong to, have lived in, visited, or are significantly familiar with through work, volunteering, study, or family life. You are encouraged to adopt a broad perspective, considering diverse aspects of daily life where culture may significantly impact health and well-being.
Your case study must be fully referenced, drawing on scholarly literature as well as reputable sources. All references must follow APA 7th edition guidelines.
Please refer to the ‘Assessment Handbook’ on Moodle for detailed information on the content and structure of the case study.
This assignment is due by 5:00 p.m. on Friday of Week 12. You must achieve a minimum mark of 50% on this assignment to pass the unit.
Level of GenAI use allowed: Level 2- You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined those ideas.
Week 12 Friday (10 Oct 2025) 5:00 pm AEST
31/10/2025
The assessment criteria for this assignment are:
1. The original photograph is relevant and meaningfully represents a cultural practice or change.
2. The cultural context is clearly explained, including the practice’s nature, significance, and setting.
3. The health impacts of the cultural practice or change are analysed and supported by evidence.
4. Relevant public health concepts or principles are accurately applied to interpret the issue.
5. Relevant public health interventions are reviewed, and a culturally appropriate strategy is proposed.
6. The case study is well-written, with accurate referencing and clear adherence to academic integrity standards.
- Synthesize and apply advanced public health principles to address complex issues in cross-cultural contexts
- Design culturally-responsive health promotion strategies by synthesizing public health knowledge and critically evaluating their theoretical rationale and anticipated impacts
- Reflect critically on personal experiences of socio-cultural practices to identify their impacts on health and well-being in cross-cultural contexts
- Critically evaluate and apply knowledge of the interplay between social structures, systemic determinants, and cultural beliefs in shaping health behaviors and outcomes in cross-cultural contexts.
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?
