Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2012

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

In the public health arena, risk assessment provides a systematic approach for characterising the nature and magnitude of the risks associated with environmental and public health hazards. As all activities, processes and products pose some degree of risk, the aim of risk assessment is to provide the best possible scientific, social and practical information about the risks so that the best possible decisions can be made about their management. As such, health risk assessment methodologies provide a critical tool that can be used to assess the risks posed by public and environmental health hazards. They are therefore widely used by health and environmental agencies when assessing and managing public health issues and as such a sound understanding of the processes, issues and methodologies is vital for public health practitioners. This unit is of particularly interest to those students wishing to work in environmental health, but is equally of importance for public health students in a range of other disciplines.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to provide future public health professionals with the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively assess and manage risks associated with a variety of public health hazards.

Objectives

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1. demonstrate a detailed knowledge of health risk assessment methodology and the various elements that compose the effective assessment of public health hazards
2. demonstrate a detailed understanding of how to appropriately apply health risk assessment methodology to a variety of public health hazards
3. demonstrate a detailed understanding of effective risk management strategies for a variety of public health hazards
4. demonstrate a detailed understanding of effective risk communication strategies and approaches.

Content

Topics covered in this unit include: a variety of risk management frameworks including the environmental health risk assessment framework (issues identification, hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment, risk characterisation); risk management strategies and approaches; fundamentals of environmental toxicology and its application in health risk assessment; health impact assessment; effective risk communication and community consultation approaches for public health risks; and case studies.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit will be available in both external mode and internal mode.
Internal Students
Teaching methods will include regular, but not weekly, class contact (eg. lectures, tutorials and seminars), self-directed learning through the use of external/self-study modules, an intensive one day on-campus workshop session, and extensive use of the unit's on-line (Blackboard) teaching page. Active participation in all teaching elements is strongly encouraged to allow for the exchange of ideas between students and teaching staff.
Attendance at the on-campus session is strongly recommended and provides for practical reinforcement of theoretical information presented in the study materials. In this unit the on-line teaching page will be used extensively to provide: an overview of the unit program, details on assessment items, access to lecture notes, links to relevant documents and websites, on-line exercises, and a means of communicating notices to students.

External Students
The integration of theory and practice is achieved by linking the self-study course notes and readings, with web chats, on-line exercises and assessment items, and an intensive one day on-campus workshop session. Attendance at the on-campus workshop session is strongly recommended and provides for practical reinforcement of theoretical information presented in the study materials. In this unit the on-line Blackboard teaching page will be used extensively to provide: an overview of the unit program, details on assessment items, access to lecture notes, links to relevant documents and websites, on-line exercises, and a means of communicating notices to students.

Assessment

There are two assessments to be completed by the end of the semester.Assessment will be spaced throughout the semester to provide the opportunity for feedback on your learning to that point. You will be provided with feedback on all your assessments as you progress through the unit.

Assessment name: Report
Description: You will be required to complete a written report of two risk assessment case studies.
Relates to objectives: 1 and 2
Weight: 30%
Internal or external: Both
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 7

Assessment name: Case Study
Description: You will be required to complete a detailed rrisk assessment of a scenario that is provided to you. This will also include a discussion of risk management approaches that are suitable based on the risk assessment.
Relates to objectives: 1,3,4
Weight: 70%
Internal or external: Both
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Week 13

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

There are no materials or resources required to be purchased for this unit.


Recommended Textbook:


enHealth Council. Environmental Health Risk Assessment: Guidelines for assessing the human health risks from environmental hazards. Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, Canberra, 2002. (available from the enHealth Council's website:
http://enhealth.nphp.gov.au/council/pubs/pdf/envhazards.pdf).

Risk assessment statement

Substantial computer-based work will be required. Students should refer to the guidelines for safe work at VDUs contained in the SPH Guidelines to Students. Students should ensure that their workstations are adjusted in accordance with these guidelines and that regular rest breaks are taken.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 31-May-2012