Course Coordinator:Jane-Louise Lampard (jlampard@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Public Health
UniSC Sunshine Coast |
Blended learning | Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online. |
Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
This foundation course develops your knowledge and understanding of the fundamental relationships between our environment and human health. You will apply complex systems thinking and socio-ecological models of health to explore the nature, scope and consequences of local and global environmental changes, culture, economics and politics on human and ecosystem health. Topics include: global atmospheric changes; water quality and supply; aquatic ecosystems; agriculture and food security; emerging diseases and antibiotic resistance; energy and transport; and sustainable development goals.
Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
Blended learning | |||
Learning materials – 1 hour of independent structured learning materials | 1hr | Week 1 | 13 times |
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – 2 hour workshop | 2hrs | Week 1 | 13 times |
Complex systems dynamics & resilience
Socio-ecological models of health
Changes in global atmosphere
Biodiversity
Water quality & quantity
Food security & regenerative agriculture
Aquatic ecosystems: food supply & persistent pollutants
Emerging diseases & antibiotic resistance
Food security & regenerative agriculture
Transport & energy
Urbanisation & coastal development
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Managing for sustainable futures
100 Level (Introductory)
12 units
Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | Professional Standard Mapping * International Union for Health Promotion and Education | |
1 | Define key terms related to ecological sustainability and health. | Knowledgeable |
B.3, A.5, A.10 |
2 | Describe the key elements of selected systems frameworks for linking environment and health. |
Knowledgeable Sustainability-focussed |
B.10
|
3 | Summarise the key biophysical and socio-economic dimensions of selected sustainability issues. |
Knowledgeable Sustainability-focussed |
B.4, A.5, A.10 |
4 | Discuss ethical dimensions of selected sustainability issues. | Sustainability-focussed |
B.1
|
5 | Access and evaluate current scientific knowledge on selected environment and health topics. |
Empowered Sustainability-focussed |
A.4, A.5 |
6 | Appraise the level of scientific uncertainty in relation to emerging global ecological issues. | Sustainability-focussed |
A.5
|
CODE | COMPETENCY |
International Union for Health Promotion and Education | |
B.1 | The concepts, principles and ethical values of health promotion as defined by the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (WHO, 1986) and subsequent charters and declarations |
B.3 | The determinants of health and their implications for health promotion action |
B.4 | The impact of social and cultural diversity on health and health inequities and the Implications for health promotion action |
A.4 | Addressing health inequities, social injustice, and prioritising the needs of those experiencing poverty and social marginalisation |
A.5 | Addressing the political, economic, social, cultural, environmental, behavioural and biological determinants of health and wellbeing |
A.10 | Sustainable development and sustainable health promotion action |
B.10 | The systems, policies and legislation which impact on health and their relevance for health promotion. |
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Standard Grading (GRD)
High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
Early feedback on understanding of key concepts for this course is provided through in-class discussions and multiple attempt online quizzes that commence Week 3.
Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | Weighting % | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
All | 1 | Quiz/zes | Individual | 30% | Online quizzes |
Week 3 | Online Test (Quiz) |
All | 2 | Written Piece | Individual | 30% | 600 words |
Week 8 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All | 3a | Written Piece | Individual | 0% | N/A |
Week 11 | Online Submission |
All | 3b | Written Piece | Individual | 40% | 1500 words |
Exam Period | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All - Assessment Task 1:Online quizzes | |
Goal: | To demonstrate your understanding of key environment and health, and sustainability terms and concepts. |
Product: | Quiz/zes |
Format: | Multiple quizzes via Canvas based on course learning materials. Quiz open and close dates will be available on Canvas at the commencement of the semester. |
Criteria: |
|
All - Assessment Task 2:Journal club structured reflection - Written reflection | |
Goal: | To demonstrate your skill in engaging with scholarly literature through structured reflection, and in identifying complex system concepts and socio-ecological interactions relevant to the topic. |
Product: | Written Piece |
Format: | Written reflection |
Criteria: |
|
All - Assessment Task 3a:Critical literature review plan | |
Goal: | To demonstrate your skill in planning and conducting a critical review of scholarly literature |
Product: | Written Piece |
Format: | The critical review plan will follow the template provided |
Criteria: |
|
All - Assessment Task 3b:Critical literature review | |
Goal: | To demonstrate your skills in critically reviewing the state of knowledge about a current global ecological issue, and identifying gaps and areas of uncertainty. |
Product: | Written Piece |
Format: | Critical literature review |
Criteria: |
|
A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below. Resources may be required or recommended.
Required? | Author | Year | Title | Edition | Publisher |
Recommended | G. Tyler Miller,Scott Spoolman | 2020 | Living in the Environment | 20 | Cengage Learning |
Not applicable
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying: The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4% The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct
Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate: - 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.
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