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Course Outline

PUB305 Public Health Practicum

Course Coordinator:Jane Taylor (jtaylor6@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Public Health

2026Session 4

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 unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.

What is this course about?

Description

This is a capstone course where you will undertake placement within a workplace in the public health sector under the supervision of practicing health professionals and UniSC academic staff. On completion you will be able to demonstrate the application of skills, expertise and ethical principles within your discipline-specific workplace context. This course has two streams to allow for differences in discipline-specific competencies required for professional practice. Subject to availability, work-based placements may be located outside the Sunshine Coast region.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Blended learning
Placement – Stream 2: Health promotion/health communication/epidemiology/Indigenous Health and Wellbeing students will complete 75 hours work placement 75hrs Not applicable Once Only
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Stream 2: Scheduled, technology-enabled workshops, plus presentations 2hrs Week 1 4 times
Learning materials – Stream 2: Independent learning materials and activities 1hr Week 1 3 times
Independent Study/Research – Stream 2: Associated independent study 165hrs Week 1 Once Only

Course Topics

Identification and application of discipline-specific competencies relevant to field of practice

Public health theories, legislative frameworks, codes and/or standards in practice

Reflective practice

Employability skills

 

What level is this course?

300 Level (Graduate)

Demonstrating coherence and breadth or depth of knowledge and skills. Independent application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts. Meeting professional requirements and AQF descriptors for the degree. May require pre-requisites where discipline specific introductory or developing knowledge or skills is necessary. Normally undertaken in the third or fourth full-time study year of an undergraduate program.

What is the unit value of this course?

24 units

How does this course contribute to my learning?

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 Apply public health theory, legislative frameworks, codes and/or standards, to a discipline specific work context. Engaged 
A.1, B.1, A.2, B.2, A.3, B.3, B.4, B.5, B.6, B.7, B.8, B.9, A.11
2 Demonstrate critical thinking, problem solving and expert judgement through critically reflecting on discipline specific competencies in professional environments. Engaged 
A.11, 5.2, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6
3 Demonstrate employability skills, including professional interpersonal, written and oral communication, and conflict resolution skills. Engaged 
4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 8.1

* Competencies by Professional Body

CODE COMPETENCY
International Union for Health Promotion and Education
A.1 Health as a human right, which is central to human development
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
A.2 Respect for the rights, dignity, confidentiality and worth of individuals and groups
B.2 The concepts of health equity, social justice and health as a human right as the basis for health promotion action
A.3 Respect for all aspects of diversity including gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, ethnicity, race, and cultural beliefs
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
B.5 Health promotion models and approaches which support empowerment, participation, partnership and equity as the basis for health promotion action
B.6 The current theories and evidence which underpin effective leadership, advocacy and partnership building and their implication for health promotion action
B.7 The current models and approaches of effective project and programme management (including needs assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation) and their application to health promotion action
B.8 The evidence base and research methods, including qualitative and quantitative methods, required to inform and evaluate health promotion action
B.9 The communication processes and current information technology required for effective health promotion action
A.11 Being accountable for the quality of one's own practice and taking responsibility for maintaining and improving knowledge and skills
4.1 Use effective communication skills including written, verbal, non­verbal, and listening skills
4.2 Use information technology and other media to receive and disseminate health promotion information
4.3 Use culturally appropriate communication methods and techniques for specific groups and settings
4.4 Use interpersonal communication and groupwork skills to facilitate individuals, groups, communities and organisations to improve health and reduce health inequities.
5.2 Use leadership skills which facilitate empowerment and participation (including team work, negotiation, motivation, conflict resolution, decision-making, facilitation and problem solving)
5.4 Incorporate new knowledge to improve practice and respond to emerging challenges in health promotion
5.5 Contribute to mobilising and managing resources for health promotion action
5.6 Contribute to team and organisational learning to advance health promotion action
8.1 Use ethical, empowering, culturally appropriate and participatory processes to implement health promotion action

Am I eligible to enrol in this course?

Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.

Pre-requisites

enrolled in SC344 or SC354 or SC367 or SC373 or SC375

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

WPL310 or WPL311 or WPL320 or HLT326 or PUB352 or PUB332

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

This course can only be undertaken in the final year of your program and requires course coordinator permission to ensure you have met the assumed prior knowledge and skills required relevant to your discipline area.

Microcredential Information

Not applicable

How am I going to be assessed?

Grading Scale

Standard Grading (GRD)

High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL).

Details of early feedback on progress

Feedback on placement-specific workplace learning objectives will be provided by the Course Coordinator and/or relevant Placement Academic Supervisor throughout the placement.

Assessment tasks

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 Written Piece Individual 20% 
Completion of template
 Week 3 Online Submission
All 2 Activity Participation Individual 40% 
Log book of hours + professional practice artefacts
 Refer to Format To Supervisor
All 3 Oral and Written Piece Individual 40% 
25 minute presentation supported by evidence of a professional artefact while on placement.
 Week 8 To be Negotiated
All - Assessment Task 1:Professional practice plan
Goal: 
You will develop a plan for your professional placement identifying professional competency learning objectives and discipline specific theories, frameworks, legislations and standards relevant to to the work environment and/or project.
Product: Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Individual written plan.
Further detailed information available on Canvas.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Contextualisation of placement host organisation and scope of practice.
 2
2 
Alignment of individual learning objectives with discipline specific competencies within the industry context.
 1
3 
Application of relevant discipline specific theories, frameworks, legislations and standards relevant to the work environment and/or project.
 1
4 
Appropriate integration and communication of evidence.
 3
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Organisation, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 2:Professional practice and engagement
Goal: 
You will demonstrate the application of your discipline-specific competencies to learning outputs and activities assigned by host organisation.
Product: Activity Participation
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
Log book of work placement hours; 
Professional practice evaluation;
2 x meetings with host supervisor and course coordinator (mid and end placement)
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Completion of required work placement hours
 3
2 
Professional practice outputs
 1
3 
Code of conduct
 2
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Problem solving, Applying technologies, Information literacy
All - Assessment Task 3:Professional practice portfolio
Goal: 
You will critically reflect on your learning activities while on placement in relation to discipline-specific competencies and how you responded to feedback provided by placement supervisor(s).
Product: Oral and Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
25 minute visual presentation plus professional artefact
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Demonstration of application of discipline specific competencies.
 2
2 
Critical reflection on professional placement experience.
 2
3 
Critical reflection on learnings for future practice.
 2
4 
Quality of communication for a professional audience.
 3
5 
Appropriate integration and communication of evidence.
 3
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Organisation, Applying technologies

Assessment to competency mapping

Programme Delivery Mode Assessment Type Title Competency Teaching Methods
The CompHP Core Competencies Framework for Health Promotion 2011
All delivery modes Activity Participation Professional practice and engagement 5.2 Assessed
5.4 Assessed
5.5 Assessed
5.6 Assessed
A.11 Assessed
Oral and Written Piece Professional practice portfolio 4.1 Assessed
4.2 Assessed
4.3 Assessed
4.4 Assessed
8.1 Assessed
Written Piece Professional practice plan A.1 Assessed
A.2 Assessed
A.3 Assessed
A.11 Assessed
B.1 Assessed
B.2 Assessed
B.3 Assessed
B.4 Assessed
B.5 Assessed
B.6 Assessed
B.7 Assessed
B.8 Assessed
B.9 Assessed

Directed study hours

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.

What resources do I need to undertake this course?

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.

Prescribed text(s) or course reader

There are no required/recommended resources for this course.

Specific requirements

Your host work integrated learning organisation may have specific requirements you must meet to undertake placement. These may include: personal protective equipment (eg. safety footwear), national police clearance or criminal history check, evidence of specific vaccinations, Tuberculosis risk assessment (and testing if relevant), CPR, current first aid certificate or Blue Card. Refer to SONIA online for the current mandatory requirements. Note some mandatory requirements may require action 6 months prior to your work placement (e.g. Hepatitis B vaccination).

How are risks managed in this course?

Risk assessments have been performed for all field activities and low to moderate levels of health and safety risk exists. Moderate risks may include working in an Australian bush setting, working with people, working outside normal office hours for example. It is your responsibility to review course material, search online, discuss with lecturers and peers and understand the health and safety risks associated with your specific course of study and to familiarise yourself with the University’s general health and safety principles by reviewing the online induction training for students, and following the instructions of the University staff.

What administrative information is relevant to this course?

Assessment: Academic Integrity

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.

Assessment: Additional Requirements

Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment

Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale

Assessment: Submission penalties

Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.

The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty

Links to relevant University policy and procedures

For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:

  • Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
  • Review of Assessment and Final Grades
  • Supplementary Assessment
  • Central Examinations
  • Deferred Examinations
  • Student Conduct
  • Students with a Disability

For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching

Student Charter

UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.

General Enquiries

For course-specific questions, contact your teaching staff or Course Coordinator.  

For other enquiries or to access support, please contact Student Central: 

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