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Course Outline

PUB704 Healthy Public Policy and Advocacy

Course Coordinator:Bridie Kean (bkean@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Public Health

2026Session 3

Online

 Online You can do this course without coming onto campus, unless your program has specified a mandatory onsite requirement.

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

In this course, you will develop specialised knowledge and skills to navigate policymaking environments that influence health equity outcomes, including the role of political ideologies, evidence, power and privilege. You will learn about the role of healthy public policy, theories of the policy process, and use advocacy strategies to gain political commitment, policy support, social acceptance and systems support to create health and well-being and health equity.

How will this course be delivered?

Activity Hours Beginning Week Frequency
Online
Online – 5 hours of structured asynchronous online learning materials and an optional 1 hour online drop in consultation session. 6hrs Week 1 8 times

Course Topics

Healthy public policy

Health in All Policies (HiAP)

Policy process

Political ideology

Power and privilege

Public health advocacy

Advocacy framing

What level is this course?

700 Level (Specialised)

Demonstrating a specialised body of knowledge and set of skills for professional practice or further learning. Advanced application of knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts.

What is the unit value of this course?

12 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 Discuss how healthy public policy influences health equity. Creative and critical thinker 
B.2, B.3, A.4, A.5, A.6, B.10, 4.1, 5.2
2 Analyse the policymaking environment to influence healthy public policy. Empowered
Sustainability-focussed 
A.3, A.5, B.6, A.8, B.10, 1.1, 1.2, 5.2, 7.2
3 Advocate for healthy public policy across a range of stakeholder audiences. Empowered
Sustainability-focussed 
B.2, B.6, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4

* Competencies by Professional Body

CODE COMPETENCY
International Union for Health Promotion and Education
B.2 The concepts of health equity, social justice and health as a human right as the basis for health promotion action
B.3 The determinants of health and their implications for health promotion action
A.3 Respect for all aspects of diversity including gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, ethnicity, race, and cultural beliefs
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.6 Ensuring that health promotion action is beneficial and causes no harm
B.6 The current theories and evidence which underpin effective leadership, advocacy and partnership building and their implication for health promotion action
A.8 Seeking the best available information and evidence needed to implement effective policies and programmes that influence health
B.10 The systems, policies and legislation which impact on health and their relevance for health promotion.
1.1 Work collaboratively across sectors to influence the development of public policies which impact positively on health and reduce health inequities
1.2 Use health promotion approaches which support empowerment, participation, partnership and equity to create environments and settings which promote health
2.1 Use advocacy strategies and techniques which reflect health promotion principles
2.2 Engage with and influence key stakeholders to develop and sustain health promotion action
2.3 Raise awareness of and influence public opinion on health issues
2.4 Advocate across sectors for the development of policies, guidelines and procedures across all sectors which impact positively on health and reduce health inequities
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)
7.2 Use current models and systematic approaches for planning 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 any Postgraduate Program.

Co-requisites

Not applicable

Anti-requisites

PUB272

Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)

Not applicable

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

Early feedback will be provided within the first two weeks and within applied activities across the semester to consolidate understanding of course concepts and skills required for assessment.

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 Oral Individual 60% 
10-12 minutes
 Week 5 Online Submission
All 2 Artefact - Professional, and Written Piece Individual 40% 
Written advocacy plan and two (2) advocacy products (approx. 1500 words)
 Week 8 Online Submission
All - Assessment Task 1:Policy planning analysis
Goal: 
To demonstrate your advanced skills in investigating the policy making environment for a given context.
Product: Oral
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
You will investigate the factors that influence healthy public policy in a given context, using concepts of the healthy public policy process. You will present your policy analysis via an online oral presentation using a multimedia platform of your choice.
Further details on how to approach and complete the policy planning analysis will be available on Canvas.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Appropriate application of policy factors to explain the policymaking environment.
 2
2 
Quality of insight into key policy process concepts.
 2
3 
Quality of the design and delivery of multimedia to communicate the policy planning analysis.
 2
4 
Justification for how the given policy addresses health equity.
 1
5 
Appropriate integration of evidence
 2
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Problem solving, Applying technologies
All - Assessment Task 2:Advocacy plan and products
Goal: 
To demonstrate your advanced knowledge and skills in developing an advocacy plan to advocate for healthy public policy to a range of stakeholder audiences within the policy context.
Product: Artefact - Professional, and Written Piece
Authorship Statement:
Format: 
You will research, produce and justify an advocacy plan and two (2) advocacy products to advocate for a healthy public policy.

The advocacy products should include:
1) Two advocacy products of different genre;
2) Approximately 500 words per product.
Further details on how to approach and complete this advocacy plan will be available on Canvas.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1 
Appropriateness of advocacy audiences, mediums and communication messages.
 3
2 
Justification of the advocacy audience, medium and communication messages based on the evidence.
 2
3 
Application of the genre for the chosen advocacy products.
 2
4 
Quality of written communication and referencing.
 2
5 
Appropriate integration of evidence
 3
Generic Skills: 
Communication, Problem solving

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 Artefact - Professional, and Written Piece Advocacy plan and products 2.1 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
2.4 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
Oral Policy planning analysis 1.1 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
B.2 Taught, Practiced, 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

N/A

How are risks managed in this course?

Health and safety risks for this course have been assessed as low. 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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