Course Outline

PUB714 Climate, Justice, and Health

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

2026Session 2

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

Climate justice for priority populations requires innovative solutions to current and emergent climate change issues that contribute to health equity. This course will develop your advanced knowledge and skills in public health practice to effectively engage in climate justice analysis and discourse for an equitable and sustainable future. You will learn about climate change and justice concepts, principles, approaches and issues, systems and resilience thinking, and the direct and indirect impacts of climate injustices on the health and wellbeing of priority communities. 

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 consultation session. 6hrs Week 1 8 times

Course Topics

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 
Planetary health
Climate science evidence 
Climate change and justice
Climate change and justice priorities (e.g., disaster resilience, food security and sovereignty, sustainable health systems, urbanisation etc.)
Ecological sustainability
Systems thinking 
Resilience thinking

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 Critically reflect on core climate justice concepts, approaches and skills. Ethical
B.2, B.3, 1.4, 6.4
2 Analyse complex climate justice priorities using systems and resilience thinking. Empowered
1.4, 5.4, 6.3, 6.4
3 Apply evidence to effectively communicate climate justice priorities Sustainability-focussed
1.4, 4.1, 4.2, 6.3
4 Evaluate the impacts of climate issues on priority populations from an equity perspective. Creative and critical thinker
9, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4

* 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
1.4 Facilitate the development of personal skills that will maintain and improve health
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
5.4 Incorporate new knowledge to improve practice and respond to emerging challenges in health promotion
6.3 Collect, review and appraise relevant data, information and literature to inform health promotion action
6.4 Identify the determinants of health which impact on health promotion action
9 Evaluation and Research
9.2 Integrate evaluation into the planning and implementation of all health promotion action
9.3 Use evaluation findings to refine and improve health promotion action
9.4 Use research and evidence-based strategies to inform practice

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

PUB706

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

Formative feedback will be provided in the first two weeks in applied learning activities.

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 Portfolio Individual 40%
1500 words
Week 4 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All 2 Artefact - Professional Individual 60%
1800 words
Week 8 Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check
All - Assessment Task 1:Climate, justice and health scholarly reflection
Goal:
To demonstrate advanced skills in engaging with the scholarly literature to critically reflect on climate justice concepts and impacts.
Product: Portfolio
Authorship Statement:
Format:
You will produce a written portfolio to critically reflect on climate justice concepts and impacts, integrating evidence from scholarly literature.  You will submit the assignment online. Further details will be available on Canvas.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Comprehension of climate justice concepts and impacts
1 4
2
Application of critical reflection and evaluation skills
1 4
3
Relevance and integration of scholarly literature to support arguments presented.
1 3
4
Quality of scholarly communication
1 3
5
Appropriate integration of evidence
2
Generic Skills:
Problem solving, Organisation
All - Assessment Task 2:Fact sheet and supporting evidence
Goal:
To demonstrate advanced skills in selecting, analysing, and communicating relevant information and evidence about a contemporary climate justice priority.
Product: Artefact - Professional
Authorship Statement:
Format:
You will create a fact sheet and supporting evidence written piece. Further details will be available on Canvas. You will submit the assignment online.
Criteria:
No. Learning Outcome assessed
1
Relevance and synthesis of evidence to support the analysis and Call to Action
2 3
2
Analysis of the climate justice issue using systems and resilience thinking
2
3
Evaluation of the impacts of climate issues on priority populations from an equity perspective.
4
4
Quality of communication
1 3
5
Appropriate integration of evidence
3
Generic Skills:
Communication, Applying technologies, Information literacy

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 Fact sheet and supporting evidence 4.1 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
4.2 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
5.4 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
6.3 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
6.4 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
9.2 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
9.3 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
9.5 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
Portfolio Climate, justice and health scholarly reflection 1.4 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
6.3 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
6.4 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
9.2 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
9.3 Taught, Practiced, Assessed
9.4 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

Students will be required to have a reliable Internet connection, a computer, a microphone headset and a webcam for Technology Enabled Learning and Teaching Activities.

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: