Preventing Disease through Healthy Environments (PUBH7027)

Course overview

This course is an exciting exploration of how the physical environment can protect or damage human health. Students will explore real-life current issues associated with safe drinking water, clean air and functional housing at a community level. They will build their understanding of the range of environmental health issues at a global, regional and local level- from climate change to urban green space. They will graduate from the course with a clear understanding of key terminology and a familiarity with the tools to reduce hazards, exposure and vulnerability to environmental health risks that can be applied in any position with an environmental health dimension.

This course will introduce students to the different ways the environment influences health and disease. Environmental influences are an important contibutor to global disease burden, and are a key facet of public health that is relevant to all health professionals and people interested in the interface between the envrionment and health.

This course starts by providing students with a broad understanding of the field, and introduces concepts such as risk, exposure, hazards, communication, environmental epidemiology, environmental toxicology, and social determinants of environmental health. These concepts are built on through the introduction of key aspects of environmental health, such as air, water, waste, food and climate change. The course considers environmental health at a local, regional and global scale, and uses examples and case studies to help students understand the relevance of these concepts to the 'realﾠworld'. After completion of this course, students will have a strong understanding of environmental health, how its concepts relate to their own fields, and how environmental health is a core aspect to deliver public health.

Course requirements

Incompatible

You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:

PUBH7287

Jointly taught details

This course is jointly-taught with:

• Another instance of the same course

This course is taught concurrently for both internally and externally enrolled students. The blended delivery format is designed to provide a range of ways for all students to interact and participate.

Course contact

Course staff

Timetable

The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.

Additional timetable information

To cater for the range of circumstances of student availability, this course uses a blended delivery format.

Lectures: All lectures are live online (and recorded) every Tuesday from 2-4pm on zoom: https://uqz.zoom.us/j/81637996524. The recordings will be uploaded to Echo360 here on Blackboard.

Tutorials: Two identical tutorials will be offered following the calendar below: one in person at Herston and one online in the evening using zoom

Aims and outcomes

To completeﾠthis courseﾠyou must demonstrate to have acquired knowledge of, understand, as well as apply the basic concepts of environmental health.

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

Assessment

Assessment summary

A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.

Assessment details

Computer-based assessment

• Online

Mode

Written

Category

Quiz, Tutorial/ Problem Set

Weight

25% 10% for Task 1a; 5% each for Tasks 1b-d

Due date

14/08/2025 2:00 pm

11/09/2025 2:00 pm

25/09/2025 2:00 pm

16/10/2025 2:00 pm

Other conditions

Time limited.

See the conditions definitions

Learning outcomes

L01, L04, L06

Task description

Submission guidelines

The computer-based assessment will be delivered thorugh the Quiz portal on Blackboard. Refer to the tasksheet on Blackboard for specific details of content covered and time provided.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Please refer to the 10. Policies and guidelines

Late submission

Please refer to 10. Policies & Guidelines

Health Risk Assessment

• Hurdle

Mode

Written

Category

Practical/ Demonstration, Translation/ Interpretation, Tutorial/ Problem Set

Weight

35%

Due date

26/09/2025 2:00 pm

Week 9

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L06

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Submission guidelines

Submit through Turnitin in Blackboard.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Please refer to the Policies and guidelines

Late submission

Please refer to 10. Policies and Guidelines

Case analysis of environmental health interventions: Part A (written)

• Hurdle

Mode

Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Essay/ Critique

Weight

25%

Due date

24/10/2025 2:00 pm

Week 12

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L04, L05, L06

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Submission guidelines

Submit through Turnitin on Blackboard.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Please refer to the Policies and guidelines

Late submission

Please refer to 10. Policies and Guidelines

Case analysis of environmental health interventions: Part B (oral)

• Hurdle
• Identity Verified
• In-person
• Online

Mode

Oral

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Essay/ Critique

Weight

15%

Due date

30/10/2025 5:00 pm

Small group discussions will be offered on Wednesday and Thursday of week 13. Students sign up on Blackboard to the session that suits their availability.

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L04, L05, L06

Hurdle requirements

Submission guidelines

This will be conducted as a live oral discussion in small groups facilitated by the tutor. These are mandatory and are scheduled online on Blackboard by the students.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Late submission

Please refer to 10. Policies and Guidelines

Course grading

Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.

Additional course grading information

Please note that in order to pass this course, each student must complete and submit at least a good effort for the mandatory assessment tasks 2 and 3. Tasks 1a-e (in-tutorial quizzes) are not mandatory. ﾠ

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is available for this course.

The final grade awarded will be based on the results of the supplementary assessment only, and a passing grade will be awarded if, and only if, the student receives at least 50% of the marks on the supplementary assessment. 

Additional assessment information

The course's Learning Objectives are covered across the four assessment task. ﾠ

Please note that in order to pass this course, each student must complete and submit at least a good effort for the mandatory assessment tasks 2 and 3. Tasks 1a-e (in-tutorial quizzes) are not mandatory.ﾠﾠ

ﾠ

PLEASE NOTE: Extensions are NOT TO BE requested frivolously. Extensions are for exceptional circumstances and will therefore be considered as such. Extensions must be applied for BEFORE the due date and must include all the required documentation.

TO APPLY FOR AN EXTENSION: https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/applying-assessment-extension?p=2#2

RE-MARKING OF WORK: Students can request a re-mark if they feel they have valid reasons for disputing an awarded mark. The University has a prescribed process for remarking.

The student must first review their marks and feedback carefully. Then, they should contact and discuss the outcome with the Course Coordinator.

If the issue is not resolved, then complete a Request for Assessment Re-Marking, outlining their case. If a re-mark is approved, in all cases, the re-mark replaces the original mark, which could lead to the marks and/or final grade going up, down, or remaining the same.

ﾠ

Assignment Submission:

Turnitin no longer automatically emails students a receipt when they upload an assignment.ﾠ Students need to download their receipt manually and keep a copy as proof of submission.ﾠ ﾠ

Assignments for this course will be submitted electronically via Blackboard and/or using Tunitin.ﾠ

Before submitted any assignments for this course you must ensure you have completed UQ’sﾠcompulsory onlineﾠAcademic Integrity Tutorial.

When you successfully submit your assessment, you need to manually download your receipt and keep a copy as proof of submission as Turnitin no longer automatically emails students a receipt when an assignment is uploaded.ﾠ ﾠ

It is the responsibility of the student to check the assignment preview and confirm that the assignment has been successfully submitted.ﾠﾠ

If the submission was not successful:

1. Note the error message (preferably take a screenshot)
2. Go to your assignment page and see if it is possible to submit again
3. If you cannot submit again, immediately email your course coordinator.ﾠ

Learning resources

You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.

Library resources

Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.

Additional learning resources information

STUDY GUIDE AND MORE ON RESOURCES

• Students will find that PUBH7027 on Blackboard is set up like an electronic study guide. We do not provide a paper copy format of study guide
• We record every lecture. Recordings will be posted shortly following the live lectures on a Wednesday. On rare occasions, technical difficulties may cause an unavoidable delay on posting the lecture recordings.
• Some recordings of earlier lectures (from previous semesters) may also be posted where appropriate.
• This course has some readings (see above) which are required and some which are recommended - these are clearly indicated in Blackboard.
• While we will not use all the material in the textbook, it is still a very handy reference to have in your career ahead should you want to refer to Environmental Health issues in future.

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

Additional learning activity information

To cater for the range of circumstances of student availability, this course uses a blended delivery format.

Lectures: All lectures are live online (and recorded) every Tuesday from 2-4pm on zoom. The recordings will be uploaded to Echo360 on Blackboard. Refer to Blackboard for the zoom link.

Tutorials: Two identical tutorials will be offered (2 hours; delivered in weeks 4-7 and 9,11-13; each tutorials runs twice: Tutorial #1: 12-2pm Wednesdays in person at Herston; Tutorial #2: 4-6pm Wednesdays live online)

Please register during your enrolment for a specific tutorial and then attend that timeslot for all tutorials.

Policies and procedures

University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:

• Student Code of Conduct Policy
• Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
• Assessment Procedure
• Examinations Procedure
• Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure

Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.

Course guidelines

School of Public Health (SPH) Guidelines for late submission of progressive assessment - Preamble

To apply for an extension to the due date for a piece of progressive assessment (eg assignments, oral presentations and computer-based assignments) students should complete the online request at  https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/applying-assessment-extension?p=2#2  

Information regarding deferral of in-semester exams and end-of-semester exams is available from https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/deferring-exam 

If requesting an extension on medical grounds, a medical certificate must be provided. The extension will be approved for the number of days included in the medical certificate that the student was not fit to study or work, eg if the medical certificate is for 3 days, an extension will be approved for 3 days maximum regardless of the student's request.  

If requesting an extension using a Student Access Plan (SAP) as evidence, a maximum of 7-day extension will be approved in the first instance. Updated medical documentation, as well as a copy of the SAP, is required if requesting an extension for more than 7 days. 

A student may have a maximum of three extension requests approved for a single assessment task.   

An extension for an assessment item due within the study period in which the course is offered, must not exceed four weeks in total.  

The following SPH guidelines are consistent with the UQ policy. However, the SPH Guidelines contain specific rules and interpretations for SPH courses, and requests for extension and penalties for late submissions will be judged according to the guidelines outlined in this document. You should read both the information in your my.UQ at the following link: https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/applying-assessment-extension and the SPH guidelines (below) before submitting a request for an extension. The SPH Guidelines apply to all courses offered by the School of Public Health unless the Course Profile explicitly states otherwise.

SPH Guidelines for late submission of progressive assessment

Initial extension for an individual item of assessment – the SPH Student & Academic Administration Team and/or the Course Coordinator decides.

This could be for medical or compassionate reasons, or if, in the opinion of the Course Coordinator, there are exceptional circumstances.

Acceptable and unacceptable reasons for an extension are listed at the following link, along with the required evidence to be provided:  https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/applying-assessment-extension?p=1#1

All requests should be lodged at least 24 hours prior to the due date for the assessment.

If applying for an extension after the due date and time of the assessment item, your request may not be approved. An explanation as to why your request was not submitted prior must be included.       

If approved, a new due date will be set. This would generally be no later than 7 days after the original due date, however this can be modified to take account of the circumstances of the request and the time that would have been lost from studies.

If the new due date is past the date for submission of end-of-semester results, the student will receive an INC (incomplete) result.

Second and all subsequent extensions for an individual item of assessment – the SPH Student & Academic Administration Team and/or the Program Convenor together with the Course Coordinator decides.

This would only be approved for exceptional circumstance with supporting documentation.

• Online requests must be made at least 24 hours prior to the due date from the first extension.
• The SPH Student & Academic Administration Team and/or the Course Coordinator will consult with the Program Convenor, who will make the final decision.
• If approved, the new due date would generally be no later than 7 days after the first extension due date.
• The Program Convenor should consider if remedial or other support should be offered to the student.
• The Program Convenor should provide a report on these matters as needed at SPH Examiners’ Meetings.

The maximum number of extensions for each assessment item is three only. 

Please Note: In order to support course progression, extensions that total more than 14 calendar days from the original due date of an assessment item will only be approved in very exceptional circumstances. These requests are assessed and approved or denied on a case-by-case basis. 

If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 4 weeks in a semester, we advise you to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester. You might need to consider applying for removal of course.

Penalty for late submission

Submission of assignments, practical reports, workbooks, and other types of written assessments after the due date specified in the Course Profile will receive a penalty.

The penalty will be a deduction of 10% RELATIVE PERCENTAGE per day (24 hour period or part thereof, including weekends and public holidays) or for work graded on a 1-7 scale, a deduction of one grade per day, e.g. If the original mark is 73%, then 10% relative percentage is 10% of this value, ie 7.3%, The final mark for this assessment item after applying the penalty for 1 day late submission would be 73 -7.3 = 65.7% The same outcome is achieved by multiplying the original score by .9; ie 73 x .9 = 65.7%

The penalty for multiple days late is the relative percentage multiplied by the number of days late. 

A submission that is not made within 10 days of the due date will receive a mark of 0% for that assessment item.

Where a student has sought more than one extension, the due date for calculating the penalty will be the due date for the most recently approved extension.

Submission of Medical Certificates

Students are responsible for ensuring that any medical documentation they submit is authentic and signed by a registered medical practitioner. Such practitioners can be identified via the AHPRA website. Also note that:

• Not all online medical services are staffed by registered practitioners
• If the registration status of the practitioner cannot be verified, then an alternative practitioner should be sought
• Students will be held fully responsible for all documentation they submit, even if done so in ignorance of the practitioner's registration status

Medical documentation may be subjected to an audit by the University.

SPH Assessment Guidelines

The School of Public Health assessment tasks have been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. While students may use AI technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.

A failure to reference AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI tools.