Foundations of Public Health (PUBH7033)

Course overview

Your role as a student and (future) public health practitioner is to improve the health of populations in a changing and inequitable world. Through the Foundations of Public Health course, you will establish a strong grounding in public health, gaining a critical overview of the history, principles, philosophy, and conceptual underpinnings of public health, and the scientific disciplines that make up the public health 'toolbox'. Health equity, social justice, and human rights are at the core of public health and underpin all that we do in this course. Together we will investigate health inequalities, one of the most fundamental challenges in public health, and the structural, social, environmental, commercial, political, and biological determinants that shape the health of individuals, groups, and populations. We will also examine what constitutes relevant evidence and different ways of 'knowing' in public health, not just in a disciplinary sense, but also through the lens of culture and context. Significant public health achievements and complex contemporary challenges will be explored from local/global and multidisciplinary perspectives. The critical thinking, reflection and analytical skills developed in this course will ensure you are well equipped to continue your study in public health and for your future as a leader in public health practice.

PUBH7033, Foundations in Public Healthﾠ provides coreﾠunderpinnings of public health through a criticalﾠintroduction to the key history, concepts, principles, and practices of public health. ﾠThe course will examine different ways of knowing in public health, major strategies and approaches in public health and the significant public health achievements and challenges of our times. Using a health equity and human rights lens, students will critically examine health inequalities and the structural, social, environmental, commercial, political and digital determinants of health that shape the health of individuals and populations across different contexts and settings. Students will be introduced to social analysis andﾠdesign thinkingﾠto address contemporary complex public health challenges. Theﾠ understanding of public health, critical thinkingﾠand analytical skills developed in this course will provide students with the foundationsﾠfor further postgraduateﾠstudies in public health.

EXPECTATIONS

This course is designed as a blended course. This means that both the self-learning component and in-class participation (workshops) are necessary for successful completion of the course. 

In this course interactive online modules are used to exchange information, discuss core ideas and debate issues. Online module activities are supported by workshops where you work in smaller groups to discuss and apply core concepts.ﾠ

It is expected that each week you will engage in the online modules. Given that workshop participation is also a critical component to your learning in this course, it is essential that you not only attend the workshops, but that you maximise engagement with your peers and lecturers in these sessions. External students are encouraged to link into the workshops via Zoom. After hours zoom sessions will also be organised on a fortnightly basis to support external students.

Study Tips

Important: You will need to spend between 6 to 10 hours per week doing the online modules, relevant readings and activities, and preparing for workshops for this course.

Assessment is regular – so you need to work consistently and regularly to keep up. You cannot delay your study until the end of the semester.

If you want to take notes, you should aim to take notes from the modules as though you were sitting in an actual lecture. Focus on the main points that are being covered, rather than trying to write down every word (transcripts of videos are available in the captions). Transcribing the videos and online content word-for-word will be very time consuming and is not an effective way to learn. 

Workshops may not be recorded as they are designed to be highly interactive. A significant proportion of the workshop time will be dedicated to group activities. Therefore, you will need to be present in class for the duration of each workshop, and we expect that you will engage with your classmates and lecturers. Again, Class attendance and participation are an integral part of this course.  

ASSESSMENT

More detail about each assessment item is available via the Assessment link on BB.

The assessment for this course is based on some of the principles of effective learning identified by scientific research.

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Course requirements

Incompatible

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

PUBH7620

Course contact

Course staff

Timetable

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

Aims and outcomes

The overall aim of this course is to introduce the main concepts, principles, and practices of public health. Students will critically examine the history, principles, and conceptual underpinnings of public health. Health equity, social justice, and human rights are at the core of public health and underpin all that we do in this course. Using a health equity and human rights lens, students will critically examine health inequalities and the structural, social, environmental, commercial, political, and digital determinants of health that shape the health of individuals and populations across different contexts and settings. The course will examine different ways of knowing in public health, major strategies and approaches in public health and the significant public health achievements and challenges of our times. This course will provide an essential grounding for material presented across the MPH and MEpi programs. The critical thinking, reflection and study skills developed in this course will ensure students are well equipped to continue their study in public 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

Public health critical reflection journal

Mode

Written

Category

Reflection

Weight

10%

Due date

Week 3 - Week 11

Public health critical reflection journals are due at 12pm.

Further details will be available from the Course Blackboard site.

Task description

Submission guidelines

Further details will be available from the Course Blackboard site.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

Please see 10. Policies & Guidelines

Late submission

Please see 10. Policies & Guidelines

Fieldwork report observing the social determinants of health in place

Mode

Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation

Weight

40%

Due date

16/04/2025 12:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L02, L03, L04, L05, L06

Task description

Submission guidelines

Further details will be available from the Course Blackboard site.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

Please see 10. Policies & Guidelines

Late submission

Please see 10. Policies & Guidelines

Public health social analysis and innovation

• Hurdle

Mode

Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation

Weight

50%

Due date

30/05/2025 12:00 pm

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Submission guidelines

Further details will be available from the Course Blackboard site.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

Please see 10. Policies & Guidelines

Late submission

Please see 10. Policies & Guidelines

Course grading

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

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

Students are required to submit all components of the assessment to pass the course.

Please note the following regarding assessment:

• Students are required to submit all components of the assessment to pass the course.
• Students are expected to demonstrate critical thinking and use of the academic literature (journals, reports and texts). You are also required to do wider reading than the references supplied.
• Assignments will be marked as quickly as possible, normally within two weeks and returned to you. Comprehensive feedback will be provided showing the mark for the assignment and comments on the piece of work.
• All online modules must be completed.

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 submitting any assignments for this course you must ensure you have completed UQ’s compulsory onlineﾠ Academic 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.

Learning activities

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

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 - 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/node/218/1 

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 for Disability (SAPD) 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 SAPD, is required if requesting an extension for more than 7 days. 

The maximum time for an in-semester extension is four weeks.  

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?p=1#1 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 ECP explicitly states otherwise.

SPH Guidelines for late submission of progressive assessment

Initial extension for an individual item of assessment – the SPH Teaching & Assessment Support 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 Teaching & Assessment Support Team and/or the Program Director 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 Teaching & Assessment Support Team and/or the Course Coordinator will consult with the Program Director, 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 Director should consider if remedial or other support should be offered to the student.
• The Program Director should provide a report on these matters as needed at SPH Examiners’ Meetings.

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 14 days, we advise you to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester. You might be eligible to withdraw without academic penalty.

Penalty for late submission

Submission of assignments, practical reports, workbooks, and other types of written assessments after the due date specified in the Electronic Course Profile (ECP) 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.

School of Public Health (SPH) Assessment Guidelines

The School of Public Health assessment tasks have been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. While students may us 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.