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Public Health and Epidemiology

MajorYear: 2024

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Overview

Public health is the area of health concerned with promoting and protecting the health of populations and communities. This includes efforts to prevent the spread of infectious disease, improve access to healthy food options, promote physical activity and fitness, and ensure safe food and water in communities. In this major, students will study key aspects of public health, including epidemiology, ethics and equity, and health communication. The capstone subject, 'Communicating for Health, Not Harm,' will give students the opportunity to contribute to a real-life health promotion campaign and work to benefit the health of university students.

This major's subjects may be credited towards the Master of Public Health degree at the University of Melbourne. Additionally, the public health major is highly relevant for students pursuing careers as health professionals, as it provides an understanding of the many factors that impact an individual's health. Students will also develop skills essential for health professional practice, such as communication, ethical health practice, and interpretation of data.

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of this major, students should be able to:

  • Discuss the historical foundations of public health and epidemiology
  • Identify current global public health challenges and drivers of disease burden
  • Outline the organisational structures of the Australian and international public health systems
  • Communicate the ways in which attributes such as gender, race, (dis)ability, ethnicity and indigeneity intersect with each other and corresponding forms of systemic discrimination to produce inequitable health outcomes
  • Apply the principles of health ethics in real-life health practice scenarios
  • Choose appropriate public health interventions for the purposes of improving preventing disease and promoting health
  • Analyse, appraise and synthesise epidemiologic evidence to inform public health decision making
  • Design basic epidemiological studies to answer questions of public health importance
  • Appraise overt and covert marketing methods and content utilised by industry in health related messaging
  • Communicate public health evidence, for advocacy and engagement, using diverse media.

Last updated: 11 December 2024

Structure

50 credit points

To obtain a major in Public Health and Epidemiology students need to complete:

  • 37.5 credit points of Public Health and Epidemiology core subjects
  • A minimum of 12.5 credit points of Public Health and Epidemiology electives

Public Health and Epidemiology core subjects

Code Name Study period Credit Points
POPH30003 Real World Epidemiology
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
POPH30004 Ethics and Equity in Health and Medicine
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
POPH30005 Communicating for Health, not Harm
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5

Public Health and Epidemiology electives

Code Name Study period Credit Points
MIIM30014 Medical Microbiology: Virology
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
MIIM30017 Medical Microbiology: Parasitology
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
NUTR30002 Monitoring Food and Nutrition Intake
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
PATH30001 Mechanisms of Human Disease
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
PHRM30008 Drugs: From Discovery to Market
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5
PSYC30014 The Psychopathology of Everyday Life
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
 12.5

Or an alternative elective approved by the Coordinator of the Major.

Last updated: 11 December 2024