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Non Communicable Disease & Global Health (POPH90247)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Dual-Delivery (Parkville)

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Overview

Availability
July - Dual-Delivery
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Globally, non communicable diseases account for over two thirds of all deaths, and over half of disability adjusted life years. While non communicable diseases have sometimes been assumed to impact only on wealthy countries, they are in fact a major health and development challenge. Around 80 percent of non communicable disease-related deaths occur in low and middle income countries. Nations with the highest non communicable disease burden include some of Australia’s closest neighbours, particularly island states in the Pacific, where over 70 percent of mortality is now due to non communicable diseases. The growing non communicable disease burden is of critical importance to global health and development because it impacts on economic growth, increases levels of poverty, and leads to premature death. Non communicable diseases also have major social and fiscal implications for governments and communities.

In this subject, students will gain a practical understanding of the epidemiology, determinants, consequences and global health responses to the non communicable disease epidemic. The subject promotes students’ exploration of the nexus between non communicable diseases and disability, non communicable diseases and infectious diseases, and non communicable diseases within the broader public health and global development agenda. The subject will contribute to enabling a new generation of public health professionals to address non communicable diseases through appropriate policy, programmatic and advocacy responses in Australia and globally.

Non Communicable Disease & Global Health is a dual delivery block mode intensive subject. This means that the assessable material is delivered through self-directed online modules that students complete over a two-week period. The online modules offer flexibility in relation to the timing of when students complete them, or what hours of the day you may choose to study. However, allocated modules must be completed in time to allow effective participation in live interactive sessions that are linked with those modules. Live interactive sessions are held on six days across the two-week period, in which module material is discussed with fellow students and lecturers. Students may choose to attend these live sessions online or face to face. Students are expected to commit approximately 40 hours to learning each week, comprised of learning modules, reading, discussion board activities, group work and live sessions. This two-week teaching period is followed by independent learning towards two pieces of assessment to be completed over six weeks.

Intended learning outcomes

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

  • Appraise the major social, political, environmental, cultural and economic factors driving non communicable diseases in Australia and globally;
  • Describe the historical evolution of the non communicable disease epidemic;
  • Compare the current and forecasted burden of non communicable diseases globally and in different regions and countries;
  • Apply global, national and local strategies to address non communicable diseases;
  • Describe the relationship between non communicable diseases and equity, particularly with regards to gender, indigeneity and socio-economic status;
  • Distinguish between major global and regional non communicable disease stakeholders including governments, NGOs and intergovernmental bodies.

Generic skills

  • Apply critical thinking and analysis
  • Apply problem-solving abilities
  • Find, evaluate and use relevant information
  • Persuasively use argue a case using written and oral communication skills
  • Undertake collaborate group work

Last updated: 31 January 2024

Eligibility and requirements

Prerequisites

None

Corequisites

None

Non-allowed subjects

None

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.

Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home

Last updated: 31 January 2024

Assessment

DescriptionTimingPercentage

Share introductory post in LMS

  • 150 words
Hurdle requirement: Must be completed.		Week 1N/A

Pre-recorded group presentation 4-5 people assessed as a group.

  • 20 minutes
End of the teaching period25%

Blog, due 2 weeks after the end of the teaching period.

  • 1000 words
Due 2 weeks after final day of teaching.20%

Essay, due six weeks after the final day of teaching

  • 2500 words
Due 6 weeks after final day of teaching.55%

Last updated: 31 January 2024

Dates & times

  • July
    CoordinatorsSarah Simpson and Sonja Firth
    Mode of deliveryDual-Delivery (Parkville)
    Contact hours30 hours: 12 x 1.5 hr lessons (asynchronous) 6 x 1 hr webinars (synchronous) 6 hrs practical group work (synchronous)
    Total time commitment170 hours
    Teaching period 8 July 2024 to 19 July 2024
    Last self-enrol date10 July 2024
    Census date19 July 2024
    Last date to withdraw without fail 9 August 2024
    Assessment period ends30 August 2024

    July contact information

    simpson.s@unimelb.edu.au sonja.firth@unimelb.edu.au

    Melbourne School of Population and Global Health

    OR

    Currently enrolled students:

    Future Students:



Time commitment details

140 hrs independent learning, course readings and work on assessment pieces

What do these dates mean

Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:

  • Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
  • And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
    - Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).

    Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.

Last updated: 31 January 2024

Further information

  • Texts

    Prescribed texts

    McQueen, David. V (ed) Global Handbook on Noncommunicable Diseases and Health Promotion, 2013, Springer.

  • Related Handbook entries

    This subject contributes to the following:

    TypeName
    CourseMaster of Public Health
  • Available through the Community Access Program

    About the Community Access Program (CAP)

    This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.

    Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.

  • Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students

    This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.

Last updated: 31 January 2024