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Health Projects in Aboriginal Settings (RURA90009)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Shepparton)

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Overview

Availability
Semester 2
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This subject requires students to undertake a project within an Aboriginal community on a topic selected by the student in consultation with the community. The subject critically examines key principles and processes involved in conducting community projects, and considers the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings of such work. Particular emphasis is placed on understanding the role and nature of community engagement and participation, application of the project, specifically in rural contexts, and potential outcomes for and empowerment of the specific community. In undertaking this subject, students will gain community development and project management skills and be introduced to a range of orthodox and alternative methodologies.

Intended learning outcomes

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

  • Critique and evaluate different approaches to community projects
  • Conduct a community-based health project in an Aboriginal community
  • Integrate Aboriginal and Western knowledges relevant to a specific project
  • Produce project reports for Aboriginal communities

Generic skills

  • Critical thinking and analysis
  • Applying complex theories to social/health issues
  • Sourcing, evaluating and synthesising research and health-related literature
  • Project design and implementation
  • Community engagement and consultation
  • High level written communication
  • Using Microsoft Office programs and related software
  • Creative forms of presenting useful information

Last updated: 31 January 2024

Eligibility and requirements

Prerequisites

Code Name Teaching period Credit Points
RURA90008 Utilising Knowledge in Aboriginal Health
Semester 1 (On Campus - Shepparton)
 12.5

Subjects for the Specialist Certificate in Empowering Health in Aboriginal Communities may not be taken concurrently (in the same study period).

Corequisites

None

Non-allowed subjects

None

Recommended background knowledge

It is recommended that students have some background in:

  • working in a health-related field
  • working in and/or for an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community
  • community service or a desire to serve community
  • understanding of the social model of health

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

Student attendance at the intensive sessions is required for 100% of the time unless written agreement from the course coordinator is attained. Failure to attend 100% of the intensive sessions will result in failure of the subject.

Each student will receive a participation mark for this subject. An average score will provide a participation mark worth 10% of the subject’s assessment.

Students enrolled in this subject will require a current police check and working with children check.

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

As Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian students will be part of the student cohort, cultural issues will be accounted for where reasonably practical. In addition, requirements to travel to attend the course will be considered and travel scholarships may be available to eligible students.

Last updated: 31 January 2024

Assessment

DescriptionTimingPercentage

Community project consultation process plan (with supporting academic literature and community consultation and knowledge sources)

  • 1500 words
Week 320%

Project report (e.g. written report or PowerPoint with audio and/or video, artwork, film clip, other forms, to be discussed and agreed between academic staff and individual students) (20 mins or 2000 words)

  • 2000 words
Week 1050%

Reflection on the project

  • 1500 words
Week 1220%

Participation in the subject throughout semester (Each student will receive a weekly mark for participating in the subject e.g. contributing to group discussions, demonstrating that they have read the assigned readings and questioning these readings. An average score (weighted for the time interval) will provide a participation mark worth 10% of the course assessment)

Hurdle requirement: Student attendance at the intensive sessions is required for 100% of the time unless written agreement from the course coordinator is attained. Failure to attend 100% of the intensive sessions will result in failure of the subject. Each student will receive a participation mark for this subject. An average score will provide a participation mark worth 10% of the subject's assessment.		From Week 1 to Week 1210%

Last updated: 31 January 2024

Dates & times

  • Semester 2
    Principal coordinatorRaelene Nixon
    Mode of deliveryOn Campus (Shepparton)
    Contact hoursStudents will be expected to travel to the Department of Rural Health's main campus in Shepparton for a short intensive at the start of the study period for one week (Mon-Fri). When students return to their home communities they will be expected to participate in weekly online tutorials (1 hr per week) and engage, as directed by the unit cocordinator with subject material through online mechanisms (while it may not take students long to make these contributions online e.g. 1 hr per week, in order to make quality contributions students will have to have spent time reading subject materials and doing preparatory work).
    Total time commitment170 hours
    Teaching period22 July 2024 to 20 October 2024
    Last self-enrol date 2 August 2024
    Census date 2 September 2024
    Last date to withdraw without fail20 September 2024
    Assessment period ends15 November 2024

Time commitment details

170 hours

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

    A subject reader will be made available for students to purchase at low cost and additional readings and/or materials will be provided to students by the unit coordinator and/or in tutorials during semester time.

  • 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.

Last updated: 31 January 2024