Overview

This unit introduces students to the field of health science and provides them with the basic foundations to address complex health problems. It is a core unit and aims to teach students broad and coherent information with regards to Health Science. It will enable students to begin to apply knowledge about health that they will require in further Health Science units.

Requisites

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
02-March-2026
31-May-2026
Last self-enrolment date
15-March-2026
Census date
31-March-2026
Last withdraw without fail date
21-April-2026
Results released date
07-July-2026
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-August-2026
01-November-2026
Last self-enrolment date
16-August-2026
Census date
01-September-2026
Last withdraw without fail date
22-September-2026
Results released date
08-December-2026

Unit learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  1. Evaluate the contemporary context of health and related systems in Australia
  2. Explain the complexity of health challenges, including the socio-cultural, biological, and environmental factors that impact health and disease
  3. Explain and assess the role of different types of evidence to different health problems
  4. Apply knowledge in a healthcare context

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Seminar		2.00 12 weeks 24
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Tutorial		1.00 12 weeks 12
Specified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Various		4.00 12 weeks 48
Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Individual Study		5.50 12 weeks 66
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
EssayIndividual 30% 1,2,3 
Online QuizIndividual 30% 1,2,3,4 
PresentationGroup 40% 2,3,4 

Content

The content of this unit consists of a series of themes, where topics are grouped together including:

  • Introduction to definitions and models of health
  • Determinants of health
  • Populations
  • Person and the Environment
  • Inequity and Social Justice
  • Complexity and Health
  • Health care systems, including disciplines
  • Health care ethics
  • Research and evidence in practice

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.