Diploma of Health Sciences

This interdisciplinary unit examines a determinants approach to health and wellbeing, including: the complex range of interactions that influence the health of individuals and populations; the determinants of selected health issues in urban and rural Australia, as well as in global contexts, and explores a range of models and approaches and their impact on health outcomes. Topics include: The concepts of health, the social determinants of health, health systems, the biological and environmental determinants, health promotion, indigenous health, settings for health, marginalised populations and global health.

In this unit you will learn about using online resources to search for, retrieve and evaluate a range of health information and data. The emphasis in this unit is the comprehension and critical appraisal of health information. It is important for health students and practitioners to be able to distinguish valid, well-researched health claims from poorly researched (or not researched at all), spurious health claims. This unit will introduce you to measuring health and disease in populations, qualitative methods, finding health information and data, research study designs, understanding research statistics and an introduction to evidence based practice and critical appraisal. It also assesses the importance of ethics in both research and professional practice.

This interdisciplinary unit provides an overview of the basic sciences of human anatomy and physiology, exploring issues of relevance to the health sciences. Specific topics to be addressed will include: organisation of the human body, outlining anatomical terms, chemical and structural bases of cell function, body tissues including integument, homeostasis and physiological control via neural and hormonal mechanisms that maintain a constant internal environment. Support and movement through an understanding of the musculo-skeletal system, and maintenance of key systems, including cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urinary and immune systems.

This unit explores relevant health behaviour issues and their impact on an individual’s health and wellbeing. These behavioural issues include: tobacco smoking, alcohol/drug use and abuse, healthy and disordered eating, weight management, engagement in exercise, managing stress, and managing chronic illness. The unit examines the impact of socio-cognitive factors including self-efficacy and locus of control on behaviour change and how to harness this to enhance behaviour change and goal achievement. Further the unit discussed theoretical explanations of health behaviour and how they are applied to derive effective approaches to achieving behaviour change. The unit examines the skills and principles of behaviour modification. Students undertake experiential and reflective learning approaches to develop and understanding of the process, challenges and skills involved in health behaviour change.

This introductory unit explores the fundamental principles underpinning the study of human psychology. As such, it will cover the definition and scope of the discipline of psychology; the primitive roots of our behaviour; the neurological structures and processes that are responsible for our mental life; and the important elements in our adapting to the world as individuals such as learning and intelligence. This unit will provide an integrated and challenging introduction to psychology as a science, while also providing training in important skills for tertiary education as a whole through the seminar series. In completing this unit, students will gain new insights into the science of behaviour, a mastery of important research and writing skills, and a strong platform for learning advanced topics in psychology.

Following on from the biological underpinning of psychology in HPS111, HPS121 focuses on the science of the human individual in context. Different theoretical perspectives of psychological concepts relating to how we function as individuals in a social world are contrasted and evaluated throughout the unit.We begin by looking at how we – as both biological and social beings –develop throughout the lifespan as we explore the complex interaction between biological and environmental influences. Various theoretical perspectives are applied to explore what makes up our individual personalities, and how personality is assessed. The impact of psychological disorders on individual and societal wellbeing is considered, and the different therapeutic approaches used to treat these disorders are analysed. We then examine the power of situational, societal, and cultural influences on behaviour. The HPS121 teaching team aim to deliver challenging and fascinating psychological concepts in a way that you can apply to your own personal experiences, future study and career. In the class series, the unit will incorporate the content areas of HPS121 into a holistic understanding of the interactions and relationships between the topics, all within the context of psychology as a scientific discipline. The tutorials will enable you to develop real-world applied skills that will help you work through the unit as well as expose you to some of the processes involved in working as an allied health professional. The assessment tasks are designed to help you develop industry-related skills and knowledge. Though the unit content and assessments have been designed to help you broaden your understanding and skills developed in HPS111, HPS121 has been constructed so that students may do the two units in either order, or do either unit individually.

This unit is designed to provide students with a comprehensive overview of the structure and function of the musculoskeletal system and how it relates to normal and abnormal human movement. A detailed analysis of the functional anatomy of the skeletal, articular, neural and muscular systems is explored. Additional areas explored will be the role that the musculoskeletal system plays in static and dynamic posture and movement control.

This unit aims to develop students’ knowledge and understanding of research design and methodology in the context of exercise and sport science (ESS). This will range from examining some different quality indicators such as validity and reliability to more applied work examining how to organise, analyse, interpret and present ESS research data. The unit will explore different ways that ESS research data are collected and analysed using both qualitative and quantitative statistical methods.

This unit introduces students to the field of physical activity and exercise for health. Students will explore the benefits of physical activity and risks of sedentary behaviour and will gain an understanding of why people participate in physical activity and exercise. Common theories of behaviour change and key correlates of physical activity participation are explored and an introduction to physical activity interventions is provided. Throughout the unit, students will also learn how to access and evaluate high quality evidence to help inform the development of an individualised physical activity program for health.

This unit aims to develop students’ knowledge of the structural, physiological, social and cognitive changes in human growth, development and ageing across the lifespan (conception through to older adulthood). The unit will provide students with an understanding of the various stages of growth, development and ageing and identify common injuries or conditions that present during these stages. A key focus of the unit will be on how physical activity and exercise influences, and is influenced by, lifespan human growth, development and ageing.

This unit is core to the Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion, the combined courses with Commerce and Nursing, and for the Health Promotion major pathway in the Bachelor of Health Sciences. The unit is also offered as an elective to students across the University. Through this unit, students will be introduced to applying theories, models and frameworks used in both public health and health promotion; examine multiple dimensions of disease prevention and control including biological, behavioural, socioeconomic, and environmental factors; as well as relevant ethical, social, legal and advocacy issues.

This unit will introduce key concepts around environmental health and will explore the relationship between the natural, built, social, economic and political environments and human health. This unit will also introduce the concepts of sustainable development, ecosystem health and environmental justice. The content of the unit will be framed within a public health and health promotion context. This unit comprises the study of: knowledge of past, present and emergent environmental health concerns, including infectious disease, population growth, urbanisation, global warming and drought; environments for health: the positive influences of the natural/physical, built, social, economic and political environments on human health; the role of the natural/physical, built, social, economic and political environments in human health threats; an appreciation of the different space components of environmental health: individual, neighbourhood, institutional, national, regional, global and intergenerational; human impacts on the environment, including Indigenous cultures, industrialised countries, developing countries; sustainable development and environmental justice; critical reflection on the changing context of environments and health over time.

This unit provides students with foundation knowledge in food, nutrition and health, including food sources of nutrients, food and nutrient recommendations for health and methods for measuring food intake and behaviour, historical perspective of why we consume the foods we do today and how our scientific knowledge may influence foods we eat in the future. Students also gain an understanding of interactions between the environment, technologies developed to produce and harvest foods and scientific advances in food and nutrition. The topics include: food history, Australian food culture, food production, food sources of nutrients, food and nutrient recommendations and their relationship with health and methods used to measure food intakes and behaviours. Students also have an opportunity to align their interests and values to future career options.

Dietary patterns and the way food is produced can have a major impact on the environment and the environment has a major impact on the food system. This raises concerns about the food system’s future ability to produce sufficient food for food and nutrition security. Governments, non-government organisations, academia, the private sector and citizens are urgently seeking solutions to these public health nutrition problems. This unit will explore the bidirectional relationship between our food system and environmental sustainability. It will examine how Australia’s food system may be contributing to environmental degradation through greenhouse gas emissions, water use and ecosystem changes, such as the loss of biodiversity and how this impacts on health. In addition, it will examine the effects of global warming on the food system and the threats to food security. Following on from this, the unit will ascertain what changes are needed to ensure a prosperous and ecologically sustainable food system.

This unit aims to develop student’s knowledge of the biological and physiological basis of human growth and development across the lifespan. Fundamentals of cell biology and metabolism will be applied to physiological changes occurring during foetal life, followed be the postnatal, infancy, childhood, adolescence and ageing life stages. The fundamentals of genetics and inheritance of human traits will be developed with an emphasis on inborn errors of metabolism and polymorphisms affecting nutrient needs.

In this unit, students will be able to study the characteristics of life that are fundamental for every field in biology. Upon successful completion of Cells and Genes, students will be able to explore, examine and describe the characteristics and structures of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells as well as understand cellular mechanisms such as reproduction,communication, transport across the membrane and cellular respiration. The genetic basis of cell biology is focused on in the latter part of the unit starting with Mendelian genetics which leads on to interpreting patterns of inheritance, mechanisms and control of gene expression and the principles of DNA technologies -all of which form the second part of the unit.

Enrolment in this unit is subject to OH+S training currently conducted via SLE010 Laboratory and Fieldwork Safety Induction Program

This unit is the first of a sequence of professional practice units designed specifically for students in the first year of biosciences. The unit will focus on the development of generic skills which will be of practical value to students in their bioscience studies.Through exercises and seminars (tutorials, online and face-to-face) you will develop skills in data analysis and presentation, basic mathematics and statistics, library research methods, evaluation of scientific literature and scientific writing and referencing. You will also be introduced to the practice of being an ethical student and professional,and develop your skills in career planning, problem solving and oral and written presentation.The final exam is a hurdle requirement for this unit. Students must achieve at least 50% in the unit overall and a minimum of 40% on the final written exam, to obtain a passing grade in the unit.

This unit introduces students to physics, particularly applying to biological systems. Topics include kinematics, forces, gravity, energy, heat, fluids, waves, sound, optics, electricity, atoms and molecules. The physical principles of each topic are developed, and then applied to a practical understanding of biological systems and appropriate applications.

Enrolment in this unit is subject to OH+S training currently conducted via SLE010 Laboratory and Fieldwork Safety Induction Program.

SLE132 introduces students to animal and plant biology. Students will explore the relationships between animal structures and their functions, and investigate the physiological processes that enable animals to adjust to environmental changes. They will also learn aspects of animal diversity and behaviour. As students progress learning in this unit, they will study the evolutionary diversity of plants, their structure and functions, morphology and growth, reproductive biology, nutrient acquisition and transport, and their applications in biotechnology, with an emphasis on flowering plants. Examples from other plant groups and the non-plant eukaryotes, fungi and algae, will also be used for comparison and as examples during discussion.

Enrolment in this unit is subject to OH+S training currently conducted via SLE010 Laboratory and Fieldwork Safety Induction Program.

SLE133 is a foundation unit designed to develop and consolidate student understandings and skills in basic chemistry. The learning and assessment activities provide students with the opportunity to study atoms, molecules, and ions, how they change during a chemical reaction and how bonding affects properties such as intermolecular interactions, boiling points, ease of evaporation and the ability of substances to dissolve in water. Students will engage in laboratory work in order to develop their hands on skills in chemical safety and measurement and their ability to perform calculations related to substance measurement. Students will then apply these concepts of bonding, chemical change and measurement to determine the acidity and basicity of substances and the formation of buffers.This unit can be taken as a stand-alone unit for students who need some awareness of chemistry to broaden their degree, or can be taken as a foundation for further studies in biochemistry, chemistry, and related areas like food and nutrition, molecular biology and science education.

You must have completed SLE010 in the current or a previous trimester, before you can attend any laboratory sessions.

Enrolment in this unit is subject to OH+S training currently conducted via SLE010 Laboratory and Fieldwork Safety Induction Program

Students must successfully complete SLE133 before enrolling in SLE155

SLE155 builds on the student’s previous chemistry knowledge about atoms, molecules, properties, reactions, measurement and acidity. Students will extend their knowledge to more advanced chemical naming, structures, and hypervalent bonding. They will be introduced to additional topics such as, chemical equilibria, solution chemistry, redox chemistry, simple organic compounds, chirality and thermochemistry. This unit will lead to further studies in biochemistry, chemistry, and related areas such as food and nutrition, molecular biology and science education. This unit can also be taken as an elective unit for students who want a broader knowledge of chemistry to enhance their degree.

Enrolment in this unit is subject to OH+S training currently conducted via SLE010 Laboratory and Fieldwork Safety Induction Program

The aim of this unit is to provide students with a critical understanding of the intellectual foundations of the study of management. The unit will provide the opportunity to analyse how the solutions to management ‘problems’ have developed under different conditions throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The unit also explores how management practice influences, and is influenced by, the external environment. This will involve examining how managerial action impacts on and is shaped by the environment, through a consideration of, ethics, social responsibility, and the social and cultural context of management.

This unit provides an introduction to the structures and procedures of the criminal justice system from a critical perspective. The unit outlines the major characteristics of the investigation, prosecution, adjudication and correctional processes within the criminal justice system, and the key issues which impinge on contemporary criminal justice administration in Australia. The conduct of police investigations, prosecutorial decision-making and the executive administration of the prison system are explored. The unit adopts an interdisciplinary approach to the study of criminal justice institutions and practices, and critically assesses the effectiveness of the system using contemporary criminological/socio-legal evidence.

This unit introduces students to the various ways in which we think about and respond to crime and its control. It introduces some of the key frameworks for understanding and explaining crime and examines some of the main types of crime. Examples include crimes between persons, groups and organisations, and crimes at local, national and international levels. The unit also provides a foundation for future study in criminology subjects.

This module’s learning and assessment activities provide students with guidance on what constitutes academic integrity. It will allow students to develop knowledge, skills and good practice principles to avoid plagiarism and collusion and thereby maintain academic integrity.

In SLE010, students will develop an awareness of safety measures and protocols to be followed in scientific laboratory work and fieldwork. The unit encompasses information about biological and chemical hazards, building evacuation procedures, laboratory accident management, first aid procedures and safety work procedures. Attendance in all practical classes and/or field trips may be restricted unless you have passed the online quiz with a mark of 70% or greater. Results for all units requiring the completion of SLE010 as a co-requisite may not be released until the quiz is passed.

This module is designed to provide international students with opportunities to review, develop and practice the English language systems and skills required to successfully participate in an undergraduate degree program. It is compulsory for international students only and consists of a mandatory 2-hour on-campus class per week for the duration of the first trimester.

Some international students are exempt from this module. For exemptions, visit our English language entry requirements page.