School: Medical and Health Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Environmental Health Professional Practice
  • Unit Code

    HST2116
  • Year

    2025
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    3
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    Y
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Mr Garry DINE

Description

In this unit students will further their understanding of theoretical concepts of environmental health and gain practical workplace experiences in Local Government Authorities and State Government Agencies and/or by attending seminars relating to environmental and public health issues. Students will learn about communication protocols in the public service, environmental health programs including mosquito and vector control, development processes, building approval processes, interpretation of building plans, waste management, and international health protocols.

Non Standard Timetable Requirements

This unit requires a minimum 200 hours placement with Local Government Authorities or State Government Agencies.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must have passed HST1111 and HST1109

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Critically reflect on professional practice experiences and collaborations to build professional competence.
  2. Communicate professionally and with confidence, using appropriate verbal and non-verbal skills, to diverse audiences.
  3. Produce a report informed by Environmental Health guidelines and legislation, making recommendations for future action.
  4. Demonstrate responsibility and accountability for personal behaviour and safety through practicum placement preparations and personal practicum outcomes.

Unit Content

  1. Effective communication and dealing with the public (complaint investigation and conflict resolution).
  2. Key Government Protocols
  3. Introduction to town planning and development processes
  4. Introduction to building safety, interpreting plans and specifications
  5. Mosquito management, disease vectors and pest management
  6. Solid waste management and legislative requirements
  7. Liquid waste management and legislative requirements
  8. Onsite wastewater management
  9. Public Health Planning and Management
  10. International Health

Learning Experience

Students will engage in learning experiences via ECU’s LMS as well as additional ECU learning technologies

Additional Learning Experience Information

This unit requires a minimum of 200 hours placement with Local Government Authorities or State Government Agencies. The Practicum Coordinator will assist students with arranging their placements. Students will complete assigned duties under the supervision of the Local Government Authority and State Government Agencies and will be assessed using a portfolio of evidence and self-reflective tasks. Students further develop their communication skills through oral presentations and apply evaluation and problem-solving skills to produce a written report about a contemporary environmental health concern.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Due to the professional competency skill development associated with this Unit, student attendance/participation within listed in-class activities and/or online activities including discussion boards is compulsory. Students failing to meet participation standards as outlined in the unit information may be awarded an I Grade (Fail - incomplete). Students who are unable to meet this requirement for medical or other reasons must seek the approval of the unit coordinator.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
Case StudyEnvironmental Health Professional Case Study30%
PresentationEnvironmental Health Placement Report and Presentation30%
PortfolioEnvironmental Health Professional Portfolio40%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
Case StudyEnvironmental Health Professional Case Study30%
PresentationEnvironmental Health Placement Report and Presentation30%
PortfolioEnvironmental Health Professional Portfolio40%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Assessment

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. Informal vivas may be conducted as part of an assessment task, where staff require further information to confirm the learning outcomes have been met. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work as well as any generative artificial intelligence tools that may have been used. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people or generative artificial intelligence tools, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

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