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

    Health Communication
  • Unit Code

    HST2124
  • Year

    2025
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    4
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Kelly Ann JAUNZEMS

Description

Health Communication is designed for students seeking to enter the public health, health promotion or allied health professions. The unit equips students with professional skills which enhance their capacities to communicate with diverse audiences in a culturally appropriate manner. Traditional and social media strategies are also examined and applied to topics which enhance social connectedness and health outcomes for population groups and to build the professional 'brand' of students seeking employment in this sector. Risk and crisis communication is also featured alongside advocacy and health activism. Finally, students will gain an understanding of the principles of persuasive communication and the political forces which influence health outcomes in global contexts.

Equivalent Rule

Unit was previously coded HST1124

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Communicate professionally and respectfully, applying understanding of culture, diversity, language and bias appropriately in diverse contexts.
  2. Use new and traditional media to promote social inclusion and health outcomes for diverse population groups.
  3. Work collaboratively to formulate health communication strategies in relation to risk, advocacy, activism, social support and political influences.
  4. Build own professional brand demonstrating autonomy, accountability and responsibility.

Unit Content

  1. This history of communication and communication models.
  2. Interpersonal communication.
  3. Culture, language and diversity.
  4. Professional writing and public speaking.
  5. Social connectedness and social isolation.
  6. New and traditional media.
  7. Advocacy and health activism.
  8. Risk and crisis communication.
  9. Political and global influences on health communication.

Learning Experience

ON-CAMPUS

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 113 x 3 hour seminarNot OfferedNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

ONLINE

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

Additional Learning Experience Information

On-campus lectures and lecture recordings are provided along with a series of workshops and online tutorials to support learning. Students examine contemporary communication frameworks and topics which enhance their employability prospects in public health and allied health settings.

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.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentInterpersonal Communication and Professional competency 30%
AssignmentPersuasive Media and Health Communication 30%
AssignmentHealth Communication Strategies and Professional branding 40%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentInterpersonal Communication and Professional competency 30%
AssignmentPersuasive Media and Health Communication 30%
AssignmentHealth Communication Strategies and Professional branding 40%

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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