Bachelor of Health Sciences / Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health Practice
ObjectivesThe multidisciplinary course is designed to equip students with generic skills necessary for employment in the health industry and prepare them for the increasingly complex context of health care. Learning outcomes It prepares students for a variety of roles, particularly in the areas of advanced life support (paramedic), disability, health administration/management, health education/promotion, the life sciences, nutrition and occupational health and safety.
Entry requirementsDomestic students Prerequisites: None You can qualify for undergraduate courses through: * year 12 qualifications * mature age entry (STAT) * TAFE/VET qualifications * higher education transfers. Flinders also offers a range of special access schemes. International Students English language requirements
Academic titleBachelor of Health Sciences / Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health Practice
Course descriptionThe Bachelor of Health Sciences / Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health Practice pathway provides students with a guaranteed place in the Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health Practice on successful completion of the Bachelor of Health Sciences.
Students will be required to successfully complete 1 semester full-time (18 units or equivalent) in basic sciences such as chemistry, physics, microbiology, physiology and life sciences for automatic entry to the Graduate Diploma.
As part of the Bachelor of Health Sciences degree you will undertake a core program in psychosocial and biophysical sciences with a health emphasis as well as pursuing a specialist stream.
As part of the Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health Practice you undertake the following topics: Social Determinants of Health and Well Being, Sustainable Development - Issues for Public Health, Environmental Health Principles and Frameworks, Management of Food Safety and Communicable Disease, Legislation Relevant to Environmental Health and Environmental Health Policy, Management and Administration.
What will I study?
Refer to the programs of study:
*Bachelor of Health Sciences
* Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health Practice
What is Environmental Health?
Environmental Health is concerned with the effects of environmental factors on the health and well-being of people, including indoor and outdoor air quality, waste management, water quality for consumption and recreation, storm water management and water reuse, contaminated land, infectious disease and food quality and hygiene.
Why study Environmental Health at Flinders?
* Our Department of Environmental Health, part of the University's School of Medicine, teaches at undergraduate and postgraduate level and has the best record of PhD completions for any Australian university department in the environmental health area.
* Our lecturers are all established researchers with interests spanning biological wastewater treatment, quality of surface and recreational waters and terrestrial runoff, water re-use, environmental toxicology, environmental and occupational exposure to chemicals, risk assessment, environmental epidemiology, contaminated site assessment and bioremediation, Legionella ecology and control, GIS and health.
* Our staff's expertise is in great demand and they have, for example, served as the expert member on the Public and Environmental Health Council of SA, and independent verifier of environmental monitoring programs for SA's Environmental Protection Authority and technical advice coordinator for the State Emergency Services when dealing with incidents involving hazardous materials.
Career opportunities
The Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health Practice is a nationally accredited and internationally recognised qualification which is designed to provide an entry-level qualification to practice as a gazetted Environmental Health Officer (EHO).
An Environmental Health Officer is responsible for assessing, correcting, controlling and preventing those factors in the environment that can potentially adversely affect the health of present and future generations. EHOs work with engineers, planners, and other scientists to improve the quality of life for communities by improving their environments.
Study a language
Flinders also offers all students the opportunity to major in a language in conjunction with any undergraduate course. The Diploma in Language is designed to provide students with competence in a chosen language that adds greater portability to their qualifications. You will complete a total of one extra year of study and graduate with both your chosen degree and the Diploma in Language. You can apply for this at time of enrolment.
Undergraduate: Course rule and topic information
Bachelor of Health Sciences
(BHlthSc)
INTRODUCTION
The Bachelor of Health Sciences requires three years of full-time study (or the equivalent part-time). The course is offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences.
The Bachelor of Health Sciences can also be taken in a combined degrees program with:
* Bachelor of Nursing (four years full-time or the equivalent)
* Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) (four years full-time or the equivalent)
* Bachelor of Education (Middle School) (four years full-time or the equivalent)
* Bachelor of Education (Secondary) (four years full-time or the equivalent)
The combined degrees program in Health Sciences and Nursing allows a student to meet the requirements for nursing registration as well as complete a Bachelor of Health Sciences specialty stream in Health Education and Promotion, Health Management, Disability Studies, or Mental Health Nursing with endorsement as a mental health nurse.
The combined degrees program with Commerce fulfils the requirements of the Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) enabling students to complete sufficient core topics to qualify as an accountant. It also allows students to complete the award of the Bachelor of Health Sciences by providing the equivalent of all core topics and a specialty stream in Health Management.
Students in the Health Management, Life Sciences, Disability and Community Rehabilitation, and Health Education streams may take elective topics from the Globalisation program. This option is not available to students in the combined degrees programs or Paramedic stream.
An Honours year is also available to students who have completed the Bachelor of Health Science or another qualification which the Faculty Board (upon recommendation of the Honours Committee) agrees is equivalent; and achieved a GPA of at least 5 in the ordinary degree. Honours can be taken in two semesters full-time or in four semesters part-time.
PROGRAM OF STUDY [November, 2008]
To qualify for the Bachelor of Health Sciences a student must complete 108 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, including compulsory core topics and the program for one of the six optional streams as set out below.
The award of a grade of Fail (F) in the same topic on more than one occasion may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purposes of the University's Policy on Student Progress.
Except with the permission of the Course Committee, a student may not proceed to higher year core topics unless they have satisfactorily completed the previous year's core topics.
All students undertake a set of core topics plus the program for one of six streams:
* Disability and Community Rehabilitation
* Health Education/Promotion
* Health Management
* Life Sciences
* Nutrition
* Paramedic
CORE TOPICS
First Year
HLTH1003
Legal/Ethical Aspects and Health Care #
4.5
HLTH1004
Human Bioscience *
4.5
HLTH1302
Introduction to Health Professions
4.5
HLTH1303
Reforming Health Care: Policy, Politics and the Professions
4.5
HLTH1304
Communication for Health Practitioners
4.5
# Students undertaking the Paramedic stream undertake HLTH3207 Emergency Law and Ethics (6 units) in their Third Year of study.
* Students undertaking the Life Sciences or Nutrition streams are not required to take this topic.
Second Year
HLTH2002
Health: A Psychological Perspective
6
HLTH2003
Society and Health: Sociology and Epidemiology
6
Third Year
HLTH3001
Health Research
6
Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health Practice
(GradDipEnvHlthPrac)
Program of Study
INTRODUCTION
The Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health Practice is a 36-unit program offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences on a Commonwealth Supported basis.
PROGRAM OF STUDY [November, 2008]
To qualify for the Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health Practice, a student must complete 36 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the following program of study.
Students must complete:
PHCA8001
Social Determinants of Health and Well Being
6
ENVH8005
Sustainable Development - Public Health Issues
6
ENVH8006
Environmental Health Principles and Frameworks
6
ENVH8007
Management of Food Safety and Communicable Disease
6
ENVH8008
Legislation Relevant to Environmental Health
6
ENVH8009
Environmental Health Policy, Management and Administration
6
Except with permission of the Faculty Board:
* the program must be completed within six consecutive semesters;
* no topic may be attempted more than twice.
The award of a grade of Fail (F) in 12 or more units may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purposes of the University's Policy on Student Progress.