Recommended Study Sequence

This unit deals with foundational concepts and factors relating to population health in our society. Issues that determine both social and environmental aspects of disease, health and wellbeing will be examined. Contemporary problems impacting on states of health will be explored, including current day trends in communicable and non-communicable disease.

This unit gives a basic understanding of the human body and introduces the scientific and medical terminology used for anatomy, physiology and biochemistry. It deals with gross structure and microscopic structure of the human body. It also examines microbial organisms, their classification, how they differ from eukaryotic cells and how our body defends against them. Where appropriate, examples of functional diseases will be discussed.

The unit introduces students to professional issues, history and the philosophy in health sciences: health promotion, health service management and therapeutic recreation. Theories and key concepts of health promotion, health service management, social health and therapeutic recreation are introduced. Students will be introduced to an understanding of human development and the health science processes. Students will examine how human growth and development influences development of socio-economic, cultural, gender, environmental, health science issues. Students will begin an electronic portfolio to help them take more control over their education and assist students to make connections with their learning experiences while building critical and reflective skills. Therapeutic Recreation students will complete a 35 hour workplace learning placement. Health Promotion and Health Service Management students will complete a community project.

This unit introduces skills for studying and working in health science. Students will gain an understanding of the interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary nature of health science practice in the 21st century, and how this interacts with the specialty health professions, client and community expectations of health care and employment opportunities in health science. Students will learn foundation competencies that will underpin their academic development and their safe, responsible and ethical practice in health science service environments.

This unit provides an introduction to the psychology of health and behaviour as relevant to the health sciences. Students will be introduced to the principles and applications of psychology and health behaviour using a developmental framework. This will be followed by an examination of the psychological aspects of injury and illness and an introduction to psychological interventions for health concerns. Emphasis is upon to understanding health status and behaviour in light of relevant theory and research.

The health workplace is a complex and sophisticated environment that can be understood in many different ways and mean different things to different members of an organisation. Assumptions about organisational structure and action are based on one’s conceptualisations and beliefs about the nature and goals of an organisation. This unit aims to develop an understanding of organisational theory and its application to management practice and organizational analysis in the health arena.

This unit will consider the reasons and roles of evidence-based practice and research, and introduce students to their language and core concepts. Skills will be developed for asking clinical or professional healthcare questions and to translate these into search strategies for finding evidence. To make sense of that evidence, students will be introduced to quantitative and qualitative research methods, types of data, how data is described and how biostatistics is used to provide meaning to research data.

Communication is integral to professional relationships, whether working individually with a client, educating community members on health matters, or working with other professionals as part of a multidisciplinary team. This unit aims to develop communication skills in preparation for work within the health professions across these areas. Communication skills will include those needed to form therapeutic relationships with individual clients and groups, as well as those required to communicate health information to clients, groups and the wider community. Students will develop skills to establish appropriate working relationships with professional colleagues.

Health promotion is a process that seeks to enable individuals, carers, communities and populations to increase control over their health by addressing the determinants of health and equity issues, resulting in improved health outcomes. Theoretical underpinnings of the various approaches to health promotion are explored, enhancing and limiting factors analysed and the levels of health promoting actions demonstrated, including the bigger picture approaches of working with policy, environmental and engineering solutions. Health promotion competencies are developed including conducting a needs and stakeholder analysis, also planning and evaluating an intervention. The best practice, evidence base for health promotion is outlined and the need to move beyond education.

This unit outlines the research methods used to acquire knowledge in healthcare. This includes research designs, international standards, key statistics, and interpretation of results. The range of health research methods will be presented, and studies about treatment effectiveness (clinical trials and systematic reviews), diagnostic effectiveness and qualitative approaches will be explored in detail. The pathways and resources for conducting beginner research will also be introduced in this unit.

This unit introduces skills for understanding and engaging effectively with the culturally and socially diverse world in which we live and work. Indigenous Australia is a major theme and students will gain an appreciation of the achievements and needs of Indigenous Australians. The unit examines cultural awareness more broadly and puts these issues in the context of health professionals working in multi-cultural settings and handling culturally different health philosophies and practices. Cultural diversity is increasingly recognised as a major issue in the delivery of health care and a major determinant of Indigenous health.

This is a flexible learning unit and deals with foundational concepts and issues relating to public health. The philosophical and historical development and the role of public health in Australia are examined, as are policies and principles that govern and inform practice. Emphasis is placed on understanding health issues and concerns in Greater Western Sydney Region as well as on national and international contexts of population health. The unit draws on current and emerging practical situations to highlight the dynamic yet continuing legacy of public health. There is a need to visit a public health unit for consultation purposes.

This unit uses a multidisciplinary approach to explore the different meanings of leisure and recreation. It explores the social psychology of leisure and recreation in addition to the principles and processes of leisure education and leisure counselling. This unit provides the knowledge base that underpins the practical skills of leisure and recreation assessment, program planning and evaluation for a variety of client groups.

The Australian health care system is highly complex, consisting of inter-related sub-systems and is influenced by the broader socio-political environment. It is essential that health professionals understand and consider the economic, political and social context within which health policy and planning occur, so that strategies and policies are developed which are economically and politically viable, as well as socially acceptable and responsive to the actual needs of the community. This unit aims to develop an understanding of the policy making and planning processes within this broad context and to introduce the theory and skills related to such activities.

This is a flexible learning unit looking at HRM as a strategic activity of health organisations especially as workforce shortages pose significant challenges to the health and aged care sectors. The workforce, with appropriate knowledge and expertise, is essential to the efficient and effective delivery of quality health services. Successful organisations shape their workforce to anticipate current and future business directions and goals. Workforce planning is a crucial element of this approach and its success.

This unit applies the theoretical concepts introduced in the unit, Health Politics, Policy and Planning namely the conduct of a health review, needs analysis, priority determination, and strategic planning. The emphasis is on group experiential learning, developing analytical skills required for comprehensive assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of health plans. The topics are selected from current health priority issues and represent a realistic exercise. Students, functioning as a working party, develop knowledge and skills in negotiation, group work, committee structure and functioning, consultation and research processes, planning process and report writing.

The unit begins with an overview of the complexity and variability of health services and provides an understanding of component organisations, federal and state policy issues and environmental factors including the role of the private sector and non-government organisations. The changing role of the health services manager and competencies required for effective managing are examined. Influences on organisations are reviewed, including structures, culture, power and politics. Various management functions are explored through 140 hours of placement e.g. strategic planning, performance management, people management including workplace relations, conflict resolution, resource management (financial and asset), risk management, OH&S and quality assurance.

The Australian health care system must account for use of resources, and ensure their equitable and efficient use. Increasingly devolution of management function to cost centre level in health care organisations is occurring. Managers must consider the financial implications of clinical decisions, understand and act on accounting information. They are held responsible for the financial outcomes of their activities. This unit develops a basic knowledge of accounting principles, health services funding arrangements, government reforms, financial reporting, preparation of budgets, business cases and economic appraisals. There are 140 hours of placement in the field working with health managers on financial issues.

This unit enables students to explore and develop an understanding of the ethical and legal issues important within contemporary health care. Through the use of case studies students will analyse profound ethical and legal challenges facing current health care that are equally important to health professionals, consumers and society generally. Additionally, students studying to work within health care, including as complementary health practitioners will develop a comprehensive understanding of the requirements for ensuring that their practice conforms to legal doctrines and ethical standards.

This unit is designed to assist students to make the transition from undergraduate student life to professional life. The student centred learning approach used in this unit enables students to focus their own learning styles and personal capabilities. Students will explore the strengths and weaknesses of their own learning styles and develop strategies to strengthen their personal learning and teaching capabilities for use as professionals. A structure for developing professional performance will be introduced that includes: management skills, interpersonal skills, problem solving skills, project and procedure skills, personal growth, development and socialisation and education roles. Students will participate in hands –on instructor led sessions, through the E-portfolio project to reflect on and connect academic experiences with their life to anticipated graduate capability

This unit provides an introduction to the psychology of health and behaviour as relevant to the health sciences. Students will be introduced to the principles and applications of psychology and health behaviour using a developmental framework. This will be followed by an examination of the psychological aspects of injury and illness and an introduction to psychological interventions for health concerns. Emphasis is upon to understanding health status and behaviour in light of relevant theory and research.

The health workplace is a complex and sophisticated environment that can be understood in many different ways and mean different things to different members of an organisation. Assumptions about organisational structure and action are based on one’s conceptualisations and beliefs about the nature and goals of an organisation. This unit aims to develop an understanding of organisational theory and its application to management practice and organizational analysis in the health arena.

This unit will consider the reasons and roles of evidence-based practice and research, and introduce students to their language and core concepts. Skills will be developed for asking clinical or professional healthcare questions and to translate these into search strategies for finding evidence. To make sense of that evidence, students will be introduced to quantitative and qualitative research methods, types of data, how data is described and how biostatistics is used to provide meaning to research data.

Communication is integral to professional relationships, whether working individually with a client, educating community members on health matters, or working with other professionals as part of a multidisciplinary team. This unit aims to develop communication skills in preparation for work within the health professions across these areas. Communication skills will include those needed to form therapeutic relationships with individual clients and groups, as well as those required to communicate health information to clients, groups and the wider community. Students will develop skills to establish appropriate working relationships with professional colleagues.

This unit deals with foundational concepts and factors relating to population health in our society. Issues that determine both social and environmental aspects of disease, health and wellbeing will be examined. Contemporary problems impacting on states of health will be explored, including current day trends in communicable and non-communicable disease.

This unit gives a basic understanding of the human body and introduces the scientific and medical terminology used for anatomy, physiology and biochemistry. It deals with gross structure and microscopic structure of the human body. It also examines microbial organisms, their classification, how they differ from eukaryotic cells and how our body defends against them. Where appropriate, examples of functional diseases will be discussed.

The unit introduces students to professional issues, history and the philosophy in health sciences: health promotion, health service management and therapeutic recreation. Theories and key concepts of health promotion, health service management, social health and therapeutic recreation are introduced. Students will be introduced to an understanding of human development and the health science processes. Students will examine how human growth and development influences development of socio-economic, cultural, gender, environmental, health science issues. Students will begin an electronic portfolio to help them take more control over their education and assist students to make connections with their learning experiences while building critical and reflective skills. Therapeutic Recreation students will complete a 35 hour workplace learning placement. Health Promotion and Health Service Management students will complete a community project.

This unit introduces skills for studying and working in health science. Students will gain an understanding of the interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary nature of health science practice in the 21st century, and how this interacts with the specialty health professions, client and community expectations of health care and employment opportunities in health science. Students will learn foundation competencies that will underpin their academic development and their safe, responsible and ethical practice in health science service environments.

The Australian health care system is highly complex, consisting of inter-related sub-systems and is influenced by the broader socio-political environment. It is essential that health professionals understand and consider the economic, political and social context within which health policy and planning occur, so that strategies and policies are developed which are economically and politically viable, as well as socially acceptable and responsive to the actual needs of the community. This unit aims to develop an understanding of the policy making and planning processes within this broad context and to introduce the theory and skills related to such activities.

This is a flexible learning unit looking at HRM as a strategic activity of health organisations especially as workforce shortages pose significant challenges to the health and aged care sectors. The workforce, with appropriate knowledge and expertise, is essential to the efficient and effective delivery of quality health services. Successful organisations shape their workforce to anticipate current and future business directions and goals. Workforce planning is a crucial element of this approach and its success.

Health promotion is a process that seeks to enable individuals, carers, communities and populations to increase control over their health by addressing the determinants of health and equity issues, resulting in improved health outcomes. Theoretical underpinnings of the various approaches to health promotion are explored, enhancing and limiting factors analysed and the levels of health promoting actions demonstrated, including the bigger picture approaches of working with policy, environmental and engineering solutions. Health promotion competencies are developed including conducting a needs and stakeholder analysis, also planning and evaluating an intervention. The best practice, evidence base for health promotion is outlined and the need to move beyond education.

This unit outlines the research methods used to acquire knowledge in healthcare. This includes research designs, international standards, key statistics, and interpretation of results. The range of health research methods will be presented, and studies about treatment effectiveness (clinical trials and systematic reviews), diagnostic effectiveness and qualitative approaches will be explored in detail. The pathways and resources for conducting beginner research will also be introduced in this unit.

This unit introduces skills for understanding and engaging effectively with the culturally and socially diverse world in which we live and work. Indigenous Australia is a major theme and students will gain an appreciation of the achievements and needs of Indigenous Australians. The unit examines cultural awareness more broadly and puts these issues in the context of health professionals working in multi-cultural settings and handling culturally different health philosophies and practices. Cultural diversity is increasingly recognised as a major issue in the delivery of health care and a major determinant of Indigenous health.

This is a flexible learning unit and deals with foundational concepts and issues relating to public health. The philosophical and historical development and the role of public health in Australia are examined, as are policies and principles that govern and inform practice. Emphasis is placed on understanding health issues and concerns in Greater Western Sydney Region as well as on national and international contexts of population health. The unit draws on current and emerging practical situations to highlight the dynamic yet continuing legacy of public health. There is a need to visit a public health unit for consultation purposes.

This unit uses a multidisciplinary approach to explore the different meanings of leisure and recreation. It explores the social psychology of leisure and recreation in addition to the principles and processes of leisure education and leisure counselling. This unit provides the knowledge base that underpins the practical skills of leisure and recreation assessment, program planning and evaluation for a variety of client groups.

The Australian health care system must account for use of resources, and ensure their equitable and efficient use. Increasingly devolution of management function to cost centre level in health care organisations is occurring. Managers must consider the financial implications of clinical decisions, understand and act on accounting information. They are held responsible for the financial outcomes of their activities. This unit develops a basic knowledge of accounting principles, health services funding arrangements, government reforms, financial reporting, preparation of budgets, business cases and economic appraisals. There are 140 hours of placement in the field working with health managers on financial issues.

This unit enables students to explore and develop an understanding of the ethical and legal issues important within contemporary health care. Through the use of case studies students will analyse profound ethical and legal challenges facing current health care that are equally important to health professionals, consumers and society generally. Additionally, students studying to work within health care, including as complementary health practitioners will develop a comprehensive understanding of the requirements for ensuring that their practice conforms to legal doctrines and ethical standards.

This unit is designed to assist students to make the transition from undergraduate student life to professional life. The student centred learning approach used in this unit enables students to focus their own learning styles and personal capabilities. Students will explore the strengths and weaknesses of their own learning styles and develop strategies to strengthen their personal learning and teaching capabilities for use as professionals. A structure for developing professional performance will be introduced that includes: management skills, interpersonal skills, problem solving skills, project and procedure skills, personal growth, development and socialisation and education roles. Students will participate in hands –on instructor led sessions, through the E-portfolio project to reflect on and connect academic experiences with their life to anticipated graduate capability

This unit applies the theoretical concepts introduced in the unit, Health Politics, Policy and Planning namely the conduct of a health review, needs analysis, priority determination, and strategic planning. The emphasis is on group experiential learning, developing analytical skills required for comprehensive assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of health plans. The topics are selected from current health priority issues and represent a realistic exercise. Students, functioning as a working party, develop knowledge and skills in negotiation, group work, committee structure and functioning, consultation and research processes, planning process and report writing.

The unit begins with an overview of the complexity and variability of health services and provides an understanding of component organisations, federal and state policy issues and environmental factors including the role of the private sector and non-government organisations. The changing role of the health services manager and competencies required for effective managing are examined. Influences on organisations are reviewed, including structures, culture, power and politics. Various management functions are explored through 140 hours of placement e.g. strategic planning, performance management, people management including workplace relations, conflict resolution, resource management (financial and asset), risk management, OH&S and quality assurance.