Principles of Public Health
UndergraduateLTU-PHE10052025
Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 23 Feb 2025
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Price from
- $1,164
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Principles of Public Health
About this subject
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Introduce and critically analyse the various concepts, values and strategies relating to public health in Australia and internationally.
- Identify and describe the often conflicting roles and interests held by the various stakeholders engaged in or affected by public health activities.
- Critically articulate the applicability of various public health strategies across levels of society.
- Collaboratively evaluate public health as a discipline supporting vulnerable and/or priority communities.
- What is Public Health?
- A Global Charter for the Public’s Health
- Evidence, Ethics and Human Rights
- Inequalities and Inequities
- Determinants of Health
- Health Protection
- Disease Prevention
- Health Promotion
- Enabling Functions of Public Health
- Contexts of Public Health
- Future Challenges for Public Health
- Subject Wrap Up
This subject introduces you to the concepts and principles of public health as they relate to various times in history and diverse contexts, populations and health challenges. You will acquire an understanding of the environmental, sociocultural, political, economic, technological, organisational, behavioural and genetic factors that interact to shape the health of communities and populations. You will identify and evaluate the range, strengths and weaknesses of evidence that informs public health policies, programs and practice, along with major ethical considerations. Public health successes and failures, and contemporary approaches to protecting and improving health, preventing and controlling disease and injury, and reducing health inequalities will be explored. These will reveal core functions of public health systems such as surveillance and monitoring.
- Diagnostic task - writing and referencing (250 words). (10%)
- Individual report and infographic examining public health responses to contemporary health issues (equivalent 1250 words). (30%)
- Two short quizzes (1000 word equivalent). (30%)
- 15 minute group oral presentation (1250 word equivalent per person). (30%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
The third university established in Victoria, La Trobe University has a diverse community of more than 38,000 students and staff. Its commitment to excellence in teaching and research prepares students to make a bold and positive impact in today's global community. La Trobe provides Open Universities Australia with its core tenets, entrepreneurship and sustainability.
Learn more about La Trobe University.
Explore La Trobe courses.
- QS Ranking 2024:
- 17
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 18
Entry requirements
Others
Past La Trobe University students who have previously completed PHE2PHP (Principles of Public Health Practice) are ineligible to enrol in this subject.
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
UndergraduateLAT-BUS-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-ART-DIP
UndergraduateLAT-HSC-DEG
Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Health Sciences
UndergraduateLAT-AHS-DEG
Bachelor of Psychological Science
UndergraduateLAT-PYS-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-HSC-DIP
Bachelor of Information Technology
UndergraduateLAT-TEC-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-CYS-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-ART-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-CRM-DEG
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