Unit Catalogue

Public health is a broad and continually changing discipline. This unit introduces the student to the key public health concepts, principles and resources. Students will be given an overview of the breadth of public health and to the areas within it and how they are related. This unit covers the evolution of the field, the various approaches and frameworks, the key literature and data collections, inequity and the social and environmental determinants of health. Students will examine the values, politics and challenges in public health and begin to reflect upon where they might position themselves within the discipline.


The unit provides an introduction to the printed and electronic public health information resources available and training in using the relevant public health literature databases. Students will also consider the present and future challenges involved in prevention, protection and promotion of health in the community. This unit will provide an important foundation for the student's future study and career in public health and help students select which specialist electives will best suit their interests and abilities.