Recommended Study Sequence

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 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.

Australian Society is currently facing critical challenges in the areas of mental health, nutrition and physical activity. This unit examines the interdependence between these areas, and how the personal and sociocultural health issues can be addressed in a pro-active, holistic and sensitive manner. Completion of a child protection awareness training program and senior first aid qualification is required and will be at student’s own expense, in own time.

This unit is being replaced by 400870 Population Health and Society in 2010. This unit introduces students to understandings about the nature of health through history and across cultures as well as to current conceptions regarding the various determinants of health and illness. Types of health issues encountered nationally and globally are considered, and used to provide an introduction to basic concepts of epidemiology.

Whereas health is commonly understood in terms of objective signs and symptoms (or their absence), wellbeing emphasizes subjective experience in the context of social and environmental factors that may support or impede a personal sense of wellbeing. This unit approaches wellbeing through a self-investigatory and reflective model that seeks to integrate systemic analysis of the individual, social, emotional, environmental and spiritual aspects of health and wellbeing in a personally meaningful way. Consideration of how issues of social justice and equity have differential impacts on both individuals and communities, and develop frameworks for taking personal and social action to enhance wellbeing.

This unit introduces some of the core concepts, models, theories and methods of inquiry in psychology as they apply to health. Assumptions of human behaviour are examined, showing how these assumptions form the four foundational models of psychology. Those models being psychobiological, learning, cognitive and social. The application of these models to issues of development, personality, motivation and clinical applications allows students to address health topics such as stress, resilience and coping, smoking, eating disorders, disability and health practices.

This unit is being replaced by 400863 Foundations of Research and Evidence based Practice in 2010. This unit lays down broad foundations of research as used in various disciplines of health sciences, including health and well-being, physical fitness, physical activity, and nutrition. The aim is to create an overall understanding of the significance of research in the students’ fields of endeavour. It is designed to introduce the student to foundational concepts and principles in quantitative and qualitative research methods and to explore the complementary role of research paradigms as they underpin the quest for knowledge in the health sciences. It will also address essential research themes such as epidemiology research, validity, reliability, and research ethics.

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.

This unit is being replaced by 400867 Approaches to Health Promotion in 2010. Health promotion is a process that seeks to enable individuals, communities and populations to increase control over their health by addressing the determinants of health, resulting in improved health outcomes. Theoretical underpinnings of health promotion are explored, factors enhancing and limiting activity reviewed and the levels of health promoting actions demonstrated. Health promotion competencies including conducting a needs analysis, planning and evaluating an intervention are explored. Satisfactory completion of OH&S for student placements is a requirement.

This unit is being replaced by 400864 Research Methods (Quantative and Qualitative) in 2011. This unit will explore essential elements of quantitative research methods as used in health sciences. It will prepare students for the planning, designing, conducting, evaluating and reporting of a research project. The most common research designs will be examined for their relative strengths and weaknesses, with particular emphasis on how these will have an impact on interpretation and conclusion of the study. It will also introduce basic concepts in epidemiology and biostatistics as well as in using SPSS to analyse and interpret data. The overall aim is to provide skills in designing and evaluating research studies in health sciences.

The tools of economic appraisal and decision making permeate all aspect of modern life. Reliance on economic analysis is highly evident in contemporary health care systems. The funding and provision of health care/services is continuingly changing and subject to ever increasing demand for limited and finite resources. The unit explores, examines and reviews the impact these limitations have on selected health care systems. Students are encouraged to research and examine their own and other health care systems and investigate the differences in access, equity, and efficiency. Practical, contemporary and applied case studies/examples are continuously utilised and students are encouraged to channel the knowledge gained into key areas of interest at the macro and micro level.

This unit provides students with the opportunity to apply theoretical and practical knowledge and skills gained in the course to develop their practice and professional behaviours in a therapeutic recreation workplace setting.

This unit provides the student with an understanding of current trends underlying policies and services in the aged care and disability industry, which will help them to understand the dynamics of the changing aged care and disability service sector. Students will examine the strategic environments of aged care and disability to develop global and national perspectives, identify drivers of change and development, and the major players in aged care and disability policies. Students will develop an understanding of the aged care and disability competencies and determinants of well-being for aged and disabled persons, which can be used in their future roles in the health industry. Through reflections on practice in aged care and disability , students will develop an individual approach to aged care and disability service issues which they can use in the future as health care professionals.

This unit provides students with the opportunity to experience the practice of therapeutic recreation/ diversional therapy through supervised needs assessment, problem identification, program planning, implementation and evaluation in a range of distinct therapeutic service setting. Identify and provide services for people from special populations such as culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), refugees and trauma victims, indigenous people, older people, people with learning problems and high risk populations. Students are to explore the advocacy and support needs of the clients receiving services. Students will explore issues related to quality supervision and their own learning styles as they develop learning contracts to be used in the workplace learning setting.

In this unit students will explore leisure education that is used in a broad range of service industries that focus on the development and acquisition of a range of leisure, recreation and programming related skills, knowledge and attitudes. Students will develop a philosophical approach to leisure and recreation and skills in communication and facilitation strategies to enable them to use appropriate decision-making processes in developing recreation programs for a range of people across the lifespan. Students will utilise a variety of leisure,recreation and tourism resources to develop recreation programs that will assist in enhancing the lifestyle opportunities and leisure experiences for the client populations they serve.

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.

The aim of this unit is for students to apply their knowledge of professional theory, practice, research and evaluation skills to the investigation of a therapeutic recreation professional issue. Emphasis in the unit is on the development of a research/evaluation proposal through literature review and research design outline of a program with a proposed method of evaluation suitable for use in a community setting.

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