Master of Public Health Online in Australia

In this subject, we demonstrate using case studies the essential strategies for controlling communicable disease, such as outbreak investigation, surveillance, control measures and prevention. Students also examine interactions between microorganisms, animals and humans, with a focus on transmission dynamics, susceptibility and primary disease prevention. Public health responses and challenges are examined using historical and recent examples, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a fast-paced overview of the field, students explore the concepts of health and public health. You'll examine the history of public health management and identify key approaches to achieving positive outcomes today. You'll also have the opportunity to apply methods to contemporary problems.

In this course, you learn biostatistics concepts, become familiar with statistical reasoning, and gain the ability to evaluate healthcare practice and research. Students are introduced to the statistical concepts of data management, confidence intervals, descriptive statistics, data presentation, sample size and power, and bivariate statistical analysis. You become capable of choosing the right statistical analysis tests for the research question and contributing to study design and calculations.

In this unit, students acquire core knowledge of epidemiology and population health, with an emphasis on the requirements of public health practitioners such as project officers, clinicians, health service managers and health planners. You learn to apply analytical epidemiology strategies to the health service and public health environments. As well, students explore how to interpret and assess the quality of evidence from health service studies. The courses emphasises linkages between epidemiological theory of population health and its use in decision making.

Students are introduced to qualitative research in health in this subject, with practical guidance and the opportunity to do your own qualitative study. You'll build knowledge on how qualitative research is used in health and gain practical skills in areas such as defining the research question, qualitative research methods, and data collection
and analysis.

In this course, students explore health systems in different societies and how organisations and institutions influence global health policy. Case studies of countries with different income levels are used to illustrate the challenges posed to health systems. Students consider how public health research and practice can be used to strengthen health systems and improve outcomes.

Students in this course expand their knowledge of the concepts and processes in health promotion – for use within the health sector and more broadly. You study social learning, pedagogical approaches to behavioural change, and communication frameworks. Students build useful frameworks for planing and evaluating health education programs.

Growing in prevalence are non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, cancer, mental illness, and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. In this course, you'll explore social and economic drivers. Students also examine policies at local and broader levels for preventing, treating and managing chronic disease and comorbidities. You'll investigate the evidence on key approaches for NCD prevention, including population-level activities, targeted screening, health education and promotion, and guidance and counselling.

The impacts of human activity on the environment, including urban development, deforestation, freshwater depletion, biodiversity loss and climate change, have health consequences. Supporting environmental health and dealing with the effects of change are key themes in this subject. Health-specific effects to be addressed include infectious diseases, pollution-related sickness and poorer mental health.

You need to know social science concepts and views to understand health issues and how individuals and society should respond to them. This course explores theories on the human experiences of illness and the social structures underpinning health and disease. Students also consider the impact of social processes on health outcomes, including mechanisms behind social inequality, knowledge and power, professional relationships, and consumption and risk. You will examine how social determinants of health inform challenges associated with technological, social and economic change.