The Master of Environmental Health is a 72-unit program offered by the School of the Environment, within the Faculty of Science and Engineering.
The course articulates with the Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health Practice, providing higher order training in the use of health risk assessment and environmental health research. Candidates who have completed this course may be awarded credit for related topics.
Admission requirements
Applicants who do not hold the Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health Practice must normally hold an approved undergraduate degree or equivalent and have successfully completed a minimum of one semester full-time (18 units or equivalent) in basic sciences such as chemistry, physics, microbiology, physiology, biology and life sciences. However, the Faculty Board may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature
Course aims
The program is designed to give students a solid foundation in environmental health concepts, risk assessment and research skills. Students will be introduced to risk assessment and the use of toxicological, microbiological and epidemiological paradigms for assessing and managing environmental health risk. The 27 unit thesis component of the course will give students the opportunity to liaise with the external professional community and practice the theoretical skills gained through the detailed and high level research of an issue of interest in the environmental health arena. The research component will teach higher order skills of collation and critical interpretation of data, presentation of ideas in a coherent format and the ability to communicate these ideas in logical wellargued formats.
Learning outcomes
Graduates of this course are expected to be able to:
- apply higher order problem solving and research skills in the investigation of complex problems and research questions
- demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of environmental health issues
- critically analyse and interpret the literature and laboratory and epidemiological data
- demonstrate an enhanced ability to communicate effectively to community, government and academic audiences both orally and in writing
- successfully apply risk assessment methodologies and management strategies to complex environmental health issues
- successfully perform self-directed learning and research
Credit
- Students who have two years of professional practice following completion of an undergraduate degree in environmental health or equivalent will receive 36 units of credit.
- Students who hold the Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health Practice or equivalent will be eligible for 36 units of credit.
- Other credit and recognition of prior learning will be assessed on a case by case basis.
Program of study
To qualify for the Master of Environmental Health, a student must complete 72 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the following program of study.
Not all topics are necessarily available in a given year.
Stream - Risk Assessment#
Core - Year 1 topics
36 units comprising:*
ENVH7711 Environmental Health Concepts (4.5 units)
ENVH9712 Environmental Health Policy, Management and Administration (4.5 units)
ENVH9721 Human Systems in Environmental Health (4.5 units)
ENVH7722 Food Safety (4.5 units)
ENVH7731 Sustainable Development – Health Issues (4.5 units)
ENVH9732 Legislation Relevant to Environmental Health (4.5 units)
ENVH7742 Microbiology and Communicable Diseases (4.5 units)
PHCA9501 Social Determinants of Health and Wellbeing (4.5 units)
*or with the approval of the Course Co-coordinator a maximum of 9 units of other topics from across the University at the requisite level that meet the educational aims and learning outcomes of the course.
Core - Year 2 topics
36 units comprising:
ENVS7720 Masters Research Project Design and Conduct (4.5 units)
ENVH9704 Risk Assessment and Management (4.5 units)
ENVS9750A Environmental Health Research Project – A (4.5 units/27 units)
ENVS9750B Environmental Health Research Project – B (4.5 units/27 units)
ENVS9750C Environmental Health Research Project – C (4.5 units/27 units)
ENVS9750D Environmental Health Research Project – D (4.5 units/27 units)
ENVS9750E Environmental Health Research Project – E (4.5 units/27 units)
ENVS9750F Environmental Health Research Project – F (4.5 units/27 units)
#The stream in Risk Assessment is the only stream currently offered in the Master of Environmental Health.