The Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health Practice is a 36-unit program offered by the School of the Environment, within the Faculty of Science and Engineering.
The course articulates with the Master of Environmental Health and the sequentially developed topics allow progression through the two awards.
Admission requirements
Applicants normally must 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 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 main objective of this program is to provide an alternative pathway to practice as a gazetted Environmental Health Officer (EHO).
The program aims to produce graduates who are:
- conversant with current environmental health issues
- able to operate specifically as accredited Environmental Health Officers or more generically as Environmental Health Professionals capable of responding to both current and emerging environmental health issues
- conversant in the many disciplines that make up environmental health and aware of the importance of integration of these disciplines for achieving effective solutions to issues
- keen to promote an understanding within the community of environmental health and the role of their profession
- committed to ongoing lifelong learning.
Learning outcomes
The learning objectives are directly tied to the requirements of the National Peak Body for this profession, Environmental Health Australia (EHA) to enable the course to be accredited for practice across Australia and internationally.
Graduates of this course are expected to be able to demonstrate:
- problem solving and basic research skills for the investigation and resolution of problem issues
- effective written and verbal communication and negotiation skills
- critical analysis and interpretation of the literature and laboratory and epidemiological data
- ability to apply risk assessment methodologies in investigations and inspections
- commitment to the advancement of environmental health
- ability to manage environmental health issues
- self-directed learning skills and self-reflective practices.
In addition, graduates of this course are expected to have an understanding of:
- the relationships of humans with their domestic, recreational and work environments
- the legislation, standards and guidelines relating to environmental health in Australia
- information processing methods of relevance to environmental health
- information networks and investigational methodologies available for defining and resolving environmental health issues
- the availability, application and limitations of analytical procedures used in environmental health.
Program of study
To qualify for the Graduate Diploma in Environmental Health Practice, a student must complete 36 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.
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)