units

ENV2757

Faculty of Science

18 September 2017 19 April 2024
Monash University

Undergraduate - Unit

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2015 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

print version

6 points, SCA Band 2, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

LevelUndergraduate
FacultyFaculty of Science
Organisational UnitSchool of Science, Malaysia
OfferedMalaysia Second semester 2015 (Day)
Coordinator(s)Dr Lau Khim Heng

Synopsis

The unit uses an ecological approach to examine the relationship between human health and their environment. Various factors in the physical, chemical, and biological environment are studied from an epidemiological perspective. Case studies introduce students to ways of assessing environmental hazards, and control measures are discussed. Current environmental health issues such as world health, air pollution, and climate change are considered.

Outcomes

On completion of this unit students will be able to:

  1. Identify the major environmental factors that influence human health;

  1. Demonstrate a basic level of understanding of the mechanisms involved in the spread of diseases within human populations;

  1. Demonstrate an awareness of the factors involved in risk assessment and risk communication;

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the epidemiology of infectious diseases and the use of immunisation to control the spread of infections in populations;

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of food contamination and the public health measures used to control food quality and investigate food poisoning outbreaks;

  1. Describe the common infections caused by waterborne pathogens and water testing and treatment;

  1. Describe common physical hazards and their effects on human health and the public health measures designed to protect the public from these hazards;

  1. Access and critically analyse sources of scientific information.

Assessment

Journal article critique: 15%
Internet research assessment: 10%
Written assignment (2000-3000 words): 15%
End-of-semester examination (3 hours): 60%

Workload requirements

Equivalent of two 1-hour lectures and one 2-hour tutorial per week

See also Unit timetable information

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Lau Khim Heng

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

Tropical environmental biology

Prerequisites

ENV1800 or BIO1022