University of Sydney Handbooks - 2018 Archive

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Bioethics

 

Unit of study descriptions

BETH5000 Critical Concepts in Bioethics

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Professor Angus Dawson Session: Semester 2 Classes: 13x2hr seminars or Distance Education (online). Attendance is compulsory if enrolled in face-to-face mode Assessment: 1x 750wd review (15%) and 1x 1500wd essay (30%) and 1x 2000-2500wd essay (45%) and 1x online work/class participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) evening, Online
Note: This is a capstone Unit for the Master of Bioethics. If an insufficient number of students opt to attend seminars on campus, the co-ordinator may choose to teach this Unit of Study in online mode only. Students will be contacted if this occurs.
This unit of study offers a critical review of the field and methods of bioethics. The course explores the meaning of 'bioethics' as a concept and practice, both historically and in contemporary discussions. The seminars explore a diverse range of different perspectives and methods that people have used in bioethics from a critical perspective. Topics include the exploration of 'bioethics' as a topic and concept, the focus on the ethical dimensions of advances in biomedical science and biotechnology, using different theoretical positions such as risk and precaution, virtue, narrative, political philosophy, cross-cultural bioethics, especially indigenous thinking, feminist bioethics, bioethics and non-human animals, public health and, climate change and ecological and environmental bioethics. Learning activities will include seminars and small group discussion.
Textbooks
All readings can be accessed through the library or online
BETH5101 Introduction to Ethical Reasoning

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Professor Ian Kerridge and Dr Lisa Dive Session: Semester 1 Classes: 13x2hr seminars or Distance Education (online). Attendance is compulsory if enrolled in face-to-face mode Assessment: 1x 2000wd essay (35%); 1x 4000wd essay (55%); participation in seminars or online (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) evening, Online
Note: If an insufficient number of students opt to attend seminars on campus, the co-ordinator may choose to teach this Unit of Study in online mode only. Students will be contacted if this occurs.
In this unit of study students gain the background in ethical philosophy necessary to engage in advanced analyses of issues in bioethics. Introduction to Ethical Reasoning familiarises students with classical theoretical frameworks such as virtue ethics, Kantian deontology, and utilitarianism that have been influential in the history of Western philosophy. The unit also examines more contemporary approaches to ethics, such as the capabilities approach, feminist ethics, human rights doctrines, and poststructuralist approaches. Across these different theoretical frameworks, discussions will focus on topics such as cultural relativism, universalism in ethics, difference and power.
All assessments must be completed to pass this Unit.
Textbooks
Students are provided with links to online readings (via the eResearve system). Supplementary readings can be accessed through the library or online.
BETH5102 Philosophy of Medicine

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: A/Prof Christopher Jordens Session: Semester 1 Classes: Online presentations plus 12x1.5hr seminars, or fully online Assessment: 1x1200wd short written exercise (25%); 1x3000-4000wd major essay (60%); participation in seminars or online (10%); online quizzes (5%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) evening, Online
Note: If an insufficient number of students opt to attend seminars on campus, the co-ordinator may choose to teach this Unit of Study in online mode only. Students will be contacted if this occurs.
This unit of study introduces some philosophical questions and debates concerning medicine and the biomedical sciences. It is divided into three sections. The first explores basic concepts and distinctions such as health, disease, mental illness and disability. The second section deals with topics that lie at the heart of a scientific approach to medicine, namely, causation, experimentation, evidence and clinical reasoning. The final section of the course invites students to reflect critically on the preceding section by exploring the rationality claims of non-orthodox approaches, by inquiring closely into the meaning of medical terms, and by taking a broad view of the notion of risk. All assessments must be completed to pass this Unit.
Textbooks
Required readings are available through the unit of study website. Supplementary readings can be accessed through the university library.
BETH5103 Biomedicine and Society

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: A/Prof Christopher Jordens Session: Semester 2 Classes: Online lectures plus 12x1.5hr seminars, or fully online Assessment: 1x1200wd exercise (30%); 1x3000-4000wd essay (60%); Participation in seminars or online (10%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) evening, Online
Note: If an insufficient number of students opt to attend seminars on campus, the co-ordinator may choose to teach this Unit of Study in online mode only. Students will be contacted if this occurs.
How does biomedicine both influence and reflect the broader society of which it is a part? This unit of study addresses this general question by examining a set of issues relating to sex and drugs. A key theme in the course is the "medicalisation" of human experience in the domains of gender, reproduction and sexual behaviour. The course aims to widen the scope of bioethical inquiry through readings that explore the issues from a range of different perspectives including history, sociology, politics, health policy, philosophy, religion, feminism, public health, and personal experience. Each topic introduces specific concepts which students are encouraged to apply. Students are also encouraged to draw on their own disciplinary and/or professional background. Seminars, online discussions and coursework will provide opportunities to learn from other students, and apply learning from other units of study in bioethics.
All assessments must be completed to pass this Unit.
Textbooks
Required readings are available through the unit of study website. Supplementary readings can be accessed through the university library.
BETH5104 Bioethics, Law and Society

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Professor Roger Magnusson and Professor Cameron Stewart Session: Semester 1 Classes: 4x6.5hr intensives or online. Attendance is compulsory if enrolled in face-to-face block mode Assessment: 1x2000wd problem (40%); 1x3500 word essay (60%). Online 'attendance' is also compulsory and will be demonstrated by engagement in at least 8 out of the 10 weekly discussion topics. No formal mark will be given for attendance, but failure to meet the attendance requirement may result in failure of the course. Mode of delivery: Block mode, Online
Note: Prerequisites: A three-year undergraduate degree in science, medicine, nursing, allied health sciences, philosophy/ethics, sociology/anthropology, law, history, or other relevant field, or by special permission.
BETH5104 Bioethics, Law and Society introduces students to interrelationships between health care, ethics, and the law. Students will explore the moral basis of law and the means by which law in turn, influences and directs clinical practice and health policy. We also look at the limits of law in solving ethical dilemmas, and consider what happens when the law falls out of step with the moral institutions of health care providers, patients, and the general public. Over the course of the semester, students will learn to critically read and analyse primary sources of law relevant to bioethics. Students will then examine a number of areas of law that have particular significance for bioethics and society including the law of consent, medical negligence, advance directives, maternal-foetal conflicts, abortion, reproduction, end-of-life decision-making, tissue regulation and infectious disease. Learning activities in BETH5104 include lectures, case discussions (during lectures), problem-based learning, online learning activities and written assessments.
Textbooks
Required: Kerridge, Lowe and Stewart (2013), Ethics and law for the health profession, 4th Edition (Federation Press). All other compulsory readings are provided to students in digital format. Most supplementary readings can be accessed through the library collection.
BETH5201 Ethics and Biotechnology

This unit of study is not available in 2018

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Ainsley Newson Session: Semester 1 Classes: 6x2hr seminars & 1x8hr intensive; or Distance Education (online). Attendance is compulsory if enrolled in face-to-face mode. Assessment: 2x400wd tasks (2x10%); 1x1500wd essay (30%); 1x2500wd essay (40%); participation in seminars or online (10%) Mode of delivery: Online
Note: If an insufficient number of students opt to attend seminars on campus, the co-ordinator may choose to teach this Unit of Study in online mode only.
This unit of study introduces students to the ethical, social and legal issues that underlie a wide range of biotechnologies, including: genetics, genomics, human reproduction, stem cell research, nanotechnology and emerging biotechnologies. Key concepts influencing debates in this area are covered, such as 'procreative beneficence', personhood, risk, consent, public engagement, and property in the body (including gene patenting). Topical case studies are included to keep up with recent developments in the field. Students will explore the ethical limits to research and knowledge in biotechnology.
Textbooks
All readings are accessed online via elearning.
BETH5202 Human and Animal Research Ethics

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: TBC Session: Semester 2 Classes: 4x8hr intensive or Distance Education (online). Attendance is compulsory if enrolled in face-to-face mode Prohibitions: BETH5208 Assessment: Continuous assessment (short weekly tasks) (10%); 2x400wd short tasks (10%); 1x1500wd essay (30%); 1x2500wd essay (50%) Mode of delivery: Block mode, Online
Note: If an insufficient number of students opt to attend seminars on campus, the co-ordinator may choose to teach this Unit of Study in online mode only. Students will be contacted if this occurs.
This unit of study critically examines research ethics in its wider context, from how research is structured to its dissemination. It explores the ethical underpinnings of a variety of research methods and their uses in humans and non-human animals including the justifications for engaging in research, key concepts in research ethics and research integrity. The unit also briefly examines the history of research and the impact of research abuse on participants, both human and non-human animal.
Textbooks
All readings are made available via elearning.
BETH5203 Ethics and Public Health

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: TBC Session: Semester 2 Classes: 5x7hour intensives; or Distance Education (online). Prohibitions: BETH5206 Assessment: 5xOnline Quiz (50%); 1x2500wd essay (50%) Mode of delivery: Block mode, Online
This unit provides students with an overview of the ethical and political issues that underlie public health and public health research. The unit begins with some fundamentals: the nature of ethics, of public health (and how it might be different to clinical medicine) and of public health ethics. It introduces key concepts in public health ethics including liberty, utility, justice, solidarity and reciprocity, and introduces students to different ways of reasoning about the ethics of public health. A range of practical public health problems and issues will be considered, including ethical dimensions of communicable and non-communicable diseases in populations, and the ethical challenges of public health research. Throughout, the emphasis is on learning to make sound arguments about the ethical aspects of public health policy, practice and research. Most learning occurs in the context of five teaching intensives, which are highly interactive and focus on the development and application of reasoning skills.
Textbooks
Students are provided with a list of readings (in digital format).
BETH5204 Clinical Ethics

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: TBC Session: Semester 1 Classes: 4x8hr Intensives or Distance Education (online). Attendance is compulsory if enrolled in face-to-face mode Assessment: 1x1500wd case study (30%); 1x2500wd essay (50%); continuous assessment (short weekly tasks) (10%); 2x400wd Short Tasks (10%) Mode of delivery: Block mode, Online
Note: If an insufficient number of students opt to attend seminars on campus, the co-ordinator may choose to teach this Unit of Study in online mode only. Students will be contacted if this occurs.
This unit will facilitate students to critically review the ethical issues that underlie the delivery of healthcare. Students will explore: major conceptual models for ethical reasoning in the clinical context; key ethical concepts in the clinical encounter (such as consent, professionalism and confidentiality); major contexts in which ethical issues arise in clinical practice; and the role of clinical ethics consultation. The unit will also consider specific issues and populations within clinical practice, such as ethical aspects of healthcare at the beginning and end of life.
Textbooks
All readings are accessed online via elearning.
BETH5205 Ethics and Mental Health

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: A/Professor Michael Robertson; Dr Edwina Light Session: Semester 2 Classes: Distance Education (online) Assumed knowledge: Basic understanding of ethical reasoning Assessment: Major Assignment (3000 word limit) 50%; 2x5 short-answer written assessments (25% each) Mode of delivery: Online
Note: Students can meet with course coordinators by appointment in person or via teleconference
Constructs of mental health and mental illness are highly contextual to culture, history and societal notions of normative experience and conduct. Mental illness can place an individual in a position of particular disadvantage and unique vulnerability through diminished (and deprived) autonomy. In light of this, ethical deliberation in the field of mental health care differs from other lines of inquiry in biomedical ethics. This unit of study begins with an examination of the unique status of the 'psychiatric patient' and the problems in applying normative ethical approaches to moral deliberation in mental health care. We then explore particular topics in mental health ethics including the legacies of the National Socialist persecution of the sick and disabled; and unique challenges in the care of groups in the community including Aboriginal Australians, refugees and asylum seekers, people in LGBTIQ communities, and adults and children living with learning and intellectual disabilities. We also explore contemporary controversies in mental health care including coercion and involuntary treatment, the mental health implications of the euthanasia debate, gendered power, medicalisation of children's behaviour, the problem of 'evil', and mental health professionals speaking out in the media on topics of public interest. During the semester, the course coordinators provide participants with regular feedback and guidance in their engagement with the topic. Each week features a podcast lecture and/or interview with an expert in the area under consideration and recommended readings, as well as other media where relevant.
Textbooks
Robertson M and Walter G Ethics and Mental Health: The Patient, Profession and Community (2013) Boca Raton CRC Press; Students are provided with a list of readings (in digital format). Most supplementary readings can be accessed through the library or online.
BETH5206 Introduction to Public Health Ethics

Credit points: 2 Teacher/Coordinator: TBC Session: Semester 2a Classes: 2x7hour intensives; or Distance Education (online) Prohibitions: BETH5203 Assessment: 2xOnline Quiz (40%); 1x1500wd essay (60%) Mode of delivery: Block mode, Online
Note: Students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma or Master of Public Health may choose to take BETH5203 (6CP) instead of BETH5206 (2CP). This unit is available to Master of Public Health (MPH) students only.
BETH5206 Ethics and Public Health introduces you to a range of ethical issues that arise within the practice of public health. It begins with an orientation to the field: we will discuss conceptualisations of public health, what ethics is, and how ethics relates to evidence. We will talk about the origins and development of public health ethics as a (relatively new) field, and how it is distinguished from other areas of ethics. Your learning will then be structured around three sets of important concepts. The first are concepts central to utilitarian reasoning: benefit, harm and cost. The second cluster of concepts relates to the proper relationship between the citizen and the state (including public health as an institution): they are freedom, liberty and paternalism. The third cluster includes fairness, justice and equity, concepts that are often used rhetorically in public health, but not always carried through into practice. We will focus on two main case studies to apply what you learn. Throughout this unit you will be encouraged to ask questions, and to compare and debate competing answers to those questions. What is public health? What does it mean to say that something is harmful? To what extent should we each be free to engage in practices that harm our health? What is the proper role of the state in attempting to change the health of populations? What is equity and why does it matter (and if it matters, why aren't we doing more about it)? This is a Core Unit for Graduate Diploma and Master in Public Health students. Most learning occurs in the context of two teaching intensives, which are highly interactive and focus on the development and application of reasoning skills.
Textbooks
Students are provided with a list of readings (in digital format). Most supplementary readings can be accessed through the library or online.
BETH5207 Arts in Health

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Claire Hooker Session: Semester 1 Classes: 2 x 2 days 9am-5pm block mode intensive Assessment: 2 x 300-400 wrd or equivalent online task (25%), 1 x 1000 wrd written assignment or equivalent (25%), 1 x 2500 wrd written assignment (50%) Mode of delivery: Block mode
Creative practices are transforming health and healthcare. The arts and health movement is rapidly growing around the world, by taking action at the nexus between wellbeing, community, and individual physical health. Creative practices are shifting aging, mental health, residential care, and disability from exclusion and stigmatisation, to empowerment, agency, and connection, and in this way generating health improvements that are simultaneously physical and psychosocial. This unit gives students practical examples of how to incorporate the arts into public health and health care. You will be oriented to theories, justifications, and research evidence for varying uses of creative arts in health, and will be given access to a range of practical approaches, models and experiences. Areas covered include: the status and uses of art and music as therapy; music, psychology and medicine; narrative health; hospital art, design and architecture; creative practice in community health, and the role of art in public health, health research, and social marketing campaigns. Students will be treated to a diverse range of guest lecturers from the fields of visual performing arts and related areas of expertise. This course will appeal to students of public health; literary, visual and performing arts; social work; psychology; and related disciplines, who want to understand more about the inter-connectedness of the arts with human health.
Questions covered:
Why is art important to health and how does it achieve such sometimes transformative effects?
How can we evaluate arts and health programs? When do we know they are delivering value for money?
What sorts of arts-based programs are useful for different health issues and health care facilities?
Does art help people develop empathy for others or for suffering?
What are the most significant ethical issues in developing arts and health approaches and programs?
Textbooks
Students are provided with a list of readings (in digital format). Supplementary readings and course materials, to which students are invited to contribute, can be accessed through the library or online.
BETH5208 Introduction to Human Research Ethics

This unit of study is not available in 2018

Credit points: 2 Teacher/Coordinator: A/Professor Ainsley Newson Session: Semester 2a Classes: Block mode (1.5 days) or online Prohibitions: BETH5202 Assessment: 1x1500wd essay (80%); 1x 400wd task (10%); participation in class/online (10%) Mode of delivery: Block mode, Online
This unit of study introduces students to human research ethics in its wider context. It explores the ethical underpinnings of the research endeavour including the justifications for engaging in research and research integrity. The unit also briefly reviews the history of research and the impact of research abuse on human participants.
Textbooks
All readings are accessed online via elearning.
BETH5209 Medicines Policy, Economics and Ethics

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Wendy Lipworth, Narcyz Ghinea Session: Semester 2 Classes: Fully online. Assumed knowledge: A degree in science, medicine, pharmacy, nursing, allied health, philosophy/ethics, sociology/anthropology, history, law, communications, public policy, business, economics, commerce, organisation studies, or other relevant field, or by special permission. Assessment: Online work (15%) 1x minor essay (35%) 1x major essay (50%) Mode of delivery: Online
Medicines save lives but they can be costly and can have serious adverse effects. Value-laden decisions are continuously being made at individual, institutional, national and international levels regarding the medicines we need, want and can afford. In this unit of study, we will explore and critique global and national policies and processes related to medicines, examining how research and development agendas are set; how medicines are assessed and evaluated; and how new technologies are translated into practice. We will also explore broader trends such as globalisation, commercialisation and changing consumer expectations. By the end of the course, students will understand the forces shaping the development, regulation, funding and uptake of medicines both nationally and internationally, and the political, ethical, legal and economic issues that are at stake. This course is designed to appeal to a wide range of students from ethics, law, public health, health care, policy, communications, economics, business, politics, administration, and biomedical science.
Textbooks
Readings will be provided
BETH5301 Research Project A

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: A/Professor Ainsley Newson Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: Regular consultation with supervisor Prerequisites: Credit average (or higher) in 24 credit points of BETH units of study. Corequisites: BETH5302 Assessment: Research treatise (15,000 words) Mode of delivery: Supervision
Note: Department permission required for enrolment
This unit must be taken in conjunction with BETH5302 (Research Project B). These units are available only to students admitted to the Master of Bioethics Research pathway. The Research Project (i.e. parts A and B combined) provides opportunity for research and in-depth learning in a bioethics topic of special interest or importance to the student. Successful completion of the project may also provide students with the research experience required for the pursuit of a higher degree. This unit involves independent research and regular meetings with a supervisor. In the process of completing the Research Project (i.e. parts A and B combined), students will produce an original 15,000 word treatise. Choice of topic depends on the availability of an appropriate supervisor. It is recommended, but not required, that BETH5301 and BETH5302 are taken in consecutive separate semesters, rather than concurrently. A mark for both BETH5301 and BETH5302 combined is provided at the completion of BETH5302. It is possible to take these units in distance mode.
BETH5302 Research Project B

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: A/Professor Ainsley Newson Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: Regular consultation with supervisor Prerequisites: Credit average (or higher) in 24 credit points of BETH units of study. Corequisites: BETH5301 Assessment: Research treatise (15,000 words) Mode of delivery: Supervision
Note: Department permission required for enrolment
This unit must be taken in conjunction with BETH5301 (Research Project A). These units are available only to students admitted to the Master of Bioethics Research pathway. The Research Project (i.e. parts A and B combined) provides opportunity for research and in-depth learning in a bioethics topic of special interest or importance to the student. Successful completion of the project may also provide students with the research experience required for the pursuit of a higher degree. This unit involves independent research and regular meetings with a supervisor. In the process of completing the Research Project (i.e. parts A and B combined), students will produce an original 15,000 word treatise. Choice of topic depends on the availability of an appropriate supervisor. It is recommended, but not required, that BETH5301 and BETH5302 are taken in consecutive semesters, rather than concurrently. A mark for both BETH5301 and BETH5302 combined is provided at the completion of BETH5302. It is possible to take these units in distance mode.
BMRI5001 Neuroethics

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Cynthia Forlini Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x 2-hr lecture/week Assessment: Class discussions (5%), open peer commentary (10%), abstract (5%), position paper 1 (40%), position paper 2 (40%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) evening
Note: This is a capstone unit of study for the Master in Brain and Mind Sciences and Master of Medicine (Psychiatry).
This unit of study synthesizes and critically scruitinizes our models and concepts of brain and mind through a neuroethics lens. Neuroethics is sub-field of bioethics that is concerned with the ethical, legal and social impact of the neurosciences. Beginning with a module on the historical development of modern neuroscience, students will learn about the beliefs, experiements and discoveries that have led us to recognise how the brain contributes to the human experience in unique ways. Throughout this unit, students will examine how advances in neuroscience have shaped how we conduct research, treat clinical conditions, make individual and collective decisions, and live together as a society. During the class discussions and assessments, students will grapple with the issues that arise when we intervene in the brain and how those interventions modify our concepts of health, illness, identity and morality. The scope of these issues is enormous and speaks to the importance of students developing a clear framework to contextualize developments in neuroscience within the scientific, ethical, cultural, social and legal environments in which they arise.
Textbooks
Specific reference material listed on eLearning
MMHU6902 Independent Study

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Claire Hooker: Claire.hooker@sydney.edu.au Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: 1hr/week supervision Prerequisites: You must have completed at least one other unit of study in a postgraduate coursework degree before seeking permission to enrol. Assessment: 1x5000-6000wd research essay Mode of delivery: Supervision
Note: Department permission required for enrolment
Note: You must seek permission from the unit of study coordinator prior to enrolment.
This unit will provide an opportunity for approved candidates to pursue a self directed project equivalent in size and scope to a 6cp unit of study, under supervision. Students will be expected to discuss and plan the project with their supervisor, then submit drafted material to an agreed timetable, and to discuss this drafted material with their supervisor before submitting a final essay. All assessments must be completed to pass this unit. Supervisor contact will be the equivalent of 1/2 hr per week for the semester.
MMHU6913 Health in World History

This unit of study is not available in 2018

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Claire Hooker Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x 2 hr seminar weekly or online response to readings Assessment: 2x 3000 word essay (100%) Mode of delivery: Normal (lecture/lab/tutorial) evening
From Black Death, syphilis, fevers, and venereal disease to Truvada whores and complex dynamic systems, this unit of study requires students to systematically explore the major critical perspectives on public health by examining its history. Most public health policy and practice is in fact determined by the traditions, ideas, values and practices that developed in the past. Students will gain an understanding of how how different forms of evidence have been constructed for different public health policies, and able to identify the social and cultural correlates of shifts in medical and health concepts over time. They will also learn to situate developments in public health in relation to macro political and economic determinants, as they explore how public health and colonial and State power co-developed and how these alliances and power structures continue to be reflected today in the Emerging Infectious Diseases worldview. Students will be able to offer explanations both of what drives change and paradigm shifts in public health policy and practice and of the effects of underlying long term continuities in approaches to public health. Students will be required to use their knowledge to develop self-reflexive critical assessments of the ethical commitments they want to guide their own practice and that of contemporary public health policy.
PUBH5422 Health and Risk Communication

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Claire Hooker, Associate Professor Julie Leask, Professor Phyllis Butow Session: Semester 2 Classes: Block/intensive 2 blocks of 2 x 9-5 full days; please check with the coordinator for scheduling Assessment: Assignment 1: 1 x 2500 word (35%), Assignment 2: 1 x 2500 words or equivalent (35%), online activities (30%). Attendance at intensives is compulsory and 80% attendance is required to pass the unit of study. Mode of delivery: Block mode
In this unit, students learn how to communicate effectively with respect to health risks, both to individuals with health concerns, and with respect to risks to the public. The first half covers individual health risk communication in clinical settings, including: theories of health communication, patient centred care and shared decision making; evidence-based communication skills; research paradigms including interaction analysis; cross-cultural communication in health care; discussing prognosis; and informed consent. The second half explores risk communication for public health, including: how to effectively manage outbreak or other crisis situations; how to communicate about issues where the risk is low but ublic concern is high (such as with respect to the fluoridation of water); and how to best manage controversies. We teach theories of risk perception and communication with particular application to public health incident responses. We give practical guides to media messages, risk message framing, public engagement, traditional and social media, and the ethical aspects of public communication. The unit offers students the opportunity to learn from outstanding guest lecturers who work in these areas and interactive opportunities for students to try their skills in risk communication and decision making.
Textbooks
Students are provided with a list of readings (in digital format). Most supplementary readings can be accessed through the library or online.
PUBH5500 Advanced Qualitative Health Research

Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Julie Mooney-Somers (Semester 1); Andrea Smith (Semester 2) Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: 2x3 full day workshop in March/April (semester 1); 2x3 full day workshops in August/September (semester 2) Prohibitions: QUAL5005 or QUAL5006 Assessment: interviewing activity with reflection (25%); 2000wd essay (25%); 2x group presentations (20%); multiple choice quizzes (20%); in-class participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Block mode
This unit of study provides a comprehensive introduction to qualitative inquiry in health. It is designed for beginners and people who want an advanced-level introduction. Over the course of the unit we will address: What is qualitative research? How is it different from quantitative research? What is its history? What research problems can it address? How do I design a qualitative study? What are the different (and best) ways to generate data? How do you analyse qualitative data? Is methodology different to method? What are ontology and epistemology? What is reflexivity (and aren't qualitative researchers biased)? What are the ethical issues? What is good quality qualitative research? Can I generalise qualitative findings? You will get practical experience and skills through carrying out an observation, participating in a focus group, conducting an interview, analysing data, arguing for qualitative research in health, and appraising the quality of published literature. In both workshops you will meet working qualitative researchers and hear about their projects. This advanced unit will show you a new way of thinking critically about research and researching, and give you the skills and confidence to begin evaluating and doing qualitative research for yourself.
QUAL5005 Introducing Qualitative Health Research

Credit points: 4 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Julie Mooney-Somers (semester 1); Andrea Smith (semester 2) Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: block mode: 2x2 full day workshops in March/April (semester 1) or 2 x 2 full day workshops in August/September (semester 2) OR distance mode: 10 x weekly online lectures and activities (semester 1 only) Prohibitions: PUBH5500 or QUAL5006 Assessment: Interviewing activity with reflection (35%); multiple choice quizzes (20%); 1750-word essay (35%); online or in-class participation (10%) Mode of delivery: Block mode, Online
Note: This Unit is primarily aimed at Master of Public Health (MPH) students. Other students are encouraged to consider PUBH5500 instead. MPH students who complete PUBH5500 get an automatic waiver for QUAL5005
Introducing Qualitative Health Research is perfect if you're a beginner and want to gain an overview of this research approach. Over the course of the unit we will address: What is qualitative research? How is it different from quantitative research? What research problems can it address? How do I design a qualitative study? What are the different (and best) ways to generate data? How do you analyse qualitative data? How are theories used in qualitative research? What is good quality qualitative research? Can I generalise qualitative findings? You will get practical experience and skills through carrying out an observation, participating in a focus group, conducting an interview, analysing data, arguing for qualitative research in health, and appraising the quality of published literature. You will also meet working qualitative researchers and hear about their projects. This introductory Unit will give you the skills and confidence to begin evaluating qualitative literature and doing qualitative research for yourself.