NYUS3504: Semester 2, 2025

Units NYUS3504 Semester 2 2025 [Normal day]

Unit outline_

NYUS3504: Environmental Health in a Global World

Semester 2, 2025 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

This unit of study is only available to students approved to be participating in the NYU Sydney Program.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Public Health
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Yuri Ogura, yuri.ogura@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Jane Elkington, jane.elkington@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Written work	Final Assignment 2 essays to synthesise concepts learned and short answer questions	25%	Formal exam period Due date: 17 Nov 2025 at 11:30	6 pages	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Contribution	Participation Active participation in class will be reflected in this course requirement	10%	Ongoing	ongoing	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Case studies	Homework 1 Present case study in group on environmental injustice	15%	Week 03 Due date: 18 Aug 2025 at 14:00	10-15 minute presentation, 2 page notes	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
In-class quiz	Midterm 1 In class exam consisting of multiple choice and short answer questions	15%	Week 05 Due date: 01 Sep 2025 at 00:00	60 minutes	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Case studies	Homework 2 Present case study in group on legislative initiatives to protect health	20%	Week 10 Due date: 13 Oct 2025 at 14:00	10-15min presentation, 2 page notes	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
In-class quiz	Midterm 2 In class exam consisting of multiple choice and short answer questions	15%	Week 12 Due date: 27 Oct 2025 at 00:00	60 minutes	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Class Participation: Active participation in class, and attendance, will be reflected in this part of the course requirements. Students are required to demonstrate accountability and responsibility in their preparation for, and engagement with, the course and its readings.
Homework Assignments (x2): Students will complete two small group homework assignments generated from the readings and further research. For the first assignment, students will present to the class a case study of the group’s choosing on environmental injustice. For the second assignment, students will present to the class on one of Australia’s world leading legislative initiatives to protect health.
Midterm Exams (x2): Two in-class midterms will consist of multiple choice and short answer questions which cover understanding of key terms and concepts, and their application to real world problems of environmental health and environmental risk.
Final Assignment: The final assessment will emphasise two essays to synthesise concepts learned in the course, plus short answers to cover topics since the mid-term 2 exam.

Assessment criteria

For this course your total numerical score, calculated from the components listed above, correspond to the following letter grades:

A	90 to 100
A-	86 to < 90
B+	82 to < 86
B	72 to < 82
B-	68 to < 72
C+	64 to < 68
C	54 to <64
C-	50 to < 54
D+	45 to < 50
D	40 to < 45
F	0 to < 40

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Overview: What is Environmental Health?; Economic Context of Health	Block teaching (3.5 hr)
Week 02	Environmental Justice; Principles of Toxicology	Block teaching (3.5 hr)
Week 03	Principles of Epidemiology	Block teaching (3.5 hr)
Week 04	Air and water pollution and health	Block teaching (3.5 hr)
Week 05	Climate change and health	Block teaching (3.5 hr)
Week 06	Disasters and disaster preparedness; Hazardous Waste	Block teaching (3.5 hr)
Week 07	Child Safety and the Environment; Children’s Health and Lead	Block teaching (3.5 hr)
Week 08	The Environment and Health Behaviour	Block teaching (3.5 hr)
Week 09	Healthy Housing and indigenous health; Genes, the environment and health	Block teaching (3.5 hr)
Week 10	Healthy built environments	Block teaching (3.5 hr)
Week 11	Exposure Science & Risk Assessment; Occupational Health & Safety	Block teaching (3.5 hr)
Week 12	Injuries and the environment	Block teaching (3.5 hr)
Week 13	Food; Course wrap up	Block teaching (3.5 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: Studying at NYU Sydney is an academically intensive and immersive experience, in which students from a wide range of backgrounds exchange ideas in discussion-based seminars. Learning in such an environment depends on the active participation of all students. And since classes typically meet once or twice a week, even a single absence can cause a student to miss a significant portion of a course. To ensure the integrity of this academic experience, class attendance at NYU Sydney is expected promptly when class begins. Attendance will be checked at each class meeting.

Unexcused absences may be penalized with a two percent deduction from the student’s final course grade for every week's worth of classes missed, and may negatively affect your class participation grade. Four unexcused absences in one course may lead to a Fail in that course. Being more than 15 minutes late counts as an unexcused absence.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Robert H. Friis Third Edition. Essentials of Environmental Health: Burlington, VT, Jones and Bartlett Learning, 2019.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Define and describe the field of environmental health
LO2. Be familiar with different roles and responsibilities of government agencies in monitoring and addressing environmental health.
LO3. Have considered aspects of environmental health issues both domestically and internationally.
LO4. Be acquainted with the origins of the field, and with some of the issues it faces today.
LO5. Understand the relationship between social movements and efforts to address environmental health threats

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Updates to assessment dates to reflect semester 2, 2025

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links