PUBH5040: Practice Placement in Public Health

This unit gives high-achieving students the opportunity to undertake a supervised work placement in a Public Health institution, typically undertaken in place of the Capstone unit. It is undertaken in a student's final semester (with very rare exceptions), when students have completed their core units or are concurrently completing their final core unit(s). Students are eligible if they have an average weighted mark of approximately 75% or more at the time of entry to the semester in which they will complete the placement. Places are limited and the final selection of candidates will be based on academic merit (students with a higher WAM will be prioritised for placement) and suitability of the placements available for student interests/skills. During this placement you will undertake a project which will make a useful contribution to the workplace. The placement will consist of a minimum of 216 hours' work, that is approximately six weeks' full-time (or equivalent part-time) work. The assessments are a proposal, presentation and report on the placement. Placements are typically in Sydney and surrounding areas but it may be possible to allow placements in regional/rural areas of NSW, other states/territories and countries in specific circumstances. The Public Health institutions would normally be located outside university environments, although some occur in research institutes. Examples include NSW Department of Health Public Health Units or Health Promotion Units, Primary Health Networks, government supported agencies such as the Sax Institute and Family Planning NSW, and non-government organisations such as NSW Cancer Council or advocacy groups. Some placements may require students to complete vaccinations, serology, police checks and other clearances several weeks or months prior to semester commencing.