Outline

Overview

This unit provides students with an opportunity to draw together and apply their learning across the degree program by working on a public health project. The key aim is for students to undertake tasks they are likely to need to do during their public health career - undertake a project, prepare a summary of it, and communicate their findings to a wide audience. Students will undertake a focused project on a public health topic. This may be as part of a practical public health project or on area investigated primarily for the purposes of the Capstone unit. The projects will be identified by the unit coordinators; students will be able to choose from these projects depending on interests and eligibility. Students will produce a project outline, symposium abstract, symposium presentation with Q&A, and a report on their work.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Public Health
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	30 credit points from (PUBH5010 and (PUBH5018 or FMHU5002) and (FMHU5003 or PUBH5505 or BACH5255 or QUAL5005) and HPOL5000 and PUBH5033 and PUBH5036)
Corequisites ?	36 credit points from (PUBH5010 and (PUBH5018 or FMHU5002) and (FMHU5003 or PUBH5505 or BACH5255 or QUAL5005) and HPOL5000 and PUBH5033 and PUBH5036)
Prohibitions ?	PUBH5034
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Alison Pearce, alison.pearce@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 31 August 2026

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Written work	Deliverable and Reflection Written assessment - deliverable (including abstract) and reflection.	25%	Formal exam period Due date: 17 Nov 2026 at 23:59	Approx 2500 words including deliverable	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Conversation	Supervisor Evaluation Assessment of responsibility/relationship throughout project by project supervisor	15%	Formal exam period Due date: 17 Nov 2026 at 23:59	n/a	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	Project Outline Written assessment - project outline	10%	Week 04 Due date: 30 Aug 2026 at 23:59	2-3 pages	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Q&A following presentation, submission or placement	Q&A following presentation Q&A following oral presentation - live via Zoom. Session will occur on Wednesday or Thursday depending on allocated slot.	30%	Week 13 Due date: 04 Nov 2026 at 09:00	10 minutes of question and answer	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Symposium Presentation Oral presentation live via Zoom (slides due on Monday, presentation delivered on Wednesday or Thursday depending on allocated slot). Slides are marked as part of presentation.	20%	Week 13 Due date: 04 Nov 2026 at 09:00	10 minutes of presentation	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ?

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment and Guidance for AI use can be found on Canvas.

Task 1: Project Outline

In close consultation with your Supervisor, you will write a 2-3 page outline (using the template provided) that clearly defines the details of your Capstone Project. You will send this to your Supervisor for feedback and approval and then upload the approved outline to the Canvas. This is to ensure you and your Supervisor are aligned on project focus, scope, deliverable and timeframes.

Task 2&3: Symposium Presentation and Q&A following Presentation

Tasks 2 and 3 will be completed together. For online mode students, they will be completed in an allocated timeslot that occurs live online via Zoom.

For Task 2, you will deliver a symposium presentation to markers which summarises your project. You must submit your PowerPoint slides for this presentation in advance on the Monday. Please be aware these slides cannot be changed between submission and the presentation day.

For Task 3, following your presentation the markers will ask you questions about your project. This is a hurdle task - students must achieve a Pass mark or higher in this task to pass the Unit of Study.

Task 4: Deliverable and Reflection

The Deliverable is the final output of your project and therefore the final format is determined by your Supervisor depending on the goals of your project. Many projects produce a formal report, however some projects may additionally or alternatively involve other outputs such as spreadsheets, health promotion resources, etc. The marking guide can be adapted by your Supervisor if needed. As the Deliverable for each project varies, please be sure to ask your Supervisor for their advice on the format and length of your Deliverable. Regardless of the Deliverable format, all students must include a reflection on their project and an abstract in their Deliverable (guidance on these will be provided from the Unit Coordinators).

Task 5: Supervisor evaluation

You will not need to submit anything for this Task, which will involve your Supervisor evaluating the process of your work on your project across the semester. This will include your professional communication and relationships with the Supervisor and other relevant stakeholders as well as your ability to take initiative and seek help when needed.

Generative AI

In this Unit, the use of generative AI is cautioned (see Generative AI Guidance on Canvas for more information and the University's AI guidance https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/academic-integrity/artificial-intelligence.html).

Per University policy, you are permitted to use generative AI in open assessments for this unit (the outline and the deliverable and for preparing your presentation), but all uses must be clearly acknowledged. Use of generative AI should be ethical, productive, and uphold critical thinking. Please note that the following is considered misuse of AI by the University: “inputting University teaching or course materials, content generated by another student, Intellectual Property from external partners, or any person’s personal or health information”, so you cannot put any of these things into AI – this is likely to be especially relevant for you in doing a Capstone project where you may be working with organisational information or research data including personal or health information.

Please also note that as this is a project-based unit where you are completing a project for a Capstone supervisor/organisation, you must additionally abide by any rules regarding generative AI from your project supervisor/organisation, which may be more restrictive than University policy. If generative AI use is restricted or forbidden by your organisation (e.g. due to privacy concerns with personal information, concerns about disclosure of commercial-in-confidence information, etc), this supersedes the University policy and you must abide by these rules. Depending on your project/organisation, this may mean that you can only use generative AI in a restricted way or cannot use generative AI at all.

For secure assessments (the Q&A following presentation), you are not permitted to use generative AI.

Please note that academic integrity rules always apply and it is your responsibility to understand your obligations regarding academic integrity.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

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.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

If you are unable to submit on time, you have two options: You can apply in advance for an extension of up to five days through a simple extension. Granting a simple extension has no impact on eligibility to apply for special consideration. For longer extensions, in cases of illness or misadventure for example, you can apply for special consideration or special arrangements. According to the University’s website: If you experience short-term circumstances beyond your control, such as illness, injury or misadventure, which affect your preparation or performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration. You need to apply within 3 working days of the assessment. If you have essential commitments that will impact your preparation or performance in an assessment, it may be possible for you to make special arrangements to fulfil your responsibilities. If you are affected by long-term circumstances, such as a recurring medical condition, we encourage you to register with Disability Services. All applications for special consideration are submitted and processed centrally. Late penalties: Assignments have due dates (1) to ensure equity in that all students are given the same preparation time (2) to demonstrate that students are capable of producing the required standard of work within a set period of time (3) to allow staff to mark assignments and to submit marks to the University's examinations office by the required dates. Failure to submit assignments by the due date compromises these important goals. If you can't submit your assessments on the dates set you will need to discuss this with your unit coordinator and submit for a simple extension or a special consideration. Penalties for late submission may be applied in accordance with the Faculty of Medicine and Health resolutions. Failure to submit an assessment on time may result in late penalties as described in the Assessment Procedures 2011: “For every calendar day up to and including ten calendar days after the due date, a penalty of 5% of the maximum awardable marks will be applied to late work. The penalty will be calculated by first marking the work, and then subtracting 5% of the maximum awardable mark for each calendar day after the due date. For assessments more than 10 days late, the mark will be zero.”

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
Progressive	Research Project Activity - regular engagement with the Project Leader - self-directed work	Fieldwork (120 hr)
Week 01	1. Welcome; 2. Overview: 3. Student support: 4. Literature search workshop and drop-in sessions; 5. Presentation skills; 6. Canvas sign-up; 7. Q and A; 8. Project leaders and projects. Online students can watch the workshop live on Zoom or watch a recording after the workshop.	Workshop (4 hr)
Week 02	Project Outline	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 03	Generative AI	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 04	Ethics	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 05	Project Management	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 06	Open Session	One-on-one supervision meeting (1 hr)
Week 07	Open Session	One-on-one supervision meeting (1 hr)
Week 08	Open Session	One-on-one supervision meeting (1 hr)
Week 09	Careers Session	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 10	Writing Skills with the Learning Hub	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 11	Presentation and Q&A Skills	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 12	Deliverable and Reflections	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 13	Open Session	One-on-one supervision meeting (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: This Unit is normally offered as face-to-face, online, or a combination of both. The student workshop will be run face-to-face with the option to Zoom in and a recording offered to students who cannot attend live.
Interaction between Supervisors and students may be face-to-face, online, or both, depending on the needs of the project and as specified in the project description prepared by Supervisors. Contact time for the project may vary and will be determined by the Supervisors.
For the symposium presentation and Q&A, block mode students are expected to present in person and online mode students are expected to present via Zoom.

Other: All students will complete online learning activities and training workshops. For their individual Capstone projects, all students will communicate with their Supervisors via email/meetings as appropriate to the project.

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

Readings will be set for each project by the Project Leader.

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. Apply knowledge and skills to an authentic work-related task in public health
LO2. Write a detailed report or other deliverable that meets the project’s requirements
LO3. Write a succinct and persuasive conference abstract
LO4. Deliver a succinct and persuasive conference presentation
LO5. Work independently and engage in self-directed learning
LO6. Provide support to team members as appropriate.

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.

Incorporation of student feedback is currently in progress for the upcoming semester.

Additional information

More information can be found on Canvas.

Special Consideration

Work, health and safety

There may be specific WHS requirements, depending on the project – these will be specified by the Supervisor.

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

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

PUBH5134: Public Health Capstone

Semester 2, 2026 [Online] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

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

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links