Units / HSC1300
HSC1300 · Human health and disease
2026 Handbook6 credit pointsLevel 1School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine
Last checked: 23 Aug 2026 UTCOverview
You will be introduced to the course of disease for common health conditions, and their impact on individuals and populations. You will learn about different types of disease, and explore common diseases from pathophysiological, psychosocial, and epidemiological perspectives. The course of disease, and contributing and risk factors at the individual and social levels are explored, as well as the consequences for individuals, health systems, and society. You will consider various conditions including diseases across the communicable, non-communicable, acute, chronic and degenerative conditions.
Offerings
| Campus | Teaching period | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Caulfield | Second semester | Teaching activities are on-campus (ON-CAMPUS) |
Assessment
The Handbook lists an examination for this unit.
| # | Assessment | Type | Weight | Hurdle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Case study (5 x 360 words; total 1,800 words) | Written | 30% | — |
| 2 | Group oral presentation on communicable disease scenario ( 8 mins presentation and 2 mins Q&A) | Presentation | 10% | — |
| 3 | Group written project proposal on on-communicable disease (2,200 words) | Written | 25% | — |
| 4 | Final exam (2 hours and 10 mins) | Examination | 35% | — |
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Requisites
The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.
Learning outcomes
- Explain the biological basis of selected human health and disease.
- Describe the pathophysiology and course of disease for selected human diseases.
- Identify the social and individual factors contributing to selected human disease.
- Explain the consequences of selected human diseases for health systems, society and epidemiology.
- Research a current topic in human health and disease using relevant high quality evidence
- Develop organisational and communication skills in a small team environment.
Workload
1 hour lecture, 2 hour tutorial, 3 hours of directed online student learning activities, plus 6 hours of self-directed study per week.
| Activity | Duration |
|---|---|
| Tutorials | 24 hours |
| Lectures | 12 hours |
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