Healthy and Sustainable Places (8578.2)

Please note these are the 2026 details for this unit
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Healthy and Sustainable Places
Available teaching periods Delivery mode Location
View teaching periods On-campus
 Bruce, Canberra
EFTSL Credit points Faculty
0.125 3 Faculty Of Health
Discipline Study level HECS Bands
Discipline Of Public Health Level 3 - Undergraduate Advanced Unit Band 2 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021)
Band 3 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021)
This interdisciplinary unit addresses relationships between places (i.e. housing, workplaces, schools, healthcare facilities, neighbourhoods, cities, natural ecosystems) and population health. The unit will examine the spectrum of health issues from traditional concerns (e.g. air pollution, water quality, chemical hazards, injury) to contemporary issues (e.g. food security, physical activity, mental health, social capital) and emerging challenges (e.g. climate change and planetary boundaries). Australian and international comparisons will be made. Policy settings and program approaches for creating more healthy and sustainable places will be analysed in detail. Evaluation techniques and performance measurement will be applied to public health outcomes in built and natural environments.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
1. Understand the impact of environments on human health at a range of scales and from a variety of disciplinary perspectives;
2. Use systems thinking methods to explore the dynamics of human settlement patterns and identify leverage points for intervention;
3. Evaluate strategies for healthy and sustainable place making, including community development, behaviour change, and policy and legislative approaches;
4. Critically analyse different policy and planning responses within Australia and from other nations to the case for more healthy and sustainable places; and
5. Identify future challenges in the broad field of healthy and sustainable place making.


Graduate attributes

1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively
1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - take pride in their professional and personal integrity
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
1. UC graduates are professional - work collaboratively as part of a team, negotiate, and resolve conflict
2. UC graduates are global citizens - adopt an informed and balanced approach across professional and international boundaries
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings
2. UC graduates are global citizens - make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - think globally about issues in their profession
2. UC graduates are global citizens - understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures
2. UC graduates are global citizens - understand issues in their profession from the perspective of other cultures
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - be self-aware
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - evaluate and adopt new technology
4. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing - use Indigenous histories and traditional ecological knowledge to develop and augment understanding of their discipline


Prerequisites

None.

Corequisites

None.

Equivalent units

None.

Assumed knowledge

None.
Availability for enrolment in 2026, 2027 is subject to change and may not be confirmed until closer to the teaching start date.
Year Location Teaching period Teaching start date Delivery mode Unit convener
2025 Bruce, Canberra Winter Term 26 May 2025 On-campus Dr Ro McFarlane
2026 Bruce, Canberra Winter Term 08 June 2026 On-campus Dr Ro McFarlane
2027 Bruce, Canberra Winter Term 07 June 2027 On-campus Dr Ro McFarlane
The information provided should be used as a guide only. Timetables may not be finalised until week 2 of the teaching period and are subject to change. Search for the unit timetable.

Required texts

Botchwey, N., Dannenberg, A. L., Frumkin H. (2022), Making Healthy Places: Designing and Building for  Well-being, Equity and Sustainability. Washington DC, USA, Island Press.

The text is available as an ebook or on short term loan from the UC Library .

You can access it here https://library.canberra.edu.au/permalink/61ARL_CNB/esmov/alma991005145623903996

Other resources are provided on the modules

 

Submission of assessment items

Extensions & Late submissions

Artificial intelligence

Students are not permitted to use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in assessments for this unit, except for Studiosity Writing Feedback Plus.

GenAI may only be used in authorised ways when completing assessments at UC. This means that GenAI can only be used for an assessment when:

  1. the Unit Convener has authorised GenAI use for that assessment
  2. the student uses GenAI in the way that the assessment instructions allow
  3. the student fully acknowledges their use of GenAI, with proper citations, references and a GenAI Acknowledgement Statement in line with the assessment instructions.

Where the assessment instructions do not specifically state that GenAI may be used and how, then its use is not permitted for that assessment. Students must still provide the required GenAI Acknowledgement Statement to indicate whether GenAI has or has not been used in the preparation of the assessment. If unsure, students should seek advice from the Unit Convener.

The GenAI for Students Library Guide provides further information, including how to reference GenAI.

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment will be offered to students in the unit who are eligible according to the Assessment Policy and Procedures.

 

Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.

Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.

UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).

UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.

Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.

Inclusion and engagement

This unit is inclusive. Participants with visual impairs and other disadvantages might require technical assistance to access learning material and should seek unit convenors advice prior enrollment.

Participation requirements

This unit is offerd on campus. 

We value experiential learning. This is maximised in face to face tutorials and attendance is required.

It is also respectful to guest presenters. 

You are required to participate in the local Field Trip in Weeks 3 and 4 with guest Tour Guides (walking and possibly using public transport).

The unit also requires you to get out walking to complete an audit of either an area close to your home or at the UC campus if this is where you live.

You need to understand the pace of 7 wk Winter Term units and take seriously the 10 hour/week guideline, for a 3 unit course.

 

Required IT skills

You will also be required to produce a 10 minute presentation, involving both pictures and sound (Audit of Place). This can be done using powerpoint, prezi, or by making a video with youtube.

 

In-unit costs

Some transportation to the Field Trips may incur cost. During the Field trips we will walk

Work placement, internships or practicums

None

Additional information

             Assessment items are moderated according to Faculty of Health Guidelines for Moderation.

Announcements made on Canvas are deemed to be made to the whole group. Please check the Healthy and Sustainable Places Canvas site (http://learnonline.canberra.edu.au) regularly for messages.

Field trips are approved university excursions,accompanied by staff and guest presenters

Next step

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