The University of Adelaide
Course Outlines

HLTH SC 3012A - Research Placement (Public Health) Part 1

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2025

The Research Placement course is a capstone experience designed to develop research skills in third-year BHlthMedSc students through a year-long research placement related to their major. Students will design a project, learn research methodology in performing the project, analyse, interpret and communicate the findings of a research project or internship placement under academic supervision in a Small Group Discovery Experience. Some research placements will require a GPA > 5.5. The research placement experience will be supported by workshop modules and journal club sessions. These will include: 1. Common modules on core competencies (eg research integrity, research ethics), 2. Major-specific modules including journal clubs to develop evaluation skills 3. A fixed number of skills modules selected according to skills required for the specific placement and the student's existing skills/courses already completed (e.g. systematic review principles, laboratory research design). Each student will document their research activities with a final written report, and in addition will communicate their research findings at an end-of-year symposium.

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  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code HLTH SC 3012A
    Course Research Placement (Public Health) Part 1
    Coordinating Unit Public Health
    Term Semester 1
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 6 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Prerequisites HLTH SC 1002 or HLTH SC 1006 and HLTH SC 2105 or HLTH SC 1006 and HLTH SC 2012 and the pre-requisite courses at Level II for this major. Must have 18 units of Level II courses, including the listed Level II courses
    Restrictions Only available to BHlthMedSc and BHlthMedSc (Adv) students. Students may only complete the 6 units of research placement within their chosen major.
    Assessment Individual research proposal (summative); Group introductory oral seminar (summative)
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Simran Sidhu


    Course Coordinators:

    Email: Faculty of Health Sciences Research Placement Coordination team
    FHSRPC@adelaide.edu.au

    Dr Simran Sidhu
    Senior Lecturer
    simran.sidhu@adelaide.edu.au

    Dr Nichola Thompson
    Senior Lecturer
    nichola.thompson@adelaide.edu.au

    Student & Program Support Services Hub
    Email: askhealthsc@adelaide.edu.au
    Phone: +61 8313 0273
    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

    The full timetable can be accessed from MyUni.
  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    1. Locate, critically evaluate and synthesise relevant evidence from multiple sources in a planned and timely manner.
    2. Analyse and interpret project results correctly and in context.
    3. Work effectively in teams to investigate contemporary problems.
    4. Demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills including giving and receiving constructive feedback.
    5. Behave appropriately in a professional setting.
    6. Demonstrate awareness of ethical issues that arise in health sciences research and practice.
    7. Demonstrate awareness of different research approaches to improve health and wellbeing.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)

    Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth

    Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.

    		 1, 2, 6, 7

    Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving

    Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.

    		 1, 2, 3

    Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills

    Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.

    		 3, 4, 5

    Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness

    Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.

    		 1 - 7

    Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency

    Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.

    		 3, 5, 6

    Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence

    Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.

    		 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    No single textbook covers the material to be considered in this course. All students are required to review the literature relevant to their research placement.
    Recommended Resources
    Higgs J, Ajjawi R, McAllister L, Trede F. Communicating in the Health Sciences. OUP Australia. 2008. This text covers section on plagiarism, learning to do academic writing, learning to write essays and assignments and referencing. It is not compulsory but will assist you in your work across a range of courses.

    The text below may be useful for report writing.
    Summers J, Smith M. Communication Skills Handbook 3rd Edition. Brisbane: Wiley; 2010 is a useful guide on scientific writing, referencing and communication skills to assist students with the required format of assessment tasks and assignments. The handbook provides successful approaches to researching, writing and referencing, along with examples and practical tips for preparing and presenting oral reports, essays and assignments. It is not compulsory but will assist you in your work across a range of courses.
    Online Learning
    Readings, including journal articles, will be made available to students electronically. This will be supplemented by web-links for specific topics, as relevant. Project supervisors will provide or direct students to necessary materials during research project work.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    The purpose of this course is to provide a full year (as Parts 1 and 2) of research experience in small groups for all third year students in the Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences (BHMS) programs, supervised by academic or research staff, and culminating in a conference-style presentation in Part 2 as a capstone experience. Part 1 is the pre-requisite for Part 2. The research experiences in the Research Placement course are not intended to align with any lecture courses; instead the course is designed to run “stand alone”. Placement groups thus may often be populated by blends of students who are in different major programs that have been selected by the supervisor as appropriate for the project, promoting crossdisciplinary exchanges of ideas that are anticipated to foster teamwork and breadth of knowledge.

    Research projects are flexible, and may be designed as a single year-long study, or a series of related studies, as determined by the supervisor. To best fit to the field of work, research activities may be spaced weekly, or packed into a shorter span of days, to achieve 20 h of research contact time per semester.

    Assessment tasks:
    Online skills modules and workshops.
    Written task: Project overview
    Oral group powerpoint presentation
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    Students are reminded that the overall workload for a full time student as stated in the University of Adelaide Calendar is an average of 48 hours per week per teaching period (i.e. semester). This includes contact and non-contact hours and includes general study and research time for assignments. This course is a 3 unit course and thus represents quarter of a full time load. You should thus be putting in an average of 12 hours of study each week (including contact hours) for this course.
    Learning Activities Summary
    As part of their research placement, and in addition to other assessment tasks, research skills theory is delivered and assessed via Gateway and Core online modules.

    GATEWAY
    Gate 1 How does research work? (Introduction to scientific method and project management)
    Gate 2 Ethical considerations in research
    Gate 3 Professional workplace behaviour and teamwork
    Gate 4 Safe working practices (including a local induction completed with the Research Supervisor)

    CORE
    Core 1 Tools for scientific writing (correct referencing, and avoiding plagiarism)
    Core 2 Finding and organising information (searching databases, and evaluating published work.
    Core 3 Effective research communication (written communication)
    Core 4 Effective research communication (oral communication)
    Specific Course Requirements
    In some instances students may require police clearances or immunisations for placements.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary

    Assessment Task Task Type (Formative or Summative) Weighting
    (I) Individual, (G) Group
    Online skill modules with quizzes (4 gateway, 4 core) Summative 25% (I)
    Workshop support sessions (3) on research theory and skills Formative 0%
    Project overview written task Summative 45% (I)
    Oral powerpoint presentation on ethical considerations of proposed research Summative 20% (G)
    Research supervisor's mark Summative 10% (I)


    Assessment Related Requirements
    Submission of the written report is a hurdle requirement.
    Assessment Detail

    No information currently available.

    Submission
    All assignments are submitted via MyUni
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines

    This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.

  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.
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