Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Understanding the Psychology of Health

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code	Campus	Career	School	Learning Mode	Teaching Period(s)
BESC1491	City Campus	Undergraduate	155T Vocational Health and Sciences	Face-to-Face	Sem 1 2015, Sem 1 2016
BESC1491	City Campus	Undergraduate	174T School of VE Engineering, Health & Science	Face-to-Face	Sem 2 2018, Sem 2 2019, Sem 2 2020
BESC1491	City Campus	Undergraduate	535T Social Care and Health	Face-to-Face	Sem 2 2023, Sem 2 2024, Sem 1 2025

Course Coordinator: Tino D'Angelo

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 4380

Course Coordinator Email: tino.dangelo@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: 51.08.02

Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment

Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

None

Course Description

This course introduces you to the psychology of health and wellbeing. We will investigate a range of principles and perspectives that influence and impact on positive health behaviour changes. We will identify the role of psychology in relation to public health programs to bring about changes in beliefs, attitudes and actions that contribute to better choices and outcomes at an individual and population level.

Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to the following Program Learning Outcomes for the Associate Degree in Health Sciences:
1. Access up to date discipline information/knowledge and ensure that decisions and actions are informed by a critical assessment of information.

On completion of this course you should be able to:
1. Describe the major features of psychological processes in health and illness, and society and culture

2. Transfer and apply the theoretical knowledge of how individuals ’think-feel-behave’ into the health & well-being of various communities.
3. Examine and discuss the key principles of past and contemporary health psychology

4. Explore and engage in psychological practices to enhance theoretical knowledge, performance and well-being.

Overview of Learning Activities

Overview of Learning Activities In this course you will learn through the following activities:
• Face to face teaching: to obtain an understanding of basic concepts that are required to undertake further study
• Personal reading (e.g. prescribed sections of textbooks and online materials): to reinforce/strengthen your understanding of the principles and applications of Health Psychology
• Analyse and evaluate relevant case studies
• Develop strategies/plans to address identified client health related goals

Overview of Learning Resources

You will need to access this course online on a regular basis to prepare for lectures and tutorials. You will also need to read recommended sections of text books, library resources and other learning materials.

Your textbook for this course is:
Dorrian, J., Thorsteinsson, E., Di Benedetto, M., Lane-Krebs, K., Day, M., Hutchinson, A., & Sherman, K. (2017). Health Psychology in 
Australia. Melbourne. Cambridge University Press.

You may be referred to other resources available in the RMIT Library, such as videos and the subject learning guide at:
http://rmit.libguides.com/sb.php?subject_id=67926

Overview of Assessment

You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes. Assessment for this course is ongoing throughout the semester and feedback will be given on all assessment tasks.  

Assessment 1: Test 20%
Individual
This assessment task supports CLOs 1,2, 3 

Assessment 2: Stress Management Tools - Presentation 30% 
Individual
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3 and 4

Assessment 3:Psychology of Health - Individual Case Study 50%
Individual
This assessment task supports CLOs 1, 2, 3 and 4