CQUniversity Unit Profile

PBHL20007 - Foundations of First Nations Peoples and Communities Wellbeing in Public Health

Save or Print as PDF

All details in this unit profile for PBHL20007 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.

General Information

Overview

In exploring the foundations of First Nations peoples and community wellbeing in Public Health, you will examine how colonisation, cultural disruption, and resilience shape health outcomes today. You will learn about cultural determinants of health and develop skills in cultural safety, cross-cultural relationships, and systems thinking. Through case studies, yarning-informed discussions, and immersive learning activities, you will reflect, connect, and apply your knowledge in meaningful ways.

Details

Career Level: Postgraduate

Unit Level: Level 8

Credit Points: 6

Student Contribution Band: 10

Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

There are no requisites for this unit.

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 2 - 2026

Melbourne

Online

Sydney

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Website

This unit has a website, within the Moodle system, which is available two weeks before the start of term. It is important that you visit your Moodle site throughout the term. Please visit Moodle for more information.

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Regional Campuses

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville

Metropolitan Campuses

Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Written Assessment

Weighting: 40%

2. Written Assessment

Weighting: 60%

Assessment Grading

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.

CQUniversity Policies

All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.

You may wish to view these policies:

Grades and Results Policy
Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
Review of Grade Procedure
Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure

This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.

Previous Student Feedback

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from Course Plan

Feedback

No changes needed.

Recommendation

This unit will no longer be offered to students, and no changes will be made.

Unit Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

Assess the ongoing impacts of colonisation for First Nations peoples, including cultural disruption, resilience and integration
Analyse community and institutional strategies and resources that enable cultural integration and support cultural safety in public health
Examine personal assumptions and biases in relation to colonisation, cultural disruption and resilience, including your own positioning in cross-cultural contexts
Evaluate how relational accountability and systems thinking contribute to developing and maintaining respectful cross-cultural relationships.

Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes

N/A Level

Introductory Level

Intermediate Level

Graduate Level

Professional Level

Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks	Learning Outcomes
	1	2	3	4
1 - Written Assessment - 40%
2 - Written Assessment - 60%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes	Learning Outcomes
	1	2	3	4
1 - Knowledge
2 - Communication
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills
4 - Research
5 - Self-management
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility
7 - Leadership
8 - First Nations Knowledges
9 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures

Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

There are no required textbooks.

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:

CQUniversity Student Email
Internet
Unit Website (Moodle)
Computer - ability to access study materials, access Zoom application for meetings and view instructional videos.

Referencing Style

All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)

Check Moodle for reading materials

Events and Submissions/Topic

Lecture

Tutorial

Assessment 1

Critical Positionality and Colonial Context Analysis Due: Week 5 Friday (14 Aug 2026) 5:00 pm AEST

Week 6

Begin Date: 17 Aug 2026

Module/Topic

Cultural Safety, Trauma-Aware Practice and Working with Social and Emotional Wellbeing

Chapter

Check Moodle for reading materials

Events and Submissions/Topic

Lecture

Tutorial

Vacation Week

Begin Date: 24 Aug 2026

Module/Topic

Vacation

Chapter

No Class

Lecture

Tutorial

Assessment 2

Relational Accountability and Systems Reflection Portfolio Due: Week 12 Friday (9 Oct 2026) 5:00 pm AEST

Exam Week

Begin Date: 12 Oct 2026

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Vacation/Exam Week

Begin Date: 19 Oct 2026

Module/Topic

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Assessment Tasks

1 Written Assessment

Assessment Title

Critical Positionality and Colonial Context Analysis

Task Description

Assessment Overview:

This assessment invites you to critically examine your own positionality in relation to colonisation, cultural disruption, resilience and public health. You will integrate reflexive analysis with a structured examination of the ongoing impacts of colonisation on a selected First Nations public health issue. This task requires you to move beyond description and demonstrate critical engagement with theory, literature and self-location.

Task Instructions:

The word count for this assessment is 2000 words. Your submission must include two integrated components.

Part A: Critical Positionality (approximately 700 words)

In this section, you will:

Critically reflect on your social, cultural and professional positioning.

Examine your assumptions, values, and potential biases in relation to First Nations peoples and public health.

Engage with key concepts such as:

· Cultural safety

· Power and privilege

· Colonisation and its ongoing impacts

· Indigenous epistemology

· Demonstrate reflexive depth by linking your reflections to scholarly literature.

This section should move beyond personal narrative and demonstrate critical reflexivity grounded in academic sources.

Part B: Colonial Impact Analysis (approximately 1000 words)

Select one First Nations public health issue (e.g., health access, chronic disease, mental health, housing, incarceration, child removal, etc.).

You will:

· Analyse the historical and contemporary impacts of colonisation on this issue.

· Examine structural and systemic determinants.

· Critically evaluate institutional responses.

· Identify intersections between cultural disruption and resilience.

· Your analysis must be supported by relevant scholarly literature and credible sources.

Level of GenAI use allowed on Assessments 2: Level 2 AI Planning. You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.

Assessment Due Date

Week 5 Friday (14 Aug 2026) 5:00 pm AEST

Please submit your assessment before due date/time via Moodle

Return Date to Students

Week 7 Friday (4 Sept 2026)

Feedback provided

Weighting

40%

Minimum mark or grade

50%

Assessment Criteria

Marking Criteria

Your work will be assessed on:

· Depth of critical reflexivity

· Integration of theory and literature

· Quality of colonial impact analysis

· Demonstrated understanding of structural determinants

· Academic writing and referencing.

Referencing Style

American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)

Submission

Online

Submission Instructions

Submit via Moodle

Learning Outcomes Assessed

Assess the ongoing impacts of colonisation for First Nations peoples, including cultural disruption, resilience and integration
Examine personal assumptions and biases in relation to colonisation, cultural disruption and resilience, including your own positioning in cross-cultural contexts

2 Written Assessment

Assessment Title

Relational Accountability and Systems Reflection Portfolio

Task Description

Assessment Overview:

Building on Assessment 1, this task requires you to critically evaluate how relational accountability and systems thinking shape culturally respectful public health practice. You will examine institutional structures and develop a conceptual relational accountability framework to guide your professional practice in First Nations public health contexts. This assessment consolidates your learning across the unit.

Task Instructions:

The word count for this assessment is 2500 words. Your submission must include two components.

Part A: Systems and Institutional Reflection (approximately 1000 words)

In this section, you will:

· Analyse how public health institutions can enable or undermine cultural safety.

· Examine strengths-based and community-led approaches.

· Critically evaluate power structures within public health systems.

Engage with concepts such as:

· Community control

· Governance

· Cultural safety

· Indigenous data sovereignty

· Structural reform

Support your analysis with scholarly literature.

Part B: Relational Accountability Framework (approximately 1000 words)

Develop a conceptual framework outlining how you would practice relational accountability as an emerging public health practitioner.

Your framework should:

· Identify key principles guiding respectful engagement with First Nations communities.

· Integrate systems thinking.

· Demonstrate awareness of power and positionality.

· Be justified using academic literature.

· Reflect on how your learning in Assessment 1 has evolved.

Level of GenAI use allowed on Assessments 2: Level 2 AI Planning. You may use AI for planning, idea development, and research. Your final submission should show how you have developed and refined these ideas.

Assessment Due Date

Week 12 Friday (9 Oct 2026) 5:00 pm AEST

Please submit your assessment before due date/time via Moodle

Return Date to Students

Vacation/Exam Week Friday (23 Oct 2026)

Feedback provided

Weighting

60%

Minimum mark or grade

50%

Assessment Criteria

Marking Criteria

Assessment will consider:

· Depth of systems analysis

· Critical evaluation of institutional structures

· Coherence and justification of relational accountability framework

· Integration of literature

· Reflexive insight

· Academic writing quality.

Referencing Style

American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)

Submission

Online

Submission Instructions

Submit via Moodle

Learning Outcomes Assessed

Analyse community and institutional strategies and resources that enable cultural integration and support cultural safety in public health
Evaluate how relational accountability and systems thinking contribute to developing and maintaining respectful cross-cultural relationships.

Academic Integrity Statement

As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.

Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.

When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.

Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.

As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.

What is a breach of academic integrity?

A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.

Why is academic integrity important?

A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.

Where can I get assistance?

For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.