Professional/Short course Environmental Health Risk and Law (Distance Learning)

Content

The syllabus outline is typically as follows:

Environmental Health Law and Compliance

• European and English legal systems: sources of law, court systems and the role of the environmental health practitioner.
• The influence of international law related to national regulatory systems.
• The legislative process, development of environmental health laws, statutes and delegated legislation. Interpretation of statutes. Investigations, evidence gathering and determination of the most appropriate course of action.
• The nature of governance in the UK, taking this through from the role of central government as the legislature informed by its civil service and others, discharge of responsibilities through departments of state, non-ministerial agencies and non-governmental organisations through to local government.

Risk Management

• Theories of risk and their influence on policy, regulatory practice and public understanding of health issues. Theoretical and practical developments in the field of risk management.
• Quantitative, statistical, toxicological, epidemiological, cost benefit data; and qualitative social risk knowledge theory. Models of risk at individual, organisational and societal levels will be critically reviewed. The roles of organisations, agencies and the rights of stakeholder representation in relation to environmental health risk decision-making.
• Evidence-based hazard assessment and health impact analysis of a range of environmental and public health issues; as well as solutions and remedial measures to remove, reduce and/or control risks.
• Techniques and methodologies of hazard identification; inspection, audit and investigation, policy development and organisational response to environmental health hazards.

Role of the Environmental Health Practitioner

• Developing as a reflective practitioner.

Learning and Teaching

Teaching is delivered in the form of up to 12 online lectures (delivered as audio podcasts or video capture linked with Adobe Presenter or equivalent), plus online seminars and other web-based activities.

Online seminar activities include student-centred active learning techniques (e.g. via Collaborate) and access to module discussion board or blog. These are delivered via the Blackboard online learning platform.

Essential, indicative and supplementary online learning materials and resources are also provided via Blackboard, with links to online library resources

Study time

This distance learning module provides utlises multiple learning approaches such as asynchronous online activities (including lectures, reading, quizzes, videos) and synchronous tutorials (seminars/discussions).

Progress through the module is managed through time-dependent release of online resources to ensure structured progression through the learning materials and the synchronous activities promote development of the student-tutor relationship and encourage a cohort identity in addition to supporting core learning.

Approximately 30 hours of directed study (e.g. online lectures, seminars, etc) are delivered via Blackboard.

Assessment

The Assessment Strategy has been designed to support and enhance the development of both subject-based and generic key skills, whilst ensuring that the module's Learning Outcomes are attained. The assessment for this module comprises of a collaborative online group presentation and a reflective account of your independent learning from this aspect and that acquired by progressing through the module content. This two part assessment encompasses all the specific module learning outcomes in addition to the CIEH Knowledge and Skills domains. Full details can be found in the Module Handbook and on the module's Blackboard site.

Component A will comprise of producing an on-line group presentation utilising Blackboard Collaborate. Working within designated groups, students will collaborate on-line to produce and deliver a presentation to a target audience. The presentation will require students to synthesise and critically evaluate the module content; the given topic will be based on how, and to what extent, environmental health law reduces risk exposure.

The use of a group presentation at this early stage of the programme will assist in group cohesion and identity as a learning community, demonstrate the benefits and challenges of working collaboratively, and develop the digital literacy required throughout the programme and later in professional practice.

Component B comprises an individual reflective log not exceeding 1,500 words that critically evaluates the process of personal learning gained by progressing through the module process and production of the on-line presentation. You will be prompted at key stages in the module to consider and write an account of your learning on a particular aspect; you will be invited to submit this for formative assessment. This account will then provide the foundation material for their individual reflective log.

For the summative assessment, you will be encouraged to write up to 1,000 words in relation to reflecting on your learning from the module and up to 500 words in relation to the benefits and challenges of preparing and delivering a group online presentation. Reflective writing fosters critical analysis and evaluation skills which are considered fundamental to the practice of environmental health, with the CIEH identifying 'reflective practice' as a threshold concept of the discipline.

Formative assessment
You will be invited to submit your account of individual learning acquired throughout the module for formative assessment for individual feedback.