Useful links
Unit of study_
PUBH5426: Vaccines in Public Health
2025 unit information
The aim of this unit is to provide students with an understanding of immunisation principles, the impact of vaccination on the epidemiology of vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs), how to assess the need for new vaccines and how to implement and monitor a new vaccination program. This unit covers the history and impact of vaccination; basic immunological principles of immunisation; surveillance of diseases; vaccination coverage; vaccine effectiveness; vaccine safety; vaccine scares; risk communication; program evaluation; immunisation in Low and Middle Income Countries; health security; assessing disease burden and new vaccines. Learning activities include online learning modules introducing topics and concepts, followed by a face-to-face workshop during weekly online interactive lectures and case study tutorials throughout the semester. Students will have access to online learning resources, included reading lists, and will be required to complete compulsory online quizzes, assignments and a group assessment.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Medicine and Health
| Study level | Postgraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | Public Health |
| Credit points | 6 |
|
Prerequisites:
?
|
PUBH5010 or (PUBH5018 or FMHU5002) |
|---|---|
|
Corequisites:
?
|
None |
| Prohibitions:
?
|
None |
| Assumed knowledge:
?
|
Understanding of basic health sciences and related concepts. Students should have a Bachelor's degree in a health related discipline |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. Understand the history and impact of vaccination
- LO2. Describe the basic immunological principles of immunisation
- LO3. Understand the key principles of surveillance of vaccine preventable diseases
- LO4. Understand key considerations for introducing new vaccines and assessing vaccines for use in immunisation programs
- LO5. Understand how vaccination coverage is calculated and monitored
- LO6. Describe the principles of vaccine effectiveness
- LO7. Describe vaccine safety monitoring systems and how responses to vaccination safety issues are managed
- LO8. Understand how immunisation programs are evaluated
- LO9. Understand key issues impacting immunisation in the developing country context
- LO10. Describe strategies for improving vaccination communication, understanding determinants of vaccine uptake and enabling high vaccine coverage
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Semester 2 2025
|
Distance education/intensive on campus | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
|
Find your current year census dates
Modes of attendance (MoA)
This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.
