Introduction to Mental Health
UndergraduateUSA-HLTH10522025
Begin your journey towards understanding mental health. Think about Western influences at play. Learn about stigmas, services, treatment and health care. Learn why social justice is important for people affected by mental health conditions.
Enrol today with instant approval and no entry requirements
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 14 Sept 2025
- Entry requirements
- No ATAR needed, No prior study
- Duration
- 10 weeks
- Start dates
- 7 Apr 2025,
- 22 Sept 2025
- Price from
- $2,300
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- FEE-HELP available
Introduction to Mental Health
About this subject
By the end of this 10-week course, you’ll be able to:
- Examine the biopsychosocial, cultural and historical factors that shape the conceptualisation of mental health and common mental illnesses.
- Respond to a person having a mental health crisis.
- Differentiate between the clinical presentations associated with common mental illnesses.
- Explain the statutory regulations that apply to people experiencing serious mental illness.
- Explain how recovery values inform contemporary mental health practice.
- Cultural identity and health
- The recovery approach
- Affective disorders and ISBAR
- Psychotic disorders – including MH First Aid
- Anxiety disorders
- Special populations and specific disorders
- Mental health emergencies
- Legal and ethical considerations in mental illness and therapeutic communication
- Physical comorbidity and dual diagnosis
Learn about different perspectives about mental health and illness. Explore western cultural influences that have informed and shaped medical, psychological and religious perspectives.
Deepen your knowledge of the stigmas in society, as well as the services, treatment and health care encounters for people with mental health issues. Develop your understanding of how to support people with mental health conditions and why social justice and promoting recovery are central to effective mental health care.
As part of your assessments, you will learn to how to analyse key documents and respond to a person having a mental health crisis. Gain the skills in developing a clinical presentation, learn about the legal framework and implications under the Mental Health Act and identify the services that could be used to support the consumer, their carers and family members.
UniSA Online’s 10-week short courses give you the flexibility to up-skill in a certain area, stay current with developments in your field, diversify your knowledge, or even explore a new direction in your career – without having to commit to the time and cost of a full university degree.
Delivered 100% online, you’ll be able to study where and when it suits you. Access online academic and student support seven days a week, fit study around work and life commitments, view learning resources 24/7, and log in to the interactive online environment anywhere, any time and on any device.
This is a first-year course from UniSA Online’s Bachelor of Community Health degree.
Should your course have an exam it will be scheduled for Australian Central Standard Time or Australian Central Daylight Time, depending on the time of the year.
- Portfolio (60%)
- Case Study (40%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
No entry requirements
Additional requirements
- Other requirements - Students must be aged 17 or older by the time teaching commences for their course of study, in accordance with UniSA’s Selection and entry to programs policy.
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
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