Public Health Surveillance
PostgraduateTAS-CAM6362026
Course information for 2026 intake View information for 2025 course intake
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 28 June 2026
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Price from
- $3,069
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Public Health Surveillance
About this subject
Upon completion of this subject , the student should be able to:
- Perform descriptive analysis of surveillance data.
- Explain the strengths and limitations of surveillance data and interpret surveillance data appropriately.
- Describe the different types of surveillance systems in public health, their objectives, and how surveillance data is used for public health action.
- Apply surveillance system attributes to evaluate a surveillance system in public health.
- Module 1: Introduction to Public Health Surveillance
- Module 2: Indicator-based Surveillance
- Notifiable disease surveillance systems
- Passive versus active surveillance
- Sentinel and syndromic surveillance systems
- Module 3: Analysing and Interpreting Surveillance Data
- Descriptive analysis, rates and comparison with historical data
- Strengths and limitations of surveillance and presenting surveillance data
- Module 4: Event-based Surveillance
- Module 5: Evaluating Surveillance Systems
- Evaluation process
- Evaluating systems attributes
- Module 6: Surveillance for Public Health Action
- Surveillance to prevent further cases
- Surveillance for early warning
- Surveillance data for operational research
- Module 7: Other Types of Surveillance Systems
- Module 8: Wrap-up
This subject provides essential background on the different types of surveillance systems used in public health, and the strengths and limitations of the data held within those systems. Students will learn the skills and knowledge required to perform descriptive analyses of surveillance data and to interpret surveillance data appropriately. Students will gain an understanding of the diverse objectives of surveillance systems and how the data collected is used to inform public health action and policy. Students will also learn established methods of evaluating surveillance systems to ensure they are fit for purpose.
- Surveillance Report (35%)
- Online Module Quizzes x 5 (20%)
- Evaluation of a Surveillance System (45%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
Part of a degree
To enrol in this subject you must be accepted into one of the following degrees:
Core
- TAS-HLP-GCE-2026 - Graduate Certificate in Health Protection
Elective
- TAS-ADP-GCE-2026 - Graduate Certificate in Advanced Practice
- TAS-AQS-GDI-2026 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice ( Applied Quality and Safety)
- TAS-CDP-GDI-2026 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Communicable Disease Prevention)
- TAS-SCL-GDI-2026 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Supply Chain and Logistics)
- TAS-APD-GDI-2026 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Dementia)
- TAS-ADH-GDI-2026 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Digital Health)
- TAS-APG-GDI-2026 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Governance)
- TAS-HSI-GDI-2026 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Health Service Improvement)
- TAS-APH-GDI-2026 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Healthcare Education)
- TAS-AMS-GDI-2026 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Medication Safety)
- TAS-AOP-GDI-2026 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Organisational Performance)
- TAS-AOR-GDI-2026 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Organisational Resilience)
- TAS-AWP-GDI-2026 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Workplace Psychology)
- TAS-AQS-MAS-2026 - Master of Advanced Practice ( Applied Quality and Safety)
- TAS-CDP-MAS-2026 - Master of Advanced Practice (Communicable Disease Prevention)
- TAS-APD-MAS-2026 - Master of Advanced Practice (Dementia)
- TAS-ADH-MAS-2026 - Master of Advanced Practice (Digital Health)
- TAS-APG-MAS-2026 - Master of Advanced Practice (Governance)
- TAS-HSI-MAS-2026 - Master of Advanced Practice (Health Service Improvement)
- TAS-APH-MAS-2026 - Master of Advanced Practice (Healthcare Education)
- TAS-AMS-MAS-2026 - Master of Advanced Practice (Medication Safety)
- TAS-AOP-MAS-2026 - Master of Advanced Practice (Organisational Performance)
- TAS-AOR-MAS-2026 - Master of Advanced Practice (Organisational Resilience)
- TAS-SCL-MAS-2026 - Master of Advanced Practice (Supply Chain and Logistics)
- TAS-AWP-MAS-2026 - Master of Advanced Practice (Workplace Psychology)
Additional requirements
- Other requirements - Teaching Arrangement: Independent Learning 8 hours weekly; Tutorial (Online) 1 hour (3 times)
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.
Related degrees
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Graduate Certificate in Health Protection
PostgraduateTAS-HLP-GCE
Graduate Certificate in Advanced Practice
PostgraduateTAS-ADP-GCE
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice ( Applied Quality and Safety)
PostgraduateTAS-AQS-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Communicable Disease Prevention)
PostgraduateTAS-CDP-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Supply Chain and Logistics)
PostgraduateTAS-SCL-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Dementia)
PostgraduateTAS-APD-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Digital Health)
PostgraduateTAS-ADH-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Governance)
PostgraduateTAS-APG-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Health Service Improvement)
PostgraduateTAS-HSI-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Healthcare Education)
PostgraduateTAS-APH-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Medication Safety)
PostgraduateTAS-AMS-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Organisational Performance)
PostgraduateTAS-AOP-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Organisational Resilience)
PostgraduateTAS-AOR-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Workplace Psychology)
PostgraduateTAS-AWP-GDI
Master of Advanced Practice ( Applied Quality and Safety)
PostgraduateTAS-AQS-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Communicable Disease Prevention)
PostgraduateTAS-CDP-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Dementia)
PostgraduateTAS-APD-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Digital Health)
PostgraduateTAS-ADH-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Governance)
PostgraduateTAS-APG-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Health Service Improvement)
PostgraduateTAS-HSI-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Healthcare Education)
PostgraduateTAS-APH-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Medication Safety)
PostgraduateTAS-AMS-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Organisational Performance)
PostgraduateTAS-AOP-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Organisational Resilience)
PostgraduateTAS-AOR-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Supply Chain and Logistics)
PostgraduateTAS-SCL-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Workplace Psychology)
PostgraduateTAS-AWP-MAS