Global Utilities

La Trobe University
University Handbook 2008

Faculty of Health Sciences

Organisation of the Faculty

Division of Allied Health

  • Associate Dean: Professor Karen Dodd
  • Executive Officer: Ms Alison Davies
  • Inquiries
  • Tel: (03) 9479 5815
  • Email: alliedhealth@latrobe.edu.au
  • Web: www.latrobe.edu.au/health/healthsci_schoolcent

The Division of Allied Health offers professional courses in Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Prosthetics and Orthotics, Orthoptics, Social Work, Speech Pathology, Deaf Studies and Family Therapy. In addition, the Division offers a wide range of coursework Masters degrees, Professional Doctorate degrees, research training degrees, and discipline-specific short courses for postgraduate allied health professionals. Teaching is conducted at Melbourne (Bundoora), with some courses also offered at the La Trobe University campuses at Albury-Wodonga, Bendigo, Mildura and Shepparton. For further information, contact the Division.

School of Human Communication Sciences

  • Head of School: Associate Professor Jenni Oates
  • Inquiries
  • Tel: (03) 9479 5815
  • Email: hcs@latrobe.edu.au
  • Web: www.latrobe.edu.au/hcs/

The School of Human Communication Sciences is located at the Melbourne (Bundoora) campus and is the only provider of speech pathology educational programs in Victoria. Speech pathologists diagnose, treat and provide management services to people of all ages with communication disorders, which may be evident in speech, language, voice and fluency disorders, in reading and spelling problems and in swallowing disorders.

School of Occupational Therapy

  • Head of School: Dr Linsey Howie
  • Inquiries
  • Tel: (03) 9479 5815
  • Email: ot_general@latrobe.edu.au
  • Web: www.latrobe.edu.au/occtherapy/

The School of Occupational Therapy is located at the Melbourne (Bundoora) campus. The School offers quality undergraduate and postgraduate courses and undertakes research and community service activities in related fields. Occupational therapy addresses people’s occupational needs and the loss of daily living skills that follow physical, emotional, psychological and social disorders. Occupational therapists assist individuals to make the transition from dependence to independence, maximising personal productivity, wellbeing and quality of life. For further information, contact the School.

School of Physiotherapy

  • Head of School: Dr Megan Davidson
  • Inquiries
  • Tel: (03) 9479 5815
  • Email: physiotherapy@latrobe.edu.au
  • Web: www.latrobe.edu.au/physiotherapy/

The School of Physiotherapy is located at the Melbourne (Bundoora) campus with some students eligible to do their third and fourth year in Bendigo. The School offers quality entry level and postgraduate courses and undertakes research in physiotherapy and other health-related areas. The School is one of the major tertiary education programs for obtaining physiotherapy qualifications in Victoria. Clinical schools in which students undertake core clinical education are located at Bayside, Barwon, Bendigo, Eastern and Northern Health networks. A sixth clinical school is comprised of a network of private and public hospitals in metropolitan and rural Victoria and in Tasmania. Physiotherapists are experts in the assessment, measurement and treatment of movement disorders, pain and disability in people of all ages. For further information, contact the School.

School of Social Work and Social Policy

  • Head of School: Associate Professor Margarita Frederico
  • Inquiries
  • Tel: (03) 9479 5815
  • Email: socialwork.inquiries@latrobe.edu.au
  • Web: www.latrobe.edu.au/socialwork/

The School of Social Work and Social Policy prepares undergraduate and postgraduate students for the practice of professional social work and work in the human services in accordance with current and likely social conditions, occupational opportunities, intervention strategies and key value principles. The aim is to stimulate students to develop a substantial knowledge about and critical analysis of the nature of society, its patterns of distribution of opportunities and resources, its range of beliefs and customs and the relationship of individuals to each other and to the wider society, and an understanding of the nature of social policy and in particular its aims, range, politics and value bases. The school offers courses at Albury-Wodonga, Bendigo, Melbourne (Bundoora) and Mildura.

A ‘pathway’ program into social work is available at Mildura through the Bachelor of Arts degree within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Details of the courses offered are provided elsewhere in the Handbook. For the Mildura course, please contact the Bachelor of Social Work Course Coordinator, Ms Paula Bruce, tel (03) 5051 4012 or email p.bruce@latrobe.edu.au.

Department of Clinical Vision Sciences

  • Head of Department: Associate Professor Kerry Fitzmaurice
  • Inquiries
  • Tel: (03) 9479 5815
  • Email: studyorthoptics@latrobe.edu.au
  • Web: www.latrobe.edu.au/orthoptics/

The Department of Clinical Vision Sciences provides one of only two tertiary education programs in the discipline of Orthoptics in Australia. Located on the Melbourne (Bundoora) campus the Department offers high quality undergraduate and postgraduate courses as well as undertaking research in areas related to clinical vision sciences. The undergraduate degree qualifies graduates for registration as an orthoptist – an allied health professional who undertakes clinical evaluation and non surgical management of eye disease, disorders of the eye movement and visual systems, and vision rehabilitation.

Department of Podiatry

  • Acting Head of Department: Dr Adam Bird
  • Inquiries
  • Tel: (03) 9479 5815
  • Email: podiatry@latrobe.edu.au
  • Web: www.latrobe.edu.au/podiatry/home.html

Located on the Melbourne (Bundoora) campus, the Department of Podiatry offers a four-year undergraduate podiatry program with a pass and honours stream available. The Department also runs a fully functional podiatry clinic on campus, which provides a service to the surrounding areas plus an opportunity for students to become involved in patient care under supervision. The Department also undertakes research and provides community service in related areas. Podiatry is an allied health profession that deals with prevention, diagnosis and management of foot and ankle pathology across a broad range of client populations.

National Centre for Prosthetics and Orthotics

  • Head of Department: Mr Rowan English
  • Inquiries
  • Tel: (03) 9479 5815
  • Email: hs-po@latrobe.edu.au
  • Web: www.latrobe.edu.au/ncpo/

The National Centre for Prosthetics and Orthotics is located at the Melbourne (Bundoora) campus. The Centre offers quality undergraduate and postgraduate courses and undertakes research and community service activities in related fields.

The prosthetist-orthotist is responsible for the provision of prostheses (artificial limbs) to people with amputations, and orthoses (supportive devices) to people with musculoskeletal disabilities. The responsibilities of the prosthetist-orthotist include: assessment of the client, the design, fabrication, fitting and alignment of prostheses and orthoses, and the monitoring and review of the devices used by their clients. The prosthetist-orthotics is an integral member of the health care team with a clinical, technical, advisory and educational role.

National Institute for Deaf Studies and Sign Language Research (NIDS)

  • Director: Professor Jan Branson
  • Inquiries
  • Tel: (03) 9479 2283 (voice and TTY)
  • Fax: (03) 9479 3074
  • Email: nids@latrobe.edu.au
  • Web: www.latrobe.edu.au/hcs/nids

The National Institute for Deaf Studies and Sign Language Research offers units in AUSLAN (Australian Sign Language) and Deaf Studies in Melbourne (Bundoora) and Bendigo campuses.

The Bouverie Centre

  • Head of Centre: Dr Colin Reiss
  • Inquiries
  • Tel: (03) 9376 9844
  • Email: bouverie.centre@latrobe.edu.au
  • Web: www.latrobe.edu.au/bouverie

The Bouverie Centre, Victoria’s Family Institute, is a state-wide, integrated academic, clinical and community consultation agency, specialising in family approaches within mental health service provision. Clinical and community consultation services are targeted to deal with relevant adult, youth and child-related family difficulties, as well as providing some more specialised teams working with the impact of sexual abuse and acquired brain injury. The Centre has a long history of providing training to professionals working with families, offering award courses at the graduate certificate, Master, PhD and professional Doctorate levels, as well as a comprehensive continuing education program. Further information can be obtained from the website www.latrobe.edu.au/bouverie.

Division of Health Studies

  • Associate Dean: Professor Chris Handley
  • Executive Officer: Belinda Bain
  • Inquiries
  • Tel: (03) 9479 1750
  • Email: School of Human Biosciences, School.Human.Biosciences@latrobe.edu.au
  • Email: School of Public Health, sph@latrobe.edu.au
  • Web: School of Human Biosciences, www.latrobe.edu.au/humanbio/
  • Web: School of Public Health, www.latrobe.edu.au/publichealth

The Division of Health Studies comprises the Schools of Human Biosciences and Public Health. Its aim is to improve the health of individuals and communities through excellence in learning and teaching and research relevant to contemporary health professionals in clinical, administrative and research roles.

The Division is responsible for the Bachelor degrees of Health Sciences, Health Information Management, and Public Health (Bendigo). It also offers a rich array of postgraduate courses, including the popular Master in Public Health, and research training both at the Masters and Doctoral levels.

An important part of the Division's role is to support clinical courses across the Faculty of Health Sciences through the teaching of core units in human anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, pathology, health administration and management and related areas. In this way, the Division contributes to the education of nurses, speech pathologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, podiatrists, prosthetists and orthotists, orthoptists, oral health professionals, social workers, counsellors, art therapists, as well as health sector managers, administrators and medical scientists.

School of Human Biosciences

The School of Human Biosciences offers units at all undergraduate levels, including Honours, in a variety of basic and applied sciences that underpin the coursework of the clinical schools of the faculty, and of the Bachelor of Health Sciences. The School also offers physiology and anatomy units to students enrolled in other faculties of the University.

School of Public Health

The School of Public Health, located at the Melbourne (Bundoora) and Bendigo campuses, is one of the largest in Australia and is recognised as a leader in health policy and management and for the distinct contribution made by its social and behavioural scientists. The school provides multidisciplinary education, research, consultancy and community service in the field of public health, and offers the Bachelor of Health Information Management and the Bachelor of Health Sciences undergraduate degrees plus the Bachelor of Pastoral Care (Graduate Entry). The school offers double-degree programs in the Bachelor of Health Information Management/Bachelor of Health Sciences, Bachelor of Health Sciences/Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Health Sciences/Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Health Sciences/Bachelor of International Development, Bachelor of Health Sciences/Bachelor of Economics, Bachelor of Health Sciences/Bachelor of International Relations and the Bachelor of Health Sciences/Bachelor of Media Studies and also teaches in the Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Health Sciences. For further information on courses, contact the School.

Division of Nursing and Midwifery

The Division offers courses for entry into professional nursing and midwifery practice and a range of courses for registered nurses. Teaching is conducted at Melbourne (Bundoora), Albury-Wodonga, Bendigo, Mildura and Shepparton campuses, but the Division also has clinical schools at the Alfred Hospital, Austin Health, the Royal District Nursing Service, Bundoora Extended Care Centre, Albury-Wodonga Private Hospital and Bendigo Health Care Group where some specialist units are taught. For further information, contact the Division.

Division of Research

  • Associate Dean: Professor Anthony Smith
  • Inquiries
  • Tel: (03) 9479 3583
  • Email: health@latrobe.edu.au
  • Web: www.latrobe.edu.au/health

The Division encompasses Australian Institute for Primary Care (AIPC), Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCHS), the Mother and Child Health Research Centre (MCHR) and the Musculoskeletal Research Centre.

Australian Institute for Primary Care

  • Director: Associate Professor Peter Foreman
  • Inquiries
  • Tel: (03) 9479 3700
  • Email: aipc@latrobe.edu.au
  • Web: www.latrobe.edu.au/aipc

The Australian Institute for Primary Care promotes quality improvement and best practice in all areas of primary health care. It supports the integration of theory and practice in primary health care and promotes the standing and visibility of primary health care and community health services. The institute conducts research, consultancy and education in community health services development, health promotion and social issues in health, in particular in the areas of primary health and aged care.

The Australian Institute for Primary Care includes the Centre for Development and Innovation in Health, The Lincoln Centre for Ageing and Community Care Research, and the Centre for Quality in Health and Community Services. It provides secretariat services for the Quality Improvement Council. The Health Issues Centre is co-located at the Institute. Institute staff contribute to teaching and supervision in the School of Public Health. Research students may now also enrol directly through the institute.

Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society

  • Director: Professor Marian Pitts
  • Inquiries:
  • Tel: (03) 9285 5382
  • Email: arcshs@latrobe.edu.au
  • Web: www.latrobe.edu.au/arcshs

The Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, located at the Melbourne (City) Campus, was established in 1992 with core funding from the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation. Staff at the centre research the social, psychological, epidemiological and cultural aspects of human sexuality and sexual health in a national and international context. In addition to conducting their own research, staff at the centre supervise postgraduate students and conduct a short course in research design in qualitative social enquiry. The centre has a strong commitment to consulting and involving relevant community groups during the formulation and conduct of research and in providing feedback on research findings.

Mother and Child Health Research Centre

  • Director: Professor Judith Lumley
  • Inquiries
  • Tel: (03) 8341 8500
  • Email: mchr@latrobe.edu.au
  • Web: www.latrobe.edu.au/mchr

Mother and Child Health Research (formerly the Centre for the Study of Mothers’ and Children’s Health) was established in 1991 with a program grant from the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation and research grants from a range of agencies. In November 1994, the centre became part of the Faculty of Health Sciences at La Trobe University. MCHR has a broad public health and population focus taking account of the social aspects of health and medical care, valuing the contribution of a range of disciplines, seeing the health of mothers and babies as integrally related. and taking the health concerns of women themselves seriously. MCHR emphasises the need for research, service development, evaluation and policy to be linked. Further information can be obtained from the web site at www.latrobe.edu.au/mchr/.

Musculoskeletal Research Centre

  • Head of Centre: Associate Professor Hylton Menz
  • Inquiries
  • Tel: (03) 9479 5766
  • Email: h.menz@latrobe.edu.au
  • Web: www.latrobe.edu.au/mrc

The Musculoskeletal Research Centre (MRC) was established in January 2000. The aim of this centre is to draw together researchers, academics and clinicians from a range of schools at the university, the La Trobe University Medical Centre and other health care institutions. Research at the MRC provides an evidence base for clinical practice in the musculoskeletal and sports field. The MRC also provides a central focus for personnel, equipment and funding to advance knowledge in this area. Further information can be obtained from the MRC website www.latrobe.edu.au/mrc.

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