HED317

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

Education
300 level
2 credit units
130 pages
18 units

This course provides a comprehensive overview of environmental health, focusing on the relationships within the environment and safe practices at home, in communities, and schools. It explores the effects of environmental alterations, such as pollution, and emphasizes preventive and control measures to ensure a safe environment. The course aims to promote health and prevent diseases by understanding the interactions between humans and their environment, covering topics from waste management to environmental impact assessments.

Start reading

About this course

Difficulty: Intermediate
Study hours: 30 hours
Maths: None
Content: Theoretical, practical, case study
Practical work: Yes

How it is assessed

Assignments
Tutor marked assignments
Computer based assessments
Final examination

What you'll read

The real module and unit structure of HED317, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.

Module 1

Module 2

Module 3

Module 4

Module 5

Module 6

Module 7

One paragraph, so you can see how it reads

HED317 · UNIT 2 ECOLOGY AND ECOSYSTEM

This consists of the naturally existing aspect of the environment. It refers to non-living things such as climatic factors like rainfall, sunlight, humidity and edaphic factors consisting of soil composition, soil farm and soil temperature.

Start reading Get the original PDF, if you want it

What you should be able to do

Describe the components of the environment and their impact on human health.
Apply waste management principles to reduce environmental pollution.
Identify and control common disease vectors.
Assess the impact of housing and sanitation on public health.
Evaluate environmental impact assessments for sustainable development.
Discuss the importance of occupational health services.

What it prepares you for

Careers

Environmental Health Officer
Public Health Inspector
Waste Management Technician
Safety Officer
Environmental Consultant

Where it is applied

Healthcare
Waste Management
Environmental Conservation
Public Health
Industrial Safety

Where it gets hard

The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.

Module 3: Environmental Pollution
Unit 2: Water Pollution
Requires understanding of chemical interactions and long-term effects on ecosystems.
Module 4: Vector Control
Unit 1: Arthropods and Zoonosis
Understanding the complex life cycles of parasites and their arthropod vectors requires strong biological knowledge.

A suggested way through it

Suggested

13 weeks, about 30 hours in total. Yours will differ.

Week 1Module 1: Environment, Ecology and Environmental Health Laws and the Regulatory Bodies
- Unit 1: Environment · 2 hours
  Define environment and its components.. Differentiate between abiotic and biotic factors.. Discuss the impact of physical, biological, and social environments on human health..
- Unit 2: Ecology and Ecosystem · 2 hours
  Define ecology and its relationship with the environment.. Identify factors causing ecological changes.. Explain the components and characteristics of an ecosystem..
Week 2Module 1: Environment, Ecology and Environmental Health Laws and the Regulatory Bodies
- Unit 3: Environmental Health Laws and the Regulatory Bodies · 2 hours
  Define environmental health laws and their purpose.. Identify and describe various environmental health laws in Nigeria.. Discuss the roles of regulatory bodies like NESREA and NGOs in enforcing environmental laws..
Week 3Module 2: Waste And Waste Management
- Unit 1: Dry Refuse or Solid Waste · 2 hours
  Define solid waste and differentiate between domestic and estate solid wastes.. List the objectives of solid waste management.. Discuss the environmental effects of solid waste..
Week 4Module 2: Waste And Waste Management
- Unit 2: Methods of Final Disposal of Solid Waste · 2 hours
  Describe conventional methods of solid waste disposal: burning, sanitary landfill, composting.. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each method.. Explain non-conventional methods: incineration, pulverization, pyrolysis..
Week 5Module 2: Waste And Waste Management
- Unit 3: Wet Refuse or Liquid Waste · 2 hours
  Define liquid waste and differentiate between sullage and sewage.. Describe methods of sewage disposal: water closet system, pit latrine, VIP latrine.. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each system..
Week 6Module 3: Environmental Pollution
- Unit 1: Concept of Environmental Pollution and Air Pollution · 2 hours
  Define environmental pollution and pollutants.. Discuss measures for controlling environmental pollution.. Define air pollution and identify its types and sources..
Week 7Module 3: Environmental Pollution
- Unit 2: Water Pollution · 2 hours
  Discuss the effects of air pollution on humans, animals, and vegetation.. Identify sources of water and principles of safe water.. Enumerate sources of water pollution and their impacts..
Week 8Module 3: Environmental Pollution
- Unit 3: Noise Pollution · 2 hours
  Define noise pollution and factors influencing reactions to noise.. Describe the measurement and sources of noise.. Identify health effects of noise and measures for its control..
- Unit 4: Soil Pollution · 2 hours
  Define soil pollution and its causes.. Discuss the effects of soil pollution on plants, animals, and humans.. Describe control measures for soil pollution..
Week 9Module 3: Environmental Pollution
- Unit 5: Food Hygiene and Food Pollution · 2 hours
  Define food hygiene and its aims.. Discuss the principles of food hygiene.. Identify causes and effects of food pollution..
Week 10Module 4: Vector Control
- Unit 1: Arthropods and Zoonosis · 2 hours
  Define vectors and arthropods.. Classify zoonosis and their transmission pathways.. Identify examples of arthropod-borne diseases..
Week 11Module 4: Vector Control
- Unit 2: Vector Control · 2 hours
  Describe infective agents, their habitats, and the diseases they cause.. Discuss the modes of transmission of vector-borne infections.. Explain vector control measures: controlling agents, transmission routes, and hosts..
Week 12Module 5: Housing and School Sanitations
- Unit 1: Housing and Environment · 2 hours
  Discuss the relationship between housing and the environment.. State the requirements for a satisfactory house.. Discuss types of buildings and their implications for environmental health..
Week 13Module 5: Housing and School Sanitations
- Unit 2: School Sanitations · 2 hours
  Give the concept and objectives of school sanitation.. Discuss the essential characteristics of a hygienic school environment.. Apply school sanitation principles to improve school health..

Preparing for the exam

What to do

Review all module introductions to understand key concepts.
Focus on definitions and classifications in Units 1-3 of each module.
Create diagrams illustrating waste management and pollution control processes.
Practice identifying disease vectors and their control measures.
Study environmental health laws and regulatory bodies in Nigeria.

Questions students ask about this course

What is HED317 about?

How many units does HED317 have?

HED317, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, has 18 units across 7 modules, over 130 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.

How many credit units is HED317?

HED317 carries 2 credit units, at 300 level in Education.

Is HED317 hard?

HED317 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical, practical and case study work, and it has a practical component.

How long does HED317 take to study?

About 30 hours of study, spread across its 18 units.

How is HED317 assessed?

HED317 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assignments, computer based assessments and final examination.

What can I do with HED317?

Environmental Health Officer, Public Health Inspector, Waste Management Technician, Safety Officer and Environmental Consultant.