WHDM 412b: Final Practicum (3 credits)

Students can only register for this course once all necessary approvals have been obtained. The normal duration of a practicum is 10 weeks and involves 150 hours. Progress in experiential learning and work performance is monitored by the faculty member through review meetings with the student and the supervisor. It is the student’s responsibility to participate in evaluation and review meetings and to produce a written report of the practicum experience on completion of the course. This includes both a mid-term and final evaluation meeting. The practicum supervisor is responsible for providing an induction to the students into the host organization, organizing the practical work duties of the student, and supporting the student’s learning experiences. He or she will submit a mid-term and final summary of the student’s progress to the faculty member and participate in review meetings with the student and the faculty member. During the practicum, the supervisor is expected to maintain regular contact with the faculty member. The faculty member is responsible for coordinating review meetings and ensuring that academic standards and learning objectives are met. The faculty member grades the student’s achievement based on the quality of the practicum reports produced by the student, the evaluation of the practicum supervisor, and student performance and participation in review meetings.

WHDM 412a: Practicum Preparation and Sectoral Study (3 credits)

This course is designed to develop a student’s knowledge and understanding of a workplace health issue relevant to a work sector in which the student wishes to deepen their knowledge and prepare a proposal for a practicum placement in a workplace role under the supervision of a Certified Disability Management Professional (CDMP). Students are facilitated to identify a work sector and a relevant issue such as prevention of injury, disability management, or promotion of health in the workplace. Based on a literature review of grey, policy, and evidence literature, students produce a summary report of current practice and challenges in their selected sector. In parallel, students are assisted to identify a practicum placement opportunity in the domain of workplace health, to agree to the terms and learning objectives of the practicum with a prospective appropriately qualified supervisor, to gain required permissions from the employer and supervisor, and to submit a practicum proposal to the university for approval. Academic performance is assessed based on the quality of the sectoral study and the approved practicum proposal. Students can make a case for undertaking the practicum in their current workplace and job role if they can justify that the activities specified for the practicum genuinely support the acquisition of new knowledge and skills and if they have arranged for an independent and appropriately qualified practicum supervisor.

WHDM 410b: Final Research Project (3 credits)

Under the supervision of the faculty advisor, the student implements the approved research project plan. This can involve recruiting participants, gaining informed consent and collecting either qualitative, quantitative or case study data. The student prepares the data for statistical analysis or interpretative processing, implements an appropriate data reduction procedure and summarizes the results. Based on the results, the student generates a set of conclusions and recommendations in discussion with the supervisor. The student submits a detailed project report, which includes a reflection on the research process and lessons learnt for future research activities, for assessment.

Prerequisite: Students must be in the final year of the program

WHDM 410a: Final Research Project Proposal (3 credits)

The purpose of WHDM 410a and 410b is to provide students with the opportunity to consolidate their learning in the BDM by developing and implementing a research project under the supervision of a faculty advisor. The student selects a theme or topic in consultation with the advisor, reviews the relevant literature and generates a working research question. The faculty advisor facilitates the student to focus the research question and to consider the most appropriate approach to exploring it using appropriate research design and methodologies. The project can involve documenting practical experience or critical analysis of workplace health practice at a system, organizational or individual level. In addition to standard qualitative or quantitative research or evaluation designs, both personal practice and single case study designs in collaboration with another person are acceptable. The student produces a structured proposal and formulates a project management plan which is submitted to the PCU-WHS Research Ethics Committee for approval. The proposal is revised based on the feedback from the PCUREC and may be re-submitted if required.

Prerequisites: Students must be in the final year of the program

WHDM 408: Workplace Insurance and Benefits (3 credits)

The purpose of this course is to explore the types of workplace insurance that are commonly available, along with questions about how insurance is funded, how benefits are calculated, and who provides the insurance – whether private, public or some combination of the two. Participants will be expected to apply concepts of their own jurisdictions.

WHDM 407: Conflict Resolution & Negotiation in the Workplace (3 credits)

The purpose of this course is to provide participants with a background in theories, models, tools, and strategies to manage workplace conflict. Modules will be designed to provide theoretical grounding in conflict management models, and also to move past theory in order to use models based on those theories to strategically manage workplace conflict.

WHDM 406: Case Management & Service Coordination Part 2 (3 credits)

The purpose of this course is to examine the skills and knowledge required for case management and service coordination, along with problem solving processes used in complex situations. The client’s role as the centre of the process will be explored. Students will also consider issues related to diversity, lack of client commitment to the process, and ethics and law.

Prerequisite: WHDM 403 or WHDM 308

WHDM 405: Ethics in Disability Management (3 credits)

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the field of ethics, the role of the Disability Management Professional and the application of ethics to workplace issues.   There will be a focus on the CDMP Ethical Standards and Professional Conduct document and how it applies to providing disability management services. The course will cover concept specific information in ethics and examples or points of contact between concept specific information and the disability management profession. Through individual work and group discussions, students will move from obtaining information to potential application in their professional work lives.   Students will work through the CDMP Ethical Standards and Professional Conduct document to determine the potential application to disability management services.

WHDM 404: Economics of Workplace Health Initiatives (3 credits)

This course introduces students to the application of economics concepts to workplace health initiatives. Students will consider the costs and benefits to individuals, organizations, and society (as represented by governments, and quasi-governmental agencies) when occupational health and safety programs, disability management programs and wellness programs are in place or are improved.

WHDM 402: Unions and the Workplace (3 credits)

The purpose of this course is to provide an understanding of the international, national, and regional frameworks of the labour movement and how unions operate in representing workers and interacting with management. The focus of the course is on how the union movement has contributed to improving working
conditions and occupational health and safety on behalf of injured workers; training and advocacy initiatives; labour efforts in return to work and accommodation; mechanisms of participation, labour’s critique of employer wellness and behaviour-based safety programs. Factors affecting the potential for cooperation between the employers and labour and critical issues for labour in occupational health and safety, accommodation, and return to work are reviewed

WHDM 312: Management Skills for Workplace Health Sciences (3 credits)

The purpose of this course is to examine the role of a manager, the management environment, and the skills and knowledge required to perform management functions. Students will also explore the application of management functions to workplace programs, including return to work, occupational health and safety and wellness programs.

Prerequisite: WHDM 209

WHDM 307: Mental Health Conditions & Work Retention (3 credits)

The purpose of this course is to develop an understanding of adverse mental health conditions in general, and from a workplace perspective. Students will examine the concept of mental illness and explore common mental health impairments, including their impact on the workplace, potential treatments, and strategies for retention and return to work.