This course is designed to equip students and those engaged in continuing professional development with an in-depth understanding of the role of wastewater surveillance, from basics through to its application in public health. The course will cover principles of wastewater surveillance and its application; advantages and limitations of wastewater surveillance; application of wastewater surveillance within different scenarios and contexts; practical skills and implementation of wastewater surveillance in public health.
This course provides an in-depth understanding of wastewater surveillance as an emerging tool for public health surveillance. Through a combination of lectures, case studies, debates and practical activities students will examine the principles and basics of wastewater surveillance compared with traditional surveillance methods and how wastewater surveillance could further enhance the monitoring of public health. Additionally, students will explore a range of methodologies and real-word applications of wastewater analysis, within diverse contexts related to chemical and pathogen surveillance.
The course will explore how wastewater samples are collected, analysed, and used to track indicators of chemical or disease spread, such as virus RNA, antibiotic resistance genes, or environmental toxins. Students will engage with ethical, logistical and technical considerations and be exposed to a range of laboratory techniques, statistical methods for data interpretation, and will be encouraged to evaluate and critical consider how surveillance systems can be integrated into public health infrastructures.
Interested in undertaking the 5-day workshop, but would prefer not to complete the assessment?
You are welcome to participate in the 5-day intensive workshop as continuing professional development, rather than as formal non-award study.
To register your interest, please contact n.osborne@uq.edu.au
- Explain and discuss the principle of wastewater surveillance including the prerequisite for its application.
- Examine the advantages and limitations of wastewater surveillance compared to traditional forms of surveillance.
- Critically apply wastewater surveillance methods to different scenarios in Australia and around the world.
- Use wastewater surveillance to examine and develop responses a range of public health questions.
- Demonstrate skills in research, communication (written, oral and digital), group work/collaboration and reflection.
- Health professionals (public health professionals, medical doctors, veterinarians, health economists, public administrators, planners, social scientists and health system specialists, water engineers) who are interested in this multidisciplinary field.
- Administrators and leaders in government (State, Federal and Local), businesses (small and large) and NGOs who work in the field of wastewater surveillance. Alternatively, those who are working more broadly in public health and they require a firm foundation on wastewater surveillance and its application in public health.
- Postgraduate students who wish to gain a broader understanding of wastewater surveillance from basics to its application in public health.
- Master of Public Health (MPH) and Master of Environmental Health Sciences students from The University of Queensland and other academic institutions who are currently undertaking their MPH, MEnHSc or similar degrees.
- MSc and PhD students in epidemiology, health economics, public health and veterinary sciences.
Workshop dates
Monday 8th December – Friday 12th December 2025 (final assessment task due in January)
Time
9:00am – 5:00pm (students must attend all sessions either in-person or online synchronously)
Locations
- The University of Queensland, Herston Campus (Day 1-2 and 4-5)
- The University of Queensland, Dutton Park Campus (Day 3)
Registration
14th November 2025
Entry requirements
For non-UQ students:
- work experience in public health
- work experience in wastewater and industrial hygiene
- an interest in surveillance, public health, wastewater surveillance / wastewater epidemiology
- enrolled in postgraduate degree in a related field
- or completed postgraduate degree in a related field
For current UQ students in:
- enrolled in a postgraduate degree at UQ
Cost
Domestic non-award* students: $2,035
Domestic cross-institutional students: $2,035
International non-award* students: $2,950
International cross-institutional students: $2,950
*Non-award students are those students who are undertaking the course but are not currently enrolled in a postgraduate program at The University of Queensland, or at another university. Non-award students may receive credit for the course should they wish to later enrol in a related program at The University of Queensland, such as the Master of Public Health.
About the course
Contacts
Course Coordinator
Associate Professor Nick Osborne
Email: n.osborne@uq.edu.au
Registration
Closes 14 November 2025