MSc Occupational Hygiene / Course details

Epidemiology is the core scientific skill for the practice of quantitative public health, that has been adopted by clinicians as the scientific basis on which quantitative evidence-based practice is built. This course is therefore relevant to current or future professionals involved with either conducting quantitative health-related research or interpreting the findings of quantitative research studies.

In this course students will learn about the discipline of epidemiology, and its applications to public health. Students will be introduced to common types of observational study designs including ecological studies, cross-sectional surveys, case-control studies, cohort studies and intervention studies. The course covers the appropriate methods of measuring and comparing risk in each type of study as well as the limitations of epidemiological studies and how to minimise systematic errors and biases when conducting epidemiological studies.

This is an interactive online course. Students must work through the online course material. Students are expected to engage in weekly exercises via discussion boards with their peers and tutors 

The aim of this course is for students to acquire an understanding of basic epidemiological methods for the purpose of participating in the design of epidemiological studies and critically appraising the medical literature.

Topic 1: Understanding Causation and Defining a Research Question  

Topic 2: Measures of Morbidity and Mortality (including standardisation)

Topic 3: Descriptive Studies

Topic 4: Case-Control Studies

Topic 5: Cohort Studies

Topic 6: Intervention Studies  

Topic 7: Selecting Populations and Samples: Sampling Methods

Topic 8: Measurement Error: Validity and Reliability

Topic 9: Bias, Confounding and Effect Modification

Topic 10: Practical Study Design and Ethical Issues, Dissemination and Implementation. 

All materials are online and require the students to work through teaching on the virtual learning platform including self-tests, discussion board activities and quizzes. The course consists of 10 weekly topics with links to external web materials and reference to reading materials. There are also tasks that require students to participate in weekly exercises  - these exercises will be discussed and supported on the online discussion boards and moderated by the course unit leaders and teaching assistants.  

At the end of most topics there is also a self-test which provides a more in-depth test of students’ understanding of the course material . Automated feedback is provided for the self-tests.

There will be webinars that will be recorded to allow asynchronous learning.

For all students in line with guidance from the Office for Students and Quality Assurance Agency, the programme will be augmented by the Programme Director Seminar Series to deliver study skills, written English, academic writing, research skills, critical thinking and understanding arguments, careers and employability skills, revision/assessment/examination skills including time management.

There will be regular interaction with the tutors through scheduled webinars (which will be recorded and made available) and through the online discussion boards. Students will be encouraged to use self-reflection to think about the ideas discussed, and take part in discussion board activities. Students should work through the unit in a logical sequence. The individual course unit timetables will guide what should be done and when. Participation in the discussion boards is greatly encouraged, and can help enhance your learning experience and prepare you for your assessment.

In line with guidance from the Office for Students and Quality Assurance Agency, the programme will be augmented by the Programme Director Seminar Series to deliver study skills, written English, academic writing, research skills, critical thinking and understanding arguments, careers and employability skills, revision/assessment/examination skills including time management. 

Design and interpret epidemiological studies.

Understand the methods used in the commonly used epidemiological studies, including their advantages and disadvantages.

Understand the selection of appropriate samples and populations in epidemiological studies.

Calculate and interpret the common measures of morbidity and mortality of diseases within a population, including age standardisation.  

Calculate and interpret the different effect measures of risk, and how this relates to understanding disease causation.

Identify sources of bias and measurement error, and methods to address them in epidemiological studies.

Understand the concepts of confounding and effect modification, and the methods to identify and account for them in epidemiological studies. 

Apply epidemiological thinking when conducting or reviewing research in professional practice. 

Perform calculation of key epidemiological measures. 

Manage time and work to deadlines.

Develop a critical approach to conducting and interpreting epidemiological studies. 

In the assignment at the end of the course, students are expected to  design their own epidemiological study, outlining the methods employed and critically reflecting on the proposed study.  

2500 - 3000 words or equivalent worth 100% of marks.  

As a mid-term formative assessment, students will have the opportunity to present an outline of their proposed study and receive formative feedback on their proposal to provide support for the final summative assignment.  

Students will be provided with feedback and model solutions to each weekly exercise. For the final summative assignment  personalised feedback will be provided within 20 working days of submission.

Further opportunities for formative feedback (on non-assessed work) will also be provided during the course unit in the weekly exercises via discussion boards and the online material (self-tests).

Raj S. Bhopal. Concepts of Epidemiology: Integrating the Ideas, Theories, Principles, and Methods of Epidemiology. Publisher:Oxford University Press (15 Nov. 2016); 1520. (available as an e-book via Koretext)

Lash, T.L. (2021). Modern epidemiology. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.

Coggon D (David). Epidemiology for the Uninitiated . 5th ed. (Rose G, Barker DJP (David JP, eds.). BMJ Publishing; 2003

Bonita R. Basic Epidemiology. 2nd ed. (Beaglehole R, Kjellström T, eds.). World Health Organization; 2006. OVP 

If you have any questions about the content of this unit, please contact the course unit leaders, Tracey Farragher ((tracey.farragher@manchester.ac.uk) or Mark Johnson (mark.johnson-8@manchester.ac.uk).

If you have any other queries, please contact the PGT programme administrators via email on SHS.programmes@manchester.ac.uk.