Course unit details:
Fundamentals of Epidemiology
| Unit code | POPH60991 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 15 |
| Unit level | FHEQ level 7 – master's degree or fourth year of an integrated master's degree |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 1 |
| Available as a free choice unit? | No |
Overview
Epidemiology is the core scientific skill for the practice of public health, and been adopted by clinicians as the scientific basis on which evidence-based practice is built. This course is therefore relevant to current or future professionals involved with either conducting health-related research or interpreting the findings of research studies.
In this course students will learn about the history of 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 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.
Aims
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.
Learning outcomes
| Category of outcome | Students should be able to: |
| Knowledge and understanding | A1 Demonstrate an understanding of the key epidemiological studies A2 Perform and interpret incidence and prevalence rates of diseases within a population A3 Construct and interpret age standardisations A4 Define different measures of risk, how to calculate them and how this relates to understanding disease causation A5 Define the methods used in ecological studies, cross-sectional surveys, case-control studies, cohort studies and intervention studies A6 Demonstrate an understanding of bias, confounding and effect modification A7 Demonstrate an understanding of the uses of routine data, screening and epidemiological surveillance |
| Intellectual skills | B1 Apply epidemiological thinking when conducting or reviewing research in professional practice |
| Practical skills | C1 Perform calculation of key epidemiological measures |
| Transferable skills and personal qualities | D1 Manage time and work to deadlines D2 Develop a critical approach to interpreting epidemiological studies |
Syllabus
- Important epidemiological studies and the application of epidemiology to public health
- Measures of risk and understanding causation
- Age standardisation
- Measures of morbidity and mortality, including incidence and prevalence
- Descriptive studies
- Case-control studies
- Cohort studies
- Intervention studies
- Bias, confounding and effect modification in epidemiological studies
- Sample size, epidemiological surveillance and screening
Teaching and learning methods
Online distance learning with course materials provided via the virtual learning environment Blackboard. 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 leader and teaching assistants. These exercises will include practice questions to embed student’s learning and provide examples of the type of question in the assignments. 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 and a further guide to the type of question that can be expected in the marked assignment. Automated feedback is provided for the self-tests.
Employability skills
- Analytical skills
- Students will develop analytical skills by learning about the strengths and limitations of common types of observational study designs such as ecological studies, cross-sectional surveys, case-control studies, cohort studies and intervention studies. They will learn how to critically appraise these studies in the medical literature.
- Research
- In this module students will develop research skills by learning how to choose the appropriate epidemiological study design to use to answer particular research questions. They will also learn how to analyse data collected in epidemiological studies and how to interpret epidemiological data.
Assessment methods
Assessment task | Weighting |
Final assignment | 100% |
In the assignment at the end of the course, students are expected to perform calculations, interpret results and critically reflect on research question scenarios. Practice on these types of questions and model solutions will be provided for each topic/week.
Feedback methods
Students will be provided with feedback and model solutions to each weekly exercise. For the final summative assignment personilised 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).
Study hours
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 150 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Tracey Farragher | Unit coordinator |
Additional notes
If you have any questions about the content of this unit, please contact the course unit leader, Tracey Farragher, via email on tracey.farragher@manchester.ac.uk.
If you have any other queries, please contact the PGT programme administrators via email on mph.admin@manchester.ac.uk.