LSC-30084 - Module Specification
School of Life Sciences
Faculty of Natural Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

Epidemiology is the discipline largely concerned with disease prevention in the population. This is based on the principle that causes (exposures) and outcomes (health events, e.g. diseases) are part of a complex inter-connected web of relationships. Epidemiology generates knowledge on the causation of disease, develops a hypothesis to describe disease patterns, and explores the natural history of diseases. In this module, you will develop knowledge and understanding in epidemiological study design and interpretation of epidemiological results, exploring the scientific procedures of public health research, policies, program implementation, and evaluation. You will develop hands-on experience in calculating different estimates used in epidemiological studies applied in different research study designs. You will develop skills in designing epidemiological research, developing data collection tools, conducting primary epidemiological research, and interpreting epidemiological findings used in public health, including of relevance to outbreak investigations.

Epidemiology is one of the fundamental disciplines underlying public health research and today¿s public health policies heavily rely on epidemiological studies. The primary aim of this module is to provide students with knowledge of the epidemiological concept, measures of disease frequency and disease association, and epidemiological research design. The module will develop students' skills in the interpretation of epidemiological data and results. The module will develop the critical thinking abilities of the students by understanding and developing core competence to apply epidemiological approaches in public health.

Intended Learning Outcomes

define and measure the occurrence and association of diseases and health events in populations: 1
evaluate the importance of surveys, surveillance for pathogens/diseases and risk analysis in preventing, controlling, and eradicating diseases.: 1
respond to public health preparedness and emergencies including outbreak investigations, epidemics and pandemics: 2
evaluate the accuracy of screening tests including sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values: 1
critically appraise epidemiological study design with consideration of strengths and weaknesses, and why, how, and where to apply appropriate studies: 2
identify potential sources of errors, bias, or confounders in epidemiological studies and how to control those: 2

Study hours

10 x 2-hour active-learning lectures and workshops
6 x 2-hours tutorials, including IT workshops
6 x 2-hours directed reading of allocated articles on Epidemiological studies to support tutorials
10 x 3-hours engagement with asynchronous materials to support workshops and tutorials
Independent study
44 hours completion of study design assessment
32 hours independent study and preparation of data evaluation report

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment