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PU5030: EPIDEMIOLOGY (2019-2020)

Last modified: 25 Sep 2019 09:58


Course Overview

This course in applied epidemiology gives an introduction to disease measurement at a population level, basic epidemiological study design and analysis, and provides an understanding of key methodological issues needed to apply when designing – or critically appraising – an epidemiological study.

Course Details

Study Type Postgraduate Level 5
Term First Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Kathryn Martin

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Any Postgraduate Programme (Studied)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

Topics to be covered in the course include:

  • Causality and associations
  • Measures of disease occurrence
  • Study design and analysis
  • Populations
  • Sampling
  • Validity and reliability
  • Sensitivity and specificity
  • Screening
  • Outbreak and cluster investigation
  • Bias and confounding
  • Critical appraisal.

 

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

  1. Identify, define and contextualise basic epidemiological terminology
  2. Describe a health problem in terms of magnitude, persons, time and place
  3. Calculate and interpret basic epidemiological measures (e.g., incidence/prevalence) and measures of association (e.g., odds ratio, risk ratio)
  4. Identify and select appropriate sources of data to address epidemiological questions
  5. Distinguish between observational study designs and communicate the appropriate circumstances in which to use each design
  6. Recognise the potential threats to correctly interpreting results and identify those most relevant to each observational study design
  7. Critically appraise observational studies in terms of context, study design, methods, analysis and conclusions

 

The course is designed to facilitate an applied understanding of the epidemiological concepts and subject areas that are introduced in lecture, readings, assignments and class discussion. Students are encouraged to read widely from the recommended textbooks, or from other epidemiology literature / papers. Students are also expected to practise the application of epidemiological theory and principles by engaging in regular pre-work and homework assignments and group-study is promoted in this course.

Teaching and learning for this course will involve a combination of pre-work, lectures, in-class workshops, homework, revision, a group assignment and tutorials (self-directed). You will receive approximately 20 hours of pre-work activities and 20 hours of face-to-face classes which will provide you with a theoretical background for each topic and opportunity to engage with Epidemiological concepts. You are expected to spend a further 60 time in private study and 50 hours preparing for assessments.


Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Class Test

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 40
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
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Exam

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Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
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Data indentification

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 15
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
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Weekly Quizzes

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 5
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
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Class Test

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 40
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Exam

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 40
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Data indentification

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 15
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Weekly Quizzes

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 5
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

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