Postgraduate Course: Epidemiology for Health Professionals (GLHE11016)
Course Outline
School | Deanery of Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences |
College | College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine |
Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Course type | Online Distance Learning |
Availability | Available to all students |
SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
Summary | This course introduces the fundamentals of epidemiology, providing students with an understanding of different epidemiological concepts and approaches and investigative techniques, and essential statistical skills, relating to global and local health problems. It focuses on areas such as how to understand study design and how to choose the right study design, interpreting confidence intervals, p-values, relative risks and odds ratios, and understanding how to measure health and disease. It explores issues such as bias and confounding.
The course is flexible, designed to be engaging and informative to people at all levels, whether just beginning to work with epidemiology or for those who have a basic grasp but wish to extend their knowledge further. The course provides an excellent platform for all health professionals building skills in interpretation of data, research design and clinical practice. It is also valuable for policy makers, for those engaged in the health industry and those working in NGOs and international agencies and organisations. It is extremely useful for those working in the NHS or other health services throughout the world, or those who have a teaching responsibility to health students. |
Course description |
The course will concentrate on the following areas:
- measures of disease frequency
- basic statistical concepts used in epidemiology
- practical application of statistical methods in epidemiology
- the uses, advantages and disadvantages of different epidemiological study designs
- sources of error in epidemiological studies
- critical appraisal skills for epidemiology
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Additional Costs | Students will be responsible for their computer equipment and internet access. |
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisites | None |
High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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Academic year 2020/21, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
Course Start |
Flexible |
Timetable |
Timetable |
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
196 )
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Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
Feedback |
Not entered |
No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Describe a range of epidemiological study designs and identify their strengths and weaknesses
- Critically appraise epidemiological studies, evaluating the role of chance, bias and confounding in order to make an informed judgement about the trustworthiness of study findings
- Define key statistical terms and correctly interpret the statistical results of epidemiological studies
- Apply epidemiological and statistical concepts to design an epidemiological study and analysis plan
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Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
Special Arrangements |
This course will be taught entirely by online distance learning, using the virtual learning environment Learn as the delivery platform. Course materials are protected by secure username and password access that will be made available to registered users. |
Keywords | global health,epidemiology |
Contacts
Course organiser | Dr Ruth McQuillan
Tel: (0131 6)50 9238
Email: Ruth.McQuillan@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Rosemary Porteous
Tel: (0131 6)50 9835
Email: Rosemary.Porteous@ed.ac.uk |
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