THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2020/2021

Information in the Degree Programme Tables may still be subject to change in response to Covid-19

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Deanery of Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences : Public Health Research

Postgraduate Course: Introduction to Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology (PUHR11066)

Course Outline
SchoolDeanery of Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences CollegeCollege of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate)
Course typeOnline Distance Learning AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits10 ECTS Credits5
SummaryThis course will equip students with the knowledge and critical skills to evaluate epidemiological evidence about environmental and occupational exposures and risks to health in order to make judgements about risks in their own contexts. The teaching material comprises lectures, case-studies, activities and readings.
Course description The teaching material comprises lectures, case-studies, investigations and readings.

The first ten topics will be addressed in lectures and supplemental written material.

1. The environment and health
2. Exposure and the exposome: definition and measurement
3. Introduction to toxicology
4. Occupational and environmental epidemiology
5. Risk communication
6. Spatial epidemiology
7. Interventions to reduce risks to health from environmental exposures
8. Health impact assessment and public health policy
9. Heat stress and the impact of heat waves
10. Air pollution epidemiology

The remaining topics will be addressed through written material, directed reading, discussions and student investigations.

11. Coal workers and the impact of coal mining on local communities
12. Volcanic activity and health
13. Occupational and environmental cancer, including mobile phones and brain cancer, plus shift work and breast
14. Atmospheric emissions and environmental dispersal
15. Climate change and its effects on health
16. Citizen science and environmental epidemiology
17. The effects of exposure to pesticides, including residues from diet
18. Sustainable cities
19. Accident epidemiology
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2020/21, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  None
Course Start Flexible
Course Start Date 03/08/2020
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 100 ( Lecture Hours 5, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 1, Online Activities 35, Feedback/Feedforward Hours 5, Formative Assessment Hours 5, Revision Session Hours 1, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 46 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Feedback Marks and individual feedback will be returned to student via Grademark.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of environmental and occupational factors in influencing health and how these issues are identified and characterised
  2. Obtain and critically evaluate evidence of hazards, exposures and risks
  3. Critically appraise the implementation of epidemiological studies in this context
  4. Demonstrate a critical awareness of how evidence leads to recommendations in policy and practice
  5. Communicate about hazards and risks, using appropriate methods, with a range of stakeholders
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsEnvironment,work,exposure,exposome,disease
Contacts
Course organiserDr Heli Johnston
Tel:
Email: h.johnston@hw.ac.uk
Course secretaryMrs Rosemary Porteous
Tel: (0131 6)50 9835
Email: Rosemary.Porteous@ed.ac.uk
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