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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2022/2023

Timetable information in the Course Catalogue may be subject to change.

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

Postgraduate Course: Infectious Disease Epidemiology (PUHR11113)

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
SummaryThe purpose of this course is to introduce the principles of infectious disease epidemiology
Course description This course provides students with an introduction to the principles of infectious disease epidemiology and will include: surveillance data and study design for understanding infectious diseases; calculating the reproductive number and interpreting its importance in disease control; application of mathematical models for infectious disease epidemiology; evaluation of control measures including vaccination and non-pharmaceutical intervention.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2022/23, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  None
Course Start Flexible
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 100 ( Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 98 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Written Exam 0%, Coursework 100%, Practical Exam 0%

Formative assessment:
- Topic multiple choice quizzes.
- Synthesis of a scientific paper into a 5 min presentation (group work, recorded and peer marked)

Summative assessment:
- Write a scientific paper based on provided R code of an analysis of infectious disease data. This analysis will include components of mathematical modelling and disease control evaluation. Students will have to present the problem tackled, describe the methods used, display and describe the results, provide a conclusion and discuss the limitations of the analysis. An opportunity for extending the code for additional results generation will allow a higher mark.
Feedback Students will receive oral and model answer feedback during formative assessments during workshops and written feedback via Learn after the summative assessment, with the opportunity for students who wish to receive extended feedback to meet the course organiser.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of key concepts and principles of infectious disease epidemiology.
  2. Identify when and how mathematical models can be used to quantify infectious disease transmission and its control and apply these methods to various infectious disease settings with awareness of their limitations.
  3. Critically evaluate literature on infectious disease epidemiology
Reading List
Reading lists and R programming resources will be provided in the course handbook
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills The following generic and transferable skills are expected to be developed during this course:

1) Generic cognitive skills

Students will learn to apply critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis to issues that are informed by developments in infectious disease epidemiology. Students will learn to critically review infectious disease models and make informed judgements in the absence of complete or consistent data/information.

2) Communication, numeracy and IT skills

Students will learn to communicate with peers, senior colleagues and specialists through the lectures, practicals, group work and assessment. Students will strengthen their programming skills through the practical work. Students will undertake critical evaluations of a range of numerical and graphical data through the tutorials and assessment.

3) Autonomy, accountability and working with others

Students will be encouraged to exercise substantial autonomy and initiative in professional and equivalent activities. Students will take responsibility for own work and/or significant responsibility for the work of others through the group work.
KeywordsEpidemiology,data analysis,disease dynamics,infectious disease control,mathematical modelling
Contacts
Course organiser Course secretaryMiss Lucy Courage
Tel: (0131 6)51 7111
Email: lcourage@ed.ac.uk
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