Postgraduate Course: Infectious Disease Epidemiology (PUHR11113)
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 | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | The 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: study design to calculate key statistics for understanding infectious diseases; application of mathematical models for infectious disease epidemiology; use of pathogen sequencing for evaluating infectious diseases outbreaks; evaluation of control measures including vaccination and non-pharmaceutical intervention; understanding the epidemiology of endemic disease.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2023/24, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Flexible |
| Course Start Date |
05/08/2023 |
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:
- Weekly multiple choice quizzes.
Summative assessment:
- A practical assessment completed in R Markdown with a similar structure as the weekly practical sheets. This analysis will include components of infectious disease epidemiology calculations, mathematical modelling, pathogen genomics, disease control evaluation and endemic disease. Students will have to answer questions on topics covered in the course, such as calculating key epidemiological quantities, interpreting figures and results, and sketching schematics of mathematical models or natural history progressions. |
| Feedback |
Students will receive model answers for each weekly practical. Students will have the chance to meet course organisers during weekly office hours or via group discussion sessions.
Written feedback will be provided via Learn after the summative assessment, with the opportunity for students who wish to receive extended feedback to meet the course organiser.
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| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of key concepts and principles of infectious disease epidemiology
- Identify when and how use of surveillance data, mathematical models, and pathogen sequence data can be used to quantify infectious disease transmission
- Apply these methods to various infectious disease settings with awareness of their limitations
- Use the concepts and methods in learning outcomes 1-3 to critically evaluate literature on infectious disease epidemiology
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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 measures 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 discussion 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 practicals 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 discussion. |
| Keywords | Epidemiology,data analysis,disease dynamics,infectious disease control,mathematical modelling |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Katie Atkins
Tel:
Email: Katherine.Atkins@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Lucy Courage
Tel: (0131 6)51 7111
Email: lcourage@ed.ac.uk |
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