Module Descriptors
PRINCIPLES OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
SOWK70188
Key Facts
School of Health, Science and Wellbeing
Level 7
15 credits
Contact
Leader: Elizabeth Boath
Hours of Study
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities: 48
Independent Study Hours: 102
Total Learning Hours: 150
Assessment
  • EXAMINATION - OPEN BOOK EXAMINATION IN EXAMINATION CONDITIONS weighted at 50%
  • CASE BASED STUDY weighted at 50%
Module Details
Module Additional Assessment Details
BOTH pieces of assessment need to be passed:

Open book examination on-line: 50% LOs 1,2,4 and
1 written case study presentation. 50%. LO 3. (1500 words)

Students will receive formative feedback throughout the module comprising of a combination of task related feedback and also comments directed through discussion boards during the course of the delivery of the module.
Module Special Admissions Requirements
None
Module Resources
Access to an appropriately specified PC, with accompanying Word, PowerPoint, Adobe and Java software.
Module Texts
Stewart A. (2007). Basic statistics and epidemiology: a practical guide. Radcliffe Medical Press Ltd.

Additional reading will be given each week throughout the module.
Module Learning Strategies
Students will follow an 8-week guided study programme and access support material via Blackboard.
Students will be required to access additional support material independently. Understanding of key concepts will be self-assessed via questions posed on Blackboard and tutors feedback will be provided. Students should engage in on-line discussion sessions and will be required to support discussions with evidence based arguments.

Core required tasks will amount to an average of 6 hours of engagement per week, representing a total of 48 activity engagement hours for the module.

The number of independent study hours is 102, representing a combination of further and additional reading and a series of optional tasks (48 hours) and specific preparation for the module assignments (54 hours).
Module Indicative Content
The aims of the module are to; describe what epidemiology is and how epidemiological methods are used to make informed decisions in public health and clinical medicine. The module will include; various measures of morbidity, measures of frequency and association, design, data collection and validity of epidemiological studies and give an overview of data analysis and biostatistics. The student will be given basic theoretical and practical skills for planning, undertaking and interpreting epidemiological studies. The module will include case study analysis of epidemiological investigations, upon which the module assessment will be based.