This course is an introduction to epidemiology, the basic science of public health, and is intended for students seeking careers in health related fields. It is designed to familiarize students with the basic tenets of epidemiology and the principles that guide health promotion/public health. The subject matter is applicable to a variety of fields in addition to health promotion/public health, such as, nursing, medicine and other health professions, communication, education, psychology, sociology, and social work.
Course Objectives
At the completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Define epidemiology and explain its role in healthpromotion
2. Discuss and define basic epidemiologic principles
3. Understand concepts central to epidemiologicmeasurement
4. Compare and contrast different epidemiologic study designs
5. Discuss causation and causal inference in epidemiology
6. Describe the epidemiological sub-disciplines of field, clinical, social and behavioral epidemiology
Course Sections
Section 1: Overview, context and principles
This section covers common terms used in epidemiology, the history and context of the discipline, and basic principles of epidemiology.
Section 2: Epidemiological studies and designs
This section provides students with content and hands-on application of epidemiologic study approaches.
Section 3: Causal inference and specific epidemiologic approaches
This module focuses on using epidemiology to determine causes of health problems in general and specialty areas of study.
Course Evaluation and Grades
The course will emphasize attendance and active participation in assignments during and outside of class. The professor will introduce topics for each class, and will evaluate students based on class attendance, performance on quizzes, exams, written paper, and participation in the class learning activities.
