Course Coordinator:Faith Alele (falele@usc.edu.au) School:School of Health - Public Health
UniSC Sunshine Coast |
Blended learning | Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online. |
Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
This course explores the science of epidemiology which is about understanding the distribution, patterns, determinants of health and wellbeing, and disease in populations. Knowledge gained from epidemiology is used to inform research, policy and practice decisions to protect and promote the health and wellbeing of the population. You will develop your knowledge about epidemiological concepts and study designs, and apply epidemiology skills to current and emerging public health issues.
Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
Blended learning | |||
Learning materials – 2 hours of independent structured learning materials | 2hrs | Week 1 | 13 times |
Tutorial/Workshop 1 – 2-hour workshop - on-campus | 2hrs | Week 1 | 13 times |
Introduction to epidemiological concepts
Measuring and interpreting disease occurrence and associations between exposures and disease
Epidemiological study designs, bias, confounding and concepts of causation
Appriasing and interpreting epidemiological literature
Applying epidemiological concepts to health surveillance, outbreaks, and disease prevention activities
200 Level (Developing)
12 units
Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | Professional Standard Mapping * International Union for Health Promotion and Education | |
1 | Calculate and interpret epidemiological measures of occurrence and association used to assess public health impact. | Empowered |
B.3, B.8, 6.3, 6.4, 9.4 |
2 | Identify and critique epidemiological study designs. |
Creative and critical thinker Ethical |
B.3, B.8, 6.4, 9.1 |
3 | Appraise and communicate epidemiological evidence to inform health policy decision making. | Creative and critical thinker |
4.1, 4.2 |
CODE | COMPETENCY |
International Union for Health Promotion and Education | |
B.3 | The determinants of health and their implications for health promotion action |
B.8 | The evidence base and research methods, including qualitative and quantitative methods, required to inform and evaluate health promotion action |
4.1 | Use effective communication skills including written, verbal, nonverbal, and listening skills |
4.2 | Use information technology and other media to receive and disseminate health promotion information |
6.3 | Collect, review and appraise relevant data, information and literature to inform health promotion action |
6.4 | Identify the determinants of health which impact on health promotion action |
9.1 | Identify and use appropriate health promotion evaluation tools and research methods |
9.4 | Use research and evidence-based strategies to inform practice |
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
Standard Grading (GRD)
High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
Weekly in-class practice activities will be used to provide you with early feedback to support your preparation for all tasks.
Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | Weighting % | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
All | 1 | Artefact - Technical and Scientific | Individual | 20% | 10 multiple choice; 5 short answer questions |
Week 6 | Online Submission |
All | 2 | Artefact - Professional, and Written Piece | Individual | 40% | Written critique (completion of a template) |
Week 10 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All | 3 | Artefact - Professional, and Written Piece | Individual | 40% | Written professional brief (completion of a template) |
Week 13 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
All - Assessment Task 1:Multiple choice and short answer questions | |
Goal: | To apply your skills in epidemiology to deconstruct extracts, assess epidemiological research designs, perform calculations related to disease occurrence and measures of association, and identify foundational epidemiological concepts. |
Product: | Artefact - Technical and Scientific |
Format: | Multiple choice and short answer questions related to the application of core epidemiological concepts. Further details on how to approach and complete the multiple choice and short answer questions will be available on Canvas. |
Criteria: |
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All - Assessment Task 2:Article critique | |
Goal: | To apply your knowledge and skills in epidemiology to critique an epidemiological study published in the peer-reviewed literature. |
Product: | Artefact - Professional, and Written Piece |
Format: | Individually, you will use the knowledge and skills gained throughout the course to critically assess an allocated published peer-reviewed epidemiological article. The critical appraisal checklist and template, as well as further details on how to approach and complete the article critique will be available on Canvas. |
Criteria: |
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All - Assessment Task 3:Policy brief | |
Goal: | To demonstrate your knowledge and skills in professional communication of epidemiological findings to inform evidence-based public health approaches. |
Product: | Artefact - Professional, and Written Piece |
Format: | Individually you will develop a written professional policy brief demonstrating your understanding of epidemiological concepts and evidence to ensure public heath action is based on the best available evidence. The written professional brief template and further details on how to approach and complete the policy brief will be available on Canvas. |
Criteria: |
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A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
Please note that you need to have regular access to the resource(s) listed below. Resources may be required or recommended.
Required? | Author | Year | Title | Edition | Publisher |
Recommended | Webb, P., Bain, C., and Page, A. | 2020 | Essential epidemiology: An introduction for students and health professionals | 4 | Cambridge University Press |
Not applicable
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying: The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4% The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale You have not failed an assessment task in the course due to academic misconduct
Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate: - 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.
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