Objectives
This specialisation focuses on the core epidemiologic and analytic knowledge and skills that underpin health research and applied epidemiology. Students who specialise in Epidemiology and Biostatistics develop a broad understanding of the value and basic principles of epidemiological methods in public health, evidence-based practice and medical research, including its biostatistical underpinnings. Students develop skills in; study design and appraisal, data management and statistical analyses for handling a variety of practical problems; and the technical skills to practice in applied epidemiology in the public health setting and/or progress to further postgraduate studies in epidemiology and/or biostatistics. Students also have the opportunity to augment basic epidemiology skills with specialist knowledge and techniques in key areas - genetic, molecular and infectious disease epidemiology. Students use the research project as an opportunity to gain further applied experience in epidemiologic and analytic methods, develop higher level skills in specific methods, build networks with practitioners in their area of interest, and to apply their knowledge and skills to a particular research area, disease group, and/or population of interest.
Course description
Core Subjects
The following subjects are core requirements for this Specialisation.
Students intending to specialise in Epidemiology and Biostatistics should take 505-969 and 505-970 in place of 505-101 and 505-102 to ensure they have the computer skills to articulate with advanced elective subjects in this stream together with a minimum of 2 other Consortium subjects.
Students must also enrol in 505-925 (Research Project)
Subject Semester Credit Points
505-969 Epidemiology & Analytic Methods 1
This subject provides an introduction to epidemiological and biostatistical concepts and methods, and their application in the assessment and management of health issues in a range of clinical and population-based settings. Methods are taught in an a... Semester 1 12.50
505-970 Epidemiology & Analytic Methods 2
This subject consolidates the basic principles covered in "Epidemiology and Analytic Methods I" and develops a more substantial understanding of epidemiological research, and in particular of the key concepts of confounding, i... Semester 1 12.50
505-925 Research Project in Epidemiology/BiostatTo develop a question in epidemiology which can be answered through the scientific method and to attempt to answer the question either by a critical review of the published and unpublished literature or by a meta-analysis of the published and unpubli... Semester 1, Semester 2 25
Recommended Electives
It is strongly recommended that students enrol in 505-973 Study Design in Epidemiologyand choose three subjects from the remaining seven subjects.
Subject Semester Credit Points
505-520 Database Systems in Epidemiology Studies
This subject covers the skills needed to design, program and manage a database application for epidemiological research. Topics covered include: efficient database design; database programming of tables, forms and macros; queries for extracting data ... Semester 1 12.50
505-929 Infectious Disease Epidemiology
The epidemiology of infectious diseases differs from chronic disease - cases may be the source of infection for further cases, immunity is an important factor in disease transmission and control, and there is often the need for urgency in the detecti... Semester 1 12.50
505-973 Study Design in Epidemiology
This subject covers the main epidemiological study designs in detail. Methodological issues in study design will be illustrated using practical examples and critical appraisal. The following designs will be covered: trials, cohort studies, case-contr... Semester 1 12.50
505-974 Epidemiology in Practice
This subject will build on the principles and methods covered in Epidemiology and Analytic Methods I and 11 and Study Design in Epidemiology, focussing on the application of epidemiological methods in a range of clinical and population-based settings... Semester 2 12.50
505-926 Genetic Epidemiology
The majority of chronic diseases share a common risk factor: the family history for that disease. Epidemiologists can use families to assess the role of the interrelated genetic and environmental risk factors. This subject provides an introduction to... Semester 2 12.50
505-936 Infectious Diseases Epi - Special Topics
This subject introduces students to specialist areas in infectious disease epidemiology. The modules will be linked by themes that include evidence-based public health decision-making, infectious disease policy development, risk assessment and risk c... Semester 2 12.50
505-971 Linear & Logistic Regression
This subject covers linear regression methods for continuous outcome variables and logistic regression methods for binary outcome variables. The focus will be on regression methods and models used in epidemiology. The concepts of correlation (for lin... Semester 2 12.50
505-972 Survival Analysis & Regression for Rates
This subject expands on Linear and Logistic Regression, introducing the use of rates and rate ratios and the analysis of censored time to event (survival) data. The focus is on methods for modelling the relationship between events measured over time,... Semester 2 12.50
