Introduction to Epidemiology
PostgraduateTAS-CAM5282025
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- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- 14 weeks
- Start dates
- 24 Feb 2025,
- 21 July 2025
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Introduction to Epidemiology
About this subject
Upon completion of this subject, the student should be able to:
- Distinguish between different epidemiological study designs in relation to their major features, strengths and limitations.
- Identify and discuss how to address sources of error and bias in epidemiological research.
- Critically appraise epidemiological research in relation to validity and inference of causality.
- Communicate academic arguments effectively.
- Identify, calculate and interpret basic epidemiological measures of disease frequency and relative risk.
- Weeks 1-2 - Module 1: Introduction to Epidemiology, Descriptive Epidemiology
- Weeks 3-5 - Module 2: Association. Study designs. Linking exposure and disease.
- Weeks 6-7 - Module 3: Alternative Explanations. The role of chance. Error. Confounding.
- Weeks 8-10 - Module 4: Integration and Interpretation. Association and causation. Reading and writing epidemiological papers. Assembling the building blocks: reviews and their uses.
- Weeks 11-13 - Module 5: Practical Applications. Outbreaks, epidemics and clusters. Prevention better than cure? Early detection.
This subject explores the principles, theories and practice of epidemiology. Students are provided with a comprehensive introduction to the collection and interpretation of epidemiological data within the framework of health, health care delivery and human services. The subject content covers the broad areas of disease distribution, study design, basic quantitative measures, causality, interpretation of data and critical appraisal of the literature. These concepts are explored in the context of contemporary health and health care issues such as non-communicable diseases, cancer screening, mental health, domestic violence, disability and drug and alcohol addiction. The subject focuses on the development of essential skills for logical and scientific assessment and evaluation of the literature. Critical thinking, scientific and analytical competencies are emphasized throughout this subject which builds core skills essential to health and health services research, planning and evaluation of programs and policy formulation.
- Online Quiz x 5 (25%)
- Online Written Assignments (45%)
- Critique of a Journal Article (30%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
Part of a degree
To enrol in this subject you must be accepted into one of the following degrees:
Core
- TAS-MPH-GCE-2025 - Graduate Certificate in Public Health
Elective
- TAS-CPH-GDI-2025 - Graduate Diploma of Clinical Pharmacy
- TAS-CDP-GDI-2025 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Communicable Disease Prevention)
- TAS-CUC-GDI-2025 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Community and Urgent Care)
- TAS-APD-GDI-2025 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Dementia)
- TAS-ADH-GDI-2025 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Digital Health)
- TAS-APG-GDI-2025 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Governance)
- TAS-AHE-GDI-2025 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Health Economics)
- TAS-HSI-GDI-2025 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Health Service Improvement)
- TAS-APH-GDI-2025 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Healthcare Education)
- TAS-AMS-GDI-2025 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Medication Safety)
- TAS-AOP-GDI-2025 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Organisational Performance)
- TAS-AOR-GDI-2025 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Organisational Resilience)
- TAS-ASC-GDI-2025 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Strategic Communication)
- TAS-SCL-GDI-2025 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Supply Chain and Logistics)
- TAS-AWP-GDI-2025 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Workplace Psychology)
- TAS-AQS-MAS-2025 - Master of Advanced Practice ( Applied Quality and Safety)
- TAS-ADP-GCE-2025 - Graduate Certificate in Advanced Practice
- TAS-CUC-MAS-2025 - Master of Advanced Practice (Community and Urgent Care)
- TAS-CCR-MAS-2025 - Master of Advanced Practice (Critical Care and Retrieval)
- TAS-APD-MAS-2025 - Master of Advanced Practice (Dementia)
- TAS-ADH-MAS-2025 - Master of Advanced Practice (Digital Health)
- TAS-APG-MAS-2025 - Master of Advanced Practice (Governance)
- TAS-AHE-MAS-2025 - Master of Advanced Practice (Health Economics)
- TAS-HSI-MAS-2025 - Master of Advanced Practice (Health Service Improvement)
- TAS-APH-MAS-2025 - Master of Advanced Practice (Healthcare Education)
- TAS-AMS-MAS-2025 - Master of Advanced Practice (Medication Safety)
- TAS-AOP-MAS-2025 - Master of Advanced Practice (Organisational Performance)
- TAS-AOR-MAS-2025 - Master of Advanced Practice (Organisational Resilience)
- TAS-ASC-MAS-2025 - Master of Advanced Practice (Strategic Communication)
- TAS-SCL-MAS-2025 - Master of Advanced Practice (Supply Chain and Logistics)
- TAS-AWP-MAS-2025 - Master of Advanced Practice (Workplace Psychology)
- TAS-SCM-GDI-2025 - Graduate Diploma of Strategic Communication
- TAS-CDP-MAS-2025 - Master of Advanced Practice (Communicable Disease Prevention)
- TAS-AQS-GDI-2025 - Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice ( Applied Quality and Safety)
Additional requirements
- Other requirements - Teaching Arrangement: Independent Learning 8 hours weekly; Tutorial (Online) 1 hour fortnightly
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
Related degrees
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Graduate Certificate in Public Health
PostgraduateTAS-MPH-GCE
Graduate Diploma of Clinical Pharmacy
PostgraduateTAS-CPH-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Communicable Disease Prevention)
PostgraduateTAS-CDP-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Community and Urgent Care)
PostgraduateTAS-CUC-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Dementia)
PostgraduateTAS-APD-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Digital Health)
PostgraduateTAS-ADH-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Governance)
PostgraduateTAS-APG-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Health Service Improvement)
PostgraduateTAS-HSI-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Healthcare Education)
PostgraduateTAS-APH-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Medication Safety)
PostgraduateTAS-AMS-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Organisational Performance)
PostgraduateTAS-AOP-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Organisational Resilience)
PostgraduateTAS-AOR-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Supply Chain and Logistics)
PostgraduateTAS-SCL-GDI
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice (Workplace Psychology)
PostgraduateTAS-AWP-GDI
Master of Advanced Practice ( Applied Quality and Safety)
PostgraduateTAS-AQS-MAS
Graduate Certificate in Advanced Practice
PostgraduateTAS-ADP-GCE
Master of Advanced Practice (Community and Urgent Care)
PostgraduateTAS-CUC-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Critical Care and Retrieval)
PostgraduateTAS-CCR-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Dementia)
PostgraduateTAS-APD-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Digital Health)
PostgraduateTAS-ADH-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Governance)
PostgraduateTAS-APG-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Health Service Improvement)
PostgraduateTAS-HSI-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Healthcare Education)
PostgraduateTAS-APH-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Medication Safety)
PostgraduateTAS-AMS-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Organisational Performance)
PostgraduateTAS-AOP-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Organisational Resilience)
PostgraduateTAS-AOR-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Supply Chain and Logistics)
PostgraduateTAS-SCL-MAS
Master of Advanced Practice (Workplace Psychology)
PostgraduateTAS-AWP-MAS
Graduate Diploma of Strategic Communication
PostgraduateTAS-SCM-GDI
Master of Advanced Practice (Communicable Disease Prevention)
PostgraduateTAS-CDP-MAS
Graduate Diploma of Advanced Practice ( Applied Quality and Safety)
PostgraduateTAS-AQS-GDI