Social Epidemiology, 7.5 credits

Main field of study

Course level

Advancement level

Course offered for

• Master's Programme in Medical Science

Entry requirements

To be admitted to the course, a bachelor degree is required , alternatively a professional examination relevant to the main field of study for the degree - for example, occupational therapist, speech therapist, hearing therapist, physiotherapist, nurse, public health scientist, medical doctor, behavioural scientist, dietician, psychologist, sociologist, dentist, consisting of a minimum of 180 ECTS university credits/120 ECTS university credits including an independent degree project of at least 15 ECTS university credits (C-level or equivalent second cycle studies). In addition, knowledge of Swedish and English as prescribed for general admission for undergraduate studies is required, eg Swedish 3/B and English 6/A.

Intended learning outcomes

INTRODUCTION

The course is a mandatory continuation course within public health sciences for students at the Master’s Programme in Public Health Sciences.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

After completion of the course, the student is expected to know:
Knowledge and understanding
-understand and explain central epidemiological terms and be able to explain and compare different epidemiological measures
-evaluate strengths and weaknesses in different epidemiological designs and methods in social epidemiology
-identify possible random and systematic errors and evaluate its impact on results and the interpretation of the study

Competence and skills
-plan and evaluate choices when designing studies in social epidemiology
-analyze and interpret reports within social epidemiology, to judge reliability, validity and conclusions

Judgement and approach
-evaluate strengths and weaknesses with different definitions and stratifications to describe social status, and evaluate its usefulness in social epidemiological studies
-relate to ethical considerations in social epidemiology

Course content

The course is based on common epidemiological methods. In particular, issues concerning social epidemiology, from design and implementation to generalizability in different contexts.

Teaching and working methods

Student centered and problem based learning form the foundation for the teaching at the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS). The student takes responsibility for, studies and researches current content of the courses and study programme. The working methods challenge the students to independently formulate questions for learning, to seek knowledge and in dialogue with others judge and evaluate achieved knowledge. Students work together in groups based on reality based situations to develop their own learning, contribute to the fellow students’ learning and to practice cooperation. The teacher’s role is to support the students in this way of learning.

The teaching methods in this course consist of lectures and seminars.

Examination

The form of examination used in the course is an individual written exam. Compulsory parts with required attendance are study tasks and seminars, which are required for the examination.

Extent of retake examination
Point of time for retake examination must be specified in the beginning of each semester. The extent of the retake examination must be the same as the regular examination. This also includes the assessment of the clinical placement

Remaining forms of examination, such as written exams, can be taken an unlimited number of times, by students who have not obtained a passing grade.

Exchange of examiner
A student who has obtained a failing grade twice for a course or a part of a course is, after request, entitled to be appointed another examiner, unless there are special reasons to the contrary.

Apply for examination/written exam
State how to apply for the examination before each course.

Grades

Other information

Planning and implementation of the course is to be based on the wordings in the course syllabus. A course evaluation is mandatory for each course and should include the question whether the course is in agreement with the course syllabus. The course coordinating teacher will analyse the course evaluation and propose appropriate development of the course. The analysis and proposal feedback will be given to the students, the Programme Coordinator/Director of Studies and as needed to the Board for First and Second Cycle Programmes, if it is related to general development and improvement. The course is carried out in such a way that disabilities, ethnicity, gender and age are given prominence as relevant variables for analysis and discussion. If the course is cancelled or undergoes major changes, examination is normally offered under this course syllabus, at a total of three occasions within a year, of which one in close proximity to the first examination.

Department