Epidemiology 2 (POPH90242)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Dual-Delivery (Parkville)

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Overview

Availability
Semester 2 - Dual-Delivery
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This subject is a core subject within the Master of Science (Epidemiology) and an elective within the Master of Public Health, the Master of Environment, and the Master of Biostatistics.  

Epidemiology 2 is an in-depth exploration of research study design and development. Within this subject, students will learn contemporary approaches to designing studies for clinical and public health research and analysing their results.   

Students will develop the skills to design and critique a variety of experimental and observational studies (cluster randomised controlled trials, randomised controlled trial variants, case control study variants and ecological studies). Complex causal diagrams will be introduced to assist with identifying confounders and assessing bias. Students learn how to apply quantitative bias analyses to quantify the direction and magnitude of bias in clinical and public health studies.   

Additionally, the concept of a target trial will be introduced, and students will learn to apply this method in their future research. Alongside the target trial approach, students will learn the latest analytic strategies to control for confounding, including g-computation and inverse proportional weighting.  

The subject will also cover the concept of effect-measure modification and how it differs from interaction, and its impact on external validity. By the end of the course, students will be able to estimate the potential effects of population and clinical interventions on a wider population.

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of this subject, students are expected to be able to:




 

  • Judge the impact of effect measure modification on external validity and the implementation of population and clinical interventions
  • Assess confounding and collider bias by creating causal diagrams
  • Apply standardisation, inverse probability weighting and g-computation to control for confounding
  • Apply quantitative bias techniques to quantify the direction and magnitude of bias
  • Design experimental and observational epidemiological studies
  • Critique experimental and observational epidemiological studies

Generic skills

  • Utilisation of relevant software (Excel and Stata)
  • Written communication skills
  • Problem solving
  • Working with uncertainty
  • Analytic skills
  • Applying concepts to practical scenarios

Last updated: 4 March 2025

Eligibility and requirements

Prerequisites

Code Name Teaching period Credit Points
POPH90014 Epidemiology 1
Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
Semester 1 (Online)
 12.5

AND

One of

Code Name Teaching period Credit Points
MAST90100 Probability & Inference in Biostatistics
Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
 12.5
POPH90013 Biostatistics
Semester 1 (Online)
Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
 12.5

Corequisites

None

Non-allowed subjects

POPH90146 Study Design in Epidemiology POPH90147 Epidemiology in Practice

Recommended background knowledge

Students are expected to be familiar with the statistical package Stata

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.

Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home

Last updated: 4 March 2025

Assessment

DescriptionTimingPercentage

Quiz

  • 1 hours
Week 420%

Written Assignment

  • 2000 words
Week 940%

Written Assignment

  • 2000 words
During the examination period40%

Last updated: 4 March 2025

Dates & times

  • Semester 2
    CoordinatorMelissa Russell
    Mode of deliveryDual-Delivery (Parkville)
    Contact hours
    Total time commitment170 hours
    Teaching period24 July 2023 to 22 October 2023
    Last self-enrol date 4 August 2023
    Census date15 September 2023
    Last date to withdraw without fail22 September 2023
    Assessment period ends17 November 2023

    Semester 2 contact information

    melissar@unimelb.edu.au  

    Melbourne School of Population and Global Health

    OR

    Currently enrolled students:

    Future Students:

What do these dates mean

Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:

  • Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
  • And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
       -  Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
     

    Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.

Additional delivery details

 

Last updated: 4 March 2025

Further information

Last updated: 4 March 2025