Module overview
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- Epidemiological methods to investigate and manage outbreaks.
- Application of communicable disease epidemiology to strategies for prevention and control leading to improvements in public health.
- The principles of surveillance, the characteristics of different surveillance systems, their strengths and weaknesses and application to disease control.
- The major methods for transmission of communicable disease.
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Critically discuss and evaluate information.
- Effectively communicate epidemiological concepts including risk in a variety of ways to different audiences.
- Manage your own learning and work effectively to deadlines.
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Explain the balance between population and individual perspectives when practicing communicable disease control.
- Examine ethical frameworks to inform practice of communicable disease control, particularly with respect to vulnerable populations.
- Evaluate policies and programmes used in the prevention and control of selected communicable disease of public health importance.
Syllabus
- Basic concepts in infectious disease epidemiology
- Natural history, clinical presentation, methods of diagnosis and control of infections of national and international public health importance including emerging diseases and untoward release of infectious agents
- Use of surveillance systems nationally and internationally to monitor disease activity
- The design, evaluation, and management of immunisation programmes
- The steps in outbreak investigation including the use of relevant epidemiological methods and organisation of infection control
- Basic concepts of infectious disease genomics for communicable disease control
- International aspects of communicable disease control including International Health Regulations
- Ethical aspects of communicable disease control
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
A variety of methods will be used including lectures, problem-based learning sessions, group work, practical exercises, guided reading, group study and individual study. Some of the lectures and participatory sessions will be facilitated by clinicians and scientists from the University of Southampton, NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre and University Hospital Southampton as well as external centres such as the UK Health Security Agency. Delivery will be face-to-face. In the event this is not possible delivery will be through MS Teams and BlackBoard collaborate.
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Teaching | 20 |
| Independent Study | 80 |
| Total study time | 100 |
Resources & Reading list
General Resources
Learning Resources. Up to date resources covering domestic and international aspects, where appropriate, will be provided for individual sessions on Blackboard. Students are not expected to read all texts
Internet Resources
PHG Foundation Report "Pathogen Genomes into Practice.
Textbooks
David L. Heymann (2022). Control of Communicable Diseases Manual: An Official Report of the American Public Health Association.
Hawker J, Begg N, Blair I, Reintjes R, Weinberg J, Ekdahl K. (2019). Communicable disease control and health protection handbook. John Wiley & Sons.
Assessment
Assessment strategy
There will be two components to the assessment i) 1500-word written assignment 1, and ii) 1500-word written assignment 2.
The pass mark for both assessments and the module is 50%.
If you do not achieve the pass mark on this module by achieving 50% or more in both components, you may still pass by compensation. To do this, you must achieve a qualifying mark of 40% in this component. Each of the component marks is then combined, using the appropriate weighting, to give an overall mark for the module. If this overall mark is greater than or equal to 50% you will have passed the module. If your overall mark is less than 50% when the weighting has been applied to the components, you will have failed the module. If you have not achieved 40% or more on all components, you cannot use compensation and have failed the module.
If you have failed the module, you will have the opportunity to submit work at the next referral (re-sit) opportunity for all components where you have not achieved the pass mark. Marks for components which wasere passed will be carried forward. You must achieve the pass mark in all referred components. On passing your referrals, your final module mark will be capped at 50%.
Formative
This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.
Multiple choice Test
- Assessment Type: Formative
- Feedback: Through BlackBoard
- Final Assessment: No
- Group Work: No
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Written assignment | 50% |
| Written assessment | 50% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Written assignment | 100% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External