Postgraduate Course: Introduction to Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology (PUHR11066)
Course Outline
| School | Deanery of Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences | 
College | College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine | 
 
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) | 
 
| Course type | Online Distance Learning | 
Availability | Not available to visiting students | 
 
| SCQF Credits | 10 | 
ECTS Credits | 5 | 
 
 
| Summary | This course will equip students with the knowledge and critical skills to evaluate epidemiological evidence about environmental and occupational exposures and risks to health in order to make judgements about risks in their own contexts.  The teaching material comprises lectures, case-studies, activities and readings. | 
 
| Course description | 
    
    The teaching material comprises lectures, case-studies, investigations and readings.  
 
The first ten topics will be addressed in lectures and supplemental written material.  
 
1. The environment and health 
2. Exposure and the exposome: definition and measurement 
3. Introduction to toxicology  
4. Occupational and environmental epidemiology 
5. Risk communication 
6. Spatial epidemiology 
7. Interventions to reduce risks to health from environmental exposures 
8. Health impact assessment and public health policy 
9. Heat stress and the impact of heat waves 
10. Air pollution epidemiology 
 
The remaining topics will be addressed through written material, directed reading, discussions and student investigations.  
 
11. Coal workers and the impact of coal mining on local communities 
12. Volcanic activity and health 
13. Occupational and environmental cancer, including mobile phones and brain cancer, plus shift work and breast 
14. Atmospheric emissions and environmental dispersal 
15. Climate change and its effects on health 
16. Citizen science and environmental epidemiology 
17. The effects of exposure to pesticides, including residues from diet 
18. Sustainable cities 
19. Accident epidemiology
    
    
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites | 
 | 
Co-requisites |  | 
 
| Prohibited Combinations |  | 
Other requirements |  None | 
 
 
Course Delivery Information
 |  
| Academic year 2019/20, Not available to visiting students (SS1) 
  
 | 
Quota:  None | 
 
| Course Start | 
Flexible | 
 
| Course Start Date | 
05/08/2019 | 
 
Timetable  | 
	
Timetable | 
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) | 
 
 Total Hours:
100
(
 Lecture Hours 5,
 Seminar/Tutorial Hours 1,
Online Activities 35,
 Feedback/Feedforward Hours 5,
 Formative Assessment Hours 5,
 Revision Session Hours 1,
 Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
46 )
 | 
 
| Assessment (Further Info) | 
 
  Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
 | 
 
| Feedback | 
Marks and individual feedback will be returned to student via Grademark. | 
 
| No Exam Information | 
 
Learning Outcomes 
    On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
    
        - Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of environmental and occupational factors in influencing health and how these issues are identified and characterised
 - Obtain and critically evaluate evidence of hazards, exposures and risks
 - Critically appraise the implementation of epidemiological studies in this context
 - Demonstrate a critical awareness of how evidence leads to recommendations in policy and practice
 - Communicate about hazards and risks, using appropriate methods, with a range of stakeholders
 
     
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills | 
Not entered | 
 
| Keywords | Environment,work,exposure,exposome,disease | 
 
 
Contacts 
| Course organiser | Mr John Cherrie 
Tel:  
Email:  | 
Course secretary | Mrs Rosemary Porteous 
Tel: (0131 6)50 9835 
Email:  | 
   
 
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