Epidemiology: The Basic Science of Public Health

The cornerstone of public health

Epidemiology studies how diseases, health conditions and events are distributed across populations, and what determines that distribution. The course treats it as the method used to control health problems, and links that method to public health programs and policies.

Applied to current problems

Concepts from the course are used to examine present-day public health issues, so epidemiology shows up working on real problems rather than as an abstract method. Infectious diseases and research design are among the skills it lists.

Who should consider it

Students of public health and anyone working with health policy will find it a grounding for reading population health evidence. Its listed skills also include health policy, which makes the link to program design explicit.