Bridging Course

Academic Study Board of Public Health

Teaching language: English
EKA: S500038302
Censorship: Second examiner: None
Grading: Pass/Fail
Offered in: Esbjerg
Offered in: Summer school (spring)
Level: Supplementation

Course ID: S500038301
ECTS value: 7.5

Date of Approval: 15-03-2019


Duration: 1 quarter

Course Title

Bridging Course

Course Responsible

Name Email Department
Birthe Marie Rasmussen bmrasmussen@health.sdu.dk

Teachers

Name Email Department City
Birthe Marie Rasmussen bmrasmussen@health.sdu.dk
Gabriele Berg-Beckhoff gbergbeckhoff@health.sdu.dk
Line Remmen lremmen@health.sdu.dk

Course secretary

Name Email Department City
Janne Krogh jkrogh@health.sdu.dk
Sabine M. Talbot sta@health.sdu.dk

Aim and overall content

The aim of the course is to prepare students for the coming Master of Science in Public Health, in specific the modules ‘Applied Biostatics’ and ‘Advanced Epidemiology’. This is done by giving the students a knowledge of philosophy of science, epidemiology and biostatistics as well as basic competences in reading and evaluating scientific articles and interpreting statistical results. 


Mandatory prerequisites


Relationship between the learning objectives, type of teaching and type of examination

After participating in the module, the student should be able to:

  • Describe the most commonly used study designs and frequently used epidemiological terms
  • Calculate basic epidemiological measurements
  • Evaluate the quality of scientific (quantitative) articles along with risk of bias and confounding
  • Describe basic biostatical concepts and when to use which
  • Analyse small datasets descriptively and look for associations
  • Interpret statistical results and evaluate significance

Learning Objectives - Knowledge

Through the module the student will gain knowledge about 

Epidemiology:
  • Descriptive and analytical epidemiology
  • Study designs: ecological study, cross sectional study, cohort study and case-control study. 
  • Measurements: incidence, prevalence, mortality, RR, OR and different kinds of standardizations + other measures. 
  • Concepts: Causality, bias (information bias, selection bias) and confounding

Biostatistics: 
  • Descriptive biostatistics: variables, graphs, tables (frequency, two-by-two) 
  • Inferential statistics: t-tests, chi2-tests, correlation, ANOVA, linear regressions and logistic regressions. 
  • Concepts: Significance, p-values and confidence Interval

In the end the student must understand when to use which statistical method and why. 

Learning Objectives - Skills

Through the module the student will be able to:

Epidemiology

  • Critically assess the quality of scientific studies
  • Evaluate whether scientific results are reliable and/or relevant to consider
  • Discuss strengths and weaknesses of scientific studies and suggest ways to improve quality

Biostatistics

  • Conduct basic statistics (within same areas as described under knowledge) in the statistical programme STATA
  • Conduct both crude and adjusted models in STATA and check for possible confounding effects
  • Interpret basic output from statistics made in STATA and evaluate the significance of results

Learning Objectives - Competencies

Through the module the student will practice:

  • Communication (oral and written) of knowledge and skills
  • Collaboration with other student

The student will be able to:

  • Identify individual learning needs and structure individual learning in different learning environments

Recommended literature

  • Kirkwood. B.R and Sterne J.A.C (2016 3rd ed.) Essential medical Statistics, Blackwell Science (can be found as an online book at SDU library)
  • Compendium: ‘Introduction to Epidemiology’ by G. Berg-Beckhoff and W. Hellmeier (will be provided).

Content (changes may occur)

First 7 weeks (calendar week 27-34 incl. 1 week of holiday)
During the first seven weeks teaching will be online. Students will work through basics of philosophy of Science, epidemiology and biostatistics. The student must independently go through the materials and exercises online and therefore each student can adapt the course schedule to his or her needs, however there the course material will recommend specific topics (incl. specific readings, exercises etc) for each week .   

Week 8 (calendar week 35)
The last week will have teaching held at SDU Esbjerg. Teaching will be all days Monday – Friday, most days with teaching from 9 am to 3 pm. The specific teaching schedule will be posted in the beginning of July. 

Teaching format and feedback

The course will be held in two parts.

The first part (first seven weeks) is an online internet-based course with mainly automatic feedback and/or peer feedback. The online part of the course will consist of e-tivities, each focusing on a specific topic within three main areas; Philosophy of Science, epidemiology and biostatistics. All e-tivities use multiple learning activities such as readings, video and audio podcasts, wikis, hyperlinks for relevant webpages, knowledge tests and exercises. There will be several possibilities for feedback through automatic knowledge test, exercises and personally through discussions forums where students can ask questions.


The second part (the last week) will be held on-campus in form of lectures, group discussions and practical exercises. This part will summarize what already has been learned and further add to knowledge e.g. in biostatistics. During the on-campus part of the module there will be continuous feedback during lectures, plenary discussions and by instructors in statistical exercises. Finally, students have the possibility to have feedback on their exam paper, after it has been graded. 

As teaching mostly is online students should be able to study independently, actively engage in group exercises and discussions and thereby be responsible for own learning throughout the module. Thus, the students are a part of a binding learning community characterized by engagement, mutual respect, openness and commitment. 
Lectures are responsible for planning and implementing teaching and learning activities that support the students’ active learning and should throughout the module provide feedback to the students. Personal feedback requires initiative from the student and direct conversation with teachers and instructors. 


Expected student workload in this course

The ECTS value of this course is 7,5 ECTS corresponding to a student workload of 210 hours.

In total there will be 23 teaching hours, leaving 187 hours for self-study and preparation. The student should expect on an average to spend 26-27 hours per week on this module.  

Examination regulations

Exam

Name

Exam

Time of examination

The ordinary exam takes place immediately after the end of the module. 

Tests

Compulsory paper

EKA

S500038302

Name

Compulsory paper

Description

To pass the exam a scientific reference style must be applied correct and all rules and regulations on written assignments must be followed incl. regulations on frontpages. 

More specific information will be made available on blackboard at the beginning of the course.

Form of examination

Compulsory assignment

Censorship

Second examiner: None

Grading

Pass/Fail

Identification

Full name and SDU username

Language

Danish, English

Length

3-5 normal pages 

Examination aids

Not relevant for this type of exam.

Assignment handin

The assignment must be handed in on Blackboard in SDU Assignments

ECTS value

7.5

Additional information

The evaluation Pass is given if the student has shown adequate command of all aspects covered by the module objectives

External comment

The module is identical with 3964511. Used exam attempts will automatically be transferred