Introduction to Public Health Sciences, 7.5 credits

A Bachelor’s degree or a professional degree equivalent to a Swedish Bachelor’s degree of at least 180 credits in public health science, healthcare or other relevant social sciences subject area. And proficiency in English equivalent to English B/English 6.

After completion of the course, students should be able to:

- Analytically discuss, in written form, basic scientific concepts, methodological perspectives, and factors that govern public health research,
-  Discuss the evaluation of global trends affecting health, including communicable and non-communicable disease as well as the health impact of different environmental and lifestyle factors,
- Apply basic public health concepts to the theoretical management of public health problems, including disease prevention, health promotion, health economics and health policy, as well as critically compare opposing viewpoints in these fields.

During the course the main concepts, principles and methods of public health research and practice will be introduced in relation to four main domains:
1. Foundations of public health science and perspectives to epidemiology
2. Public health perspectives to health economics, health management and policy
3. Public health perspectives to global health
4. Public health perspectives to theory and methodology of science, philosophy and ethics

The topics introduced under the four domains will include:

• Concepts, principles and methods of public health science and practice
• Evidence-based public health. Basic epidemiology, including principles of epidemiologic evaluation of public health interventions
• Data sources on populations and mortality.
• The burden of disease and other measures of population health.
• Health economics, health management and policy, including principles of economic evaluation of public health interventions
• Health care systems and population health.
• Principles and methods of disease prevention and health promotion in relation to non-communicable and communicable disease
• Social and behavioral determinants of health.
• Environmental and lifestyle factors, including sustainable development and climate change as determinants of health.
• Philosophy of science, and ethics in public health research.

Each above mentioned domain includes keynote lectures as well as a series of seminars, practical exercises, and quizzes. The seminars aim to develop practical skills, professional attitude and critical thinking, and therefore include several types of interactive student-driven activities. Course activity will also include group work and student presentations. E-learning techniques such as KI’s web-based system Ping Pong and video-lectures will be used during group work.
 

The course includes a written individual final examinationas well as a group assignment to be submitted in writing and presented and discussed in class. In addition, a half-time examination will be used as a progress report as well as a preparation for the final written examination and will not be handed in, but discussed in class. It is mandatory for each student to equally contribute to the group assignment.

The individual final examination will be graded as pass, pass with distinction and fail, while the mandatory group assignment will be graded as pass or fail. To obtain the grade Pass on the course the student must be awarded Pass on both the group assignment and the final written examination. To obtain the grade Pass with distinction the student must be awarded Pass with distinction on the final written examination and Pass on the group assignment.

Compulsory participation
Quizzes, the student presentations, the half-time exam and the final written exam are compulsory. The course coordinator assesses if and, in that case, how absence can be compensated. Before the student has participated in all compulsory parts or compensated absence in accordance with the course coordinator's instructions, the student's results for each respective part will not be registered in LADOK.

Limitation of number of occasions to write the exam
The student has the right to write the exam six times. If the student has not passed the exam after four participations he/she is encouraged to visit the study advisor.

Each time that the student has participated in one and the same examination is regarded as an examination session. Submission of a blank examination is also regarded as an examination. An examination for which the student registered but did not participate in will not be counted as an examination.

Examination will be provided during a time of two years after a possible cancellation of the course. Examination can take place according to an earlier literature list during a time of one year after the date when a major renewal of the literature list has been made.
 

Course evaluation will be carried out in accordance with the guidelines established by the Board of Higher Education.

The course language is English.