Epidemiology: FREE online courses

  1. Epidemiology: The Basic Science of Public Health

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Upcoming session: May 9 – June 26 (Enrollment ends May 14)

Duration: 6 weeks (5.5 hours 5.5 hours of videos and quizzes)

Language: English (Subtitles available in English, Chinese (Simplified))

About this Course

Often called “the cornerstone” of public health, epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of diseases, health conditions, or events among populations and the application of that study to control health problems. By applying the concepts learned in this course to current public health problems and issues, students will understand the practice of epidemiology as it relates to real life and makes for a better appreciation of public health programs and policies. This course explores public health issues like cardiovascular and infectious diseases – both locally and globally – through the lens of epidemiology.

To find out more/enrol please visit the course page.


 

  1. Social Epidemiology

University of Minnesota

Duration: 2-4 hours/week

Language: English

About the Course

Social epidemiology is about how a society makes people sick and/or healthy (not only the identification of new disease risk factors but also how well-known exposures emerge and are maintained by the social system.

This course covers:

  • understanding the determinants of health from a broad perspective.
  • how social relationships and institutions romote or undermine the health of populations.
  • existing evidence of health disparities, research methods, and theories relevant to the topic.
  • so-called fundamental causes of disease and health disparities recognizable within social groups.

During the 7 weeks course you will learn answers to the following questions:

  1. What is social epidemiology and where did it come from? What is different about it?
  2. What are the fundamental issues (e.g., environment, race, genetics) in/for social epidemiology?
  3. How can social epidemiology improve our understanding of the identification and analysis of, if not remedies for, health disparities?
  4. What theories and/or constructs are fundamental to social epidemiology?
  5. What are some fundamental measurement issues in social epidemiology?
  6. What are some fundamental design and analysis tools in social epidemiology?
  7. What social epidemiological interventions work and fail, and why?

To find out more/enrol please visit the course page.


 

  1. Epidemics – the Dynamics of Infectious Diseases

The Pennsylvania State University

Language: English (Subtitles available in English)

Duration: 20 hours of videos and quizzes

About this Course

Diseases like HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis, or the flu are still major killers worldwide, and novel emerging diseases are a constant threat to public health. In addition, the bugs are evolving. Antibiotics, our most potent weapon against bacterial infections, are losing their power because the bacteria are becoming resistant. In this course, we’ll explore the major themes of infectious diseases dynamics.

After we’ve covered the basics, we’ll be looking at the dynamics of the flu, and why we’re worried about flu pandemics; dynamics of childhood diseases such as measles and whooping cough, which were once considered almost eradicated, but are now making a comeback; Malaria, and use it as a case study of the evolution of drug resistance; social networks and vaccination.

Also we will be talking about how mobile phones, social media and crowdsourcing are revolutionizing disease surveillance, giving rise to a new field of digital epidemiology and about Zombies – not human zombies, but zombie ants whose brains are hijacked by an infectious fungus.

To find out more/enrol please visit the course page.


 

  1. Epidemics, Pandemics and Outbreaks

University of Pittsburgh

Current session: April 18 – May 22 (Enrollment ends April 23)

Duration: 4 weeks (3-4 hours a week)

Language: English Subtitles available in English

About this Course

What can we do to prevent outbreaks of infectious diseases from becoming epidemics or pandemic? In this course, you’ll learn the facts about infectious diseases and medical responses. We’ll focus on the public health laws and policies that provide the framework for effective prevention, like quarantine laws, drug development policies, and bioterrorism and biodefense.

To find out more/enrol please visit the course page.


 

6. Epidemiology: The Basic Science of Public Health

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Upcoming session: May 9 – June 26 (Enrollment ends May 14)

Language: English (Subtitles available in English, Chinese (Simplified))

Duration: 6 weeks 5.5 hours of videos and quizzes

About this Course

Often called “the cornerstone” of public health, epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of diseases, health conditions, or events among populations and the application of that study to control health problems. By applying the concepts learned in this course to current public health problems and issues, students will understand the practice of epidemiology as it relates to real life and makes for a better appreciation of public health programs and policies. This course explores public health issues like cardiovascular and infectious diseases – both locally and globally – through the lens of epidemiology.

To find out more/enrol please visit the course page.