Course EPH1221 includes the Specialized Competency Lines (SCLs) Research Methodology, Statistics, Epidemiology and Policy Advocacy as taught in period 1. This SCLs are interwoven with the main course EPH1021 Health, Health Determinants and the European Union. For a description of this main course we refer to EPH1021. SCLs are longitudinal, cumulative learning lines, reflecting thematically focused bundles of (portions of) competencies to be achieved. The following five SCLs are interwoven throughout the programme: Research Methodology, Statistics, Epidemiology, Philosophy of Public Health and Policy Advocacy. Students will be introduced to all SCLs in period 1. For a description of the SCL Philosophy of Public Health in periods 1 and 2, please consult course EPH1241. Students will be introduced into the link between the SCLs Methodology, Epidemiology and Statistics. As regards the SCL Epidemiology, students will be introduced into the field of epidemiology and trained in measuring health and disease and associated factors. As regards the SCL Statistics, students will be introduced into statistical thinking and the topics ‘What are statistics and for which purposes are they applied?’ and ‘Meaning and value of "measuring"’. As regards the SCL Policy Advocacy, students will be introduced into the concept of policy advocacy. As students develop an understanding of what health is, and what may determine health, it will become clear that public policy plays a major role in public health outcomes. Not only do public policies define many if not most aspects of the healthcare sector, but public policies also have an influence on all aspects of our living, work, and public environments. Therefore, as public health professionals, it is important that students develop skills in understanding, critiquing, and influencing public policies. 

Below is an overview of the most important Intended Learning Outcomes of this course:

Expert

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

                · Identify key health indicators and extract such indicators from scientific literature

                · Identify key examples of public health policy and programmes in Europe: describe the Treaties of the EU and how public health is addressed in these treaties

Investigator

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

              ·Summarize the empirical cycle, in particular phase 1 “Formulating a research problem”

                · Describe the ways in which research forms the basis for public health activity

                · Explains basic forms of qualitative and quantitative research

                · Calculate measures of central tendency and variation

                · Make graphical depictions of data  and tables summarizing data

                · Perform some basic statistical tests

Communicator

By the end of the course, students should be able (on a basic level) to:

                · Demonstrate understanding of feedback from teachers and peers

                · Produce limited feedback for peers under supervision

Professional

By the end of the course, students should be able to:

                · Behave in a respectful, professional and reliable manner in tutor groups, practicals and group work (both on-campus and online), also in a culturally diverse context