London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, PgDip, Epidemiology

This course aims to provide epidemiological training by distance learning for professionals in academic departments, research units, or in the health services; epidemiology is a key discipline for understanding and improving global health; the core component deals with the methodology and basic concepts including measures of disease occurrence and association; study design; the role of bias and confounding in epidemiological studies; data-handling skills, statistical analysis of data-sets and application of these by computer; research planning and implementation, and essential skills for writing research applications and scientific papers; students proceeding to Master's studies choose from a number of advanced modules which explore more specific applications of epidemiological theory and practice, enabling them to tailor the course to suit their own experience, interests and training requirements; the course spans communicable and non-communicable diseases in developed and developing countries, and is computer-based, with students using interactive methods within the teaching and learning materials; there is e-mail tutorial support, and group discussions through web-based and e-mail conferencing facilities; the use of statistical software is an essential skill for the practising epidemiologist and comprehensive training is provided.