Epidemiology: The Basic Science of Public Health (Coursera)

Epidemiology: The Basic Science of Public Health (Coursera)

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.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Course Introduction, History of Epidemiology and Epidemiology Research
This module introduces the history and field of epidemiology.

WEEK 2
Understanding Measures of Disease Frequency
This module introduces measures of disease frequency.

WEEK 3
Study Designs
This module introduces the following study designs: experimental, cohort, case control, cross-sectional, and ecologic.

WEEK 4
Measures of Association
This module introduces measures of association and confidence intervals.

WEEK 5
Causality
This module introduces causality.

WEEK 6
Course Conclusion
This module concludes the course.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

The Oral Cavity: Portal to Health and Disease (Coursera) Coursera
University of Pennsylvania

The Oral Cavity: Portal to Health and Disease (Coursera)

This course will focus on the interprofessional realtionship of dentistry and medicine. For each session, the medical specialist will present a broad overview of specific disease entity which will be followed by a dental educator discussing the relevant oral manifestations and implications. The final module of each session will be devoted to the interaction between the dental and other health care professionals.

Oct 5th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Autism Spectrum Disorder (Coursera) Coursera
University of California, Davis

Autism Spectrum Disorder (Coursera)

Understanding the characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their implications for behavior, learning and the ability to process information is critical for anyone working or interacting with those on the spectrum -- educators, clinicians, counselors, therapists, medical staff, family and employers. This course will give you a fundamental understanding of what ASD is, how it is diagnosed, the primary areas of impairment, and why prevalence is increasing.

Oct 5th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Saúde Baseada em Evidências (Coursera) Coursera
Universidade Estadual de Campinas - UNICAMP

Saúde Baseada em Evidências (Coursera)

Por que as informações na área da saúde são tão conflitantes? Existe algum lugar em que a informação sobre saúde é confiável? O que devo considerar ao deparar com alguma novidade que parece mágica? Como o sistema de saúde é afetado por essas questões? Essas e outras perguntas nortearam o curso Saúde Baseada em Evidências. Além dessas reflexões, são apontados aspectos sobre o desenvolvimento de pesquisas médicas que fornecem subsídios para uma interpretação mais apurada dos fatos.

Oct 5th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Public Health Perspectives on Sustainable Diets (Coursera) Coursera
Johns Hopkins University

Public Health Perspectives on Sustainable Diets (Coursera)

What we eat and how we produce that food have significant effects on human health and the sustainability of our planet. But what is a ‘sustainable’ diet? A sustainable diet, as defined by the FAO, promotes health and well-being and provides food security for the present population while sustaining human and natural resources for future generations. This short course looks at the urgent need to address the sustainability of our food systems, including better understanding the complex relationship between diet and climate change. We’ll explore current research on dietary shifts needed in high, middle, and low-income countries to achieve both sustainability and food security goals and discuss evidence-based strategies to promote sustainable diets.

Oct 5th 2026
3 Weeks
Global Health Policy (Coursera) Coursera
The University of Tokyo

Global Health Policy (Coursera)

In this course, learners will become familiar with principles and theories of global health problems, and major challenges and controversies in improving global population health as well as practical applications of quantitative methods to analyze and interpret issues and challenges for policy. Topics will include health and foreign policy, health governance, acute disease surveillance, non-communicable diseases, burden of disease, universal health coverage, health systems strengthening, health financing, and human resources for health and ageing.

Oct 5th 2026
4 Weeks
Population Health: Alternative Payment Models (Coursera) Coursera
Leiden University

Population Health: Alternative Payment Models (Coursera)

The way we currently pay our care providers lead to suboptimal outcomes and unnecessary spending. Consequently, we fail to maximize the value of our health care services. We need to change provider payment models in order to keep health care systems financial sustainability. Doing nothing is not an option. But the question is, how do we do it?

Oct 5th 2026
4 Weeks
Hacking Exercise For Health. The surprising new science of fitness. (Coursera) Coursera
McMaster University

Hacking Exercise For Health. The surprising new science of fitness. (Coursera)

Renowned exercise physiologists Martin Gibala and Stuart Phillips of McMaster University teach the surprising new science of cardio fitness and strength-building—and then provide you with hacks to get fit and strong (and healthy!) in less time than you ever thought possible. What’s the right mix of exercise between cardio and strength? How do you know if you’re working out hard enough? What’s better, heavy or light weights? These questions and more are addressed through a course designed to provide even the most inexperienced of exercisers the tools you need to design time-efficient workouts that can be done virtually anywhere, from your own home to a city park or even at your workplace.

Oct 5th 2026
4 Weeks
Urbanisation and Health - Promoting Sustainable Solutions (Coursera) Coursera
University of Copenhagen

Urbanisation and Health - Promoting Sustainable Solutions (Coursera)

More than half of world’s population lives in cities while only 5% did so in the 18th century. The rapid urbanisation has resulted in for example inadequate infrastructure, physical inactivity, gentrification, air pollution, and growing numbers of slum dwellers. All factors challenging health and wellbeing of the people living in the cities. In addition, when addressing climate change it has become of paramount importance to look at mitigation and adaptation investments tailored to the urban context.

Oct 5th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Whole genome sequencing of bacterial genomes - tools and applications (Coursera) Coursera
Technical University of Denmark - DTU

Whole genome sequencing of bacterial genomes - tools and applications (Coursera)

This course will cover the topic of Whole genome sequencing (WGS) of bacterial genomes which is becoming more and more relevant for the medical sector. WGS technology and applications are high on international political agenda, as the classical methods are being replaced by WGS technology and therefore bioinformatic tools are extremely important for allowing the people working in this sector to be able to analyze the data and obtain results that can be interpreted and used for different purposes.

Oct 5th 2026
5-12 Weeks
La Solución del Conflicto Ético (Coursera) Coursera
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

La Solución del Conflicto Ético (Coursera)

En este curso los participantes lograrán identificar y tomar decisiones sobre casos clínicos con conflictos éticos en el área de la salud por medio de la aplicación del razonamiento ético desde una perspectiva universal y considerando los aspectos médicos y éticos, el marco jurídico y la decisión ética.

Oct 5th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Introduction to Dental Medicine (Coursera) Coursera
University of Pennsylvania

Introduction to Dental Medicine (Coursera)

The mouth is the window into human health. This course provides an overview of dental medicine to engage, educate, excite and assist you in improving the oral health of your patients and members of your community. We will review topics in dental medicine including scope of the field, what to expect in function, and some of the many ways that dysfunction may present for different patients.

Oct 5th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Everyday Chinese Medicine 2 (Coursera) Coursera
The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Everyday Chinese Medicine 2 (Coursera)

This course, Everyday Chinese Medicine II offered by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, aims to show to the public, as well as the healthcare professionals about the basic principles of Chinese medicine. Our primary goal is to empower healthcare choices by promoting awareness and practical application on Chinese medicine diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, and to facilitate interprofessional education between Chinese and conventional clinicians.

Oct 5th 2026
5-12 Weeks