This course is part of the Epidemiology in Public Health Practice Specialization

4.8
stars
680 ratings

Justin Lessler, PhD, MS

12,721 already enrolled

Offered By

Epidemiology in Public Health Practice SpecializationJohns Hopkins University

About this Course

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Professional epidemiologists are often called on to investigate outbreaks and epidemics. This course serves as an introduction to the essentials of investigation, identifying pathogens, figuring out what's going on, reporting, and responding. You'll learn how to ask precise epidemiologic questions and apply epidemiologic tools to uncover the answers. You'll also learn about basic epidemic dynamics and the terrible law that cause them to grow, as well as the reasons why they recede and eventually go away. The course concludes with deep dives into some real outbreaks from Ebola, in West Africa, to the opioid epidemic in the United States.

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

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Course 5 of 5 in the

Epidemiology in Public Health Practice Specialization

Beginner Level

Approx. 5 hours to complete

English

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What you will learn

Apply methods to weigh evidence and calculate measures
Discuss outbreaks and the key epidemiologic tools used during investigation
Apply basic epidemic dynamics to the analysis of outbreaks

Skills you will gain

Statistics
Epidemiology
Public Health
Outbreak investigation

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Course 5 of 5 in the

Epidemiology in Public Health Practice Specialization

Beginner Level

Approx. 5 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.74/5 (158 Ratings)

Justin Lessler, PhD, MS

Associate Professor

Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

193,803 Learners

3 Courses

Offered by

Johns Hopkins University

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week1

Week 1

1 hour to complete

Identifying and Investigating Outbreaks: The Basics

1 hour to complete

8 videos (Total 40 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

8 videos

Introduction to Course and Identifying and Investigating Outbreaks: The Basics20sStep 0: What Is an Outbreak?5mStep 1: Identify Cases5mStep 2: Describe the Outbreak by Person, Place, and Time6mStep 3: Identify and Characterize the Cause6mStep 4: Risk Factor Study in a Defined Population4mStep 4: Risk Factor Study in an Open Population5mStep 5: Intervene and Report4m

1 reading

Course Projects10m

1 practice exercise

Identifying and Investigating Outbreaks30m

Week2

Week 2

1 hour to complete

Weighing Evidence and Identifying Causes

1 hour to complete

6 videos (Total 47 min)

Week3

Week 3

1 hour to complete

The Terrible Law: Basic Epidemic Dynamics

1 hour to complete

6 videos (Total 41 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week4

Week 4

1 hour to complete

Case Studies in Outbreaks and Epidemics: From Ebola to Overdose

1 hour to complete

4 videos (Total 42 min)

Reviews

4.8

128 reviews

5 stars
81.32%
4 stars
15.73%
3 stars
2.35%
2 stars
0.29%
1 star
0.29%

TOP REVIEWS FROM OUTBREAKS AND EPIDEMICS

by DDec 29, 2022

Learnt a lot about epidemiology that I originally thought would not be involved as in-depth as it is in reality. There is a lot more statistics involved than I originally thought

by SSJan 26, 2021

This interesting course gives me an in-depth understanding for outbreak investigation and facilitator gave examples in detailed for clearing the concepts related to outbreaks and epidemics.

by SSJun 11, 2020

Its a really interesting course. Explains the very minute details regarding the outbreak and epidemics. It has helped me a lot to understand all the key concepts of Epidemics and Outbreak.

by ARSep 11, 2020

Was a very Enlightening and Understandable course. But i wish that there were more basic incorporated and explained. Overall a very good course.

View all reviews

About the Epidemiology in Public Health Practice Specialization

This specialization is intended for people working or aspiring to work in the field of public health at the local, regional, and national level. Over five courses taught by faculty from the preeminent school of public health, you'll learn to use the core epidemiologic toolset to measure the health of populations, assess interventions, collect and analyze data, and investigate outbreaks and epidemics.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

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Outbreaks and Epidemics

About this Course

What you will learn

Skills you will gain