Graduate Courses | Public Health Sciences | School of Medicine

Below is a list of graduate courses offered by the Department of Public Health Sciences. Not all courses will be offered in each academic year. Credit units are listed in the course description.

Mandatory M.Sc. Courses

EPID 801 – Introduction to Epidemiology

EPID 804 – Intermediate Epidemiology

EPID 821 – Essentials of Biostatistics

EPID 825 – Linear Regression

EPID 826 – Generalized Linear Models and Survival Anaylsis

EPID 899 – Master's Thesis Research

Mandatory M.Sc. Collaborative Biostatistics Courses

EPID 801 – Introduction to Epidemiology

EPID 804 – Intermediate Epidemiology

MATH 896 (for students registered in Mathematics and Statistics)

STAT 853 (for students registered in Public Health Sciences)

STAT 862 or EPID 825 and EPID 826 (for students registered in Public Health Sciences)

EPID 823 – Advanced Methods in Biostatistics

EPID 888 – Master’s Practicum

Mandatory M.P.H. Courses

IMPORTANT: Please note, EPID 886 is not required for 12-month Accelerated MPH students.

EPID 801 – Introduction to Epidemiology

EPID 802 – Foundations in Public Health

EPID 805 – Leading Evidence Informed Action

EPID 806 – Applied Research Methods for Program Planning and Evaluation

EPID 821 – Essentials of Biostatistics

EPID 861 – Health Systems in Canada

EPID 862 – Health and Public Policy in Canada

EPID 886 – Public Health Professional Development

EPID 887 – Practicum Placement

Mandatory Ph.D. Courses

IMPORTANT: Please NOTE Ph.D. students who have already completed Advanced Methods in Biostatistics [EPID 823] as part of their M.Sc. program in Epidemiology at Queen's University may be exempt from this requirement

EPID 823 – Advanced Methods in Biostatistics

EPID 901 – Advanced Epidemiology

EPID 902 – Advanced Public Health Research

EPID 999 – Ph.D. Thesis Research

Elective Courses

EPID 810 – Controlled Clinical Trials

EPID 815 – Independent Study (open to research students only)

EPID 817 – Foundations of Cancer Control

EPID 819 – Clinical Epidemiology

EPID 823 – Advanced Methods in Biostatistics

EPID 824 – Applied Statistical Learning for Health Data

EPID 828 – Infectious Disease Epidemiology

EPID 829 – Foundations of Global Health

EPID 831 – Chronic Disease Epidemiology

EPID 832 - Mental Health/ Critical Inquiry

EPID 835 – Environmental Public Health

EPID 836 – Qualitative Health Research Methods

EPID 837 – Health Services Research

EPID 838 – Public Health Special Topics

EPID 839 – Systematic Reviews in Health

EPID 851 – Medically Relevant Microbiology in Infection Prevention and Control

EPID 852 – Fundamentals of Infection Prevention and Control and Environments of Care

EPID 853 – Healthcare Quality, Safety and Risk

EPID 861 – Health Systems in Canada

EPID 862 – Health and Public Policy in Canada

EPID 863 – Essentials of Survey Methods

EPID 864 – Mental Health Special Topics

EPID 865 – Choosing Health Measures

EPID 866 – Principles of Health Economics

EPID 867 – Health Economic Evaluation

EPID 868 – Behavioural Epidemiology

EPID 869 – Cancer Epidemiology

Courses Offered outside the Department for M.Sc. and M.P.H. programs

Selected graduate courses from other Departments can be taken as electives upon permission of the Instructor, Program Director, Department and School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs.

Course Descriptions

EPID 801 - Introduction to Epidemiology

This course provides foundational knowledge on how human evidence relevant to public health is created, assessed, and used, with a focus on epidemiologic methods. Topics include measures of health status; risk factors and associations with health outcomes; study design including descriptive, analytical, and intervention approaches; validity issues; critical appraisal; assessment of causation; ethics; and application of epidemiologic evidence in public health decisions. 3.0 credit units. Fall. H. Richardson.

EPID 802 - Foundations in Public Health

This course provides an overview of theoretical and conceptual foundations of public health. It examines the social determinants of health and population health approaches to promote and protect health. It instils in students an understanding of the historical achievements, core values and ethical frameworks that guide public health action. 3.0 credit units. Fall. D. Hunter.

EPID 804 - Intermediate Epidemiology

This course deals with advanced methods and issues in the design, conduct, analysis and interpretation of epidemiologic studies. The content focuses on observational study design and analysis and builds on epidemiologic principles presented in EPID 801. Data analysis will emphasize the application and interpretation of statistical concepts in epidemiologic research. 3.0 credit units. Winter. W. King PREREQUISITE: EPID 801.

EPID 805 - Leading Evidence Informed Action

This course applies health promotion theories to the analysis and development of evidence based public health actions. Approaches to leading change are applied at the levels of individuals, organizations, community, society. Examples are drawn from programmatic and functional areas of public health practice to exemplify development of a multilevel and “health in all policies” approach to complex problems. 3.0 credit units. Fall. S. Buttemer.

EPID 806 - Applied Research Methods for Program Planning and Evaluation

This course provides an overview of social research methods and tools to assist students to complete the "evidence to action" program planning and evaluation cycle. Topics covered include defining the issue, using surveillance data, engaging the community, conducting a stakeholder analysis, survey methods, handling qualitative data, building logic models, choosing indicators, communicating the results, taking action. 3.0 credit units. Winter. L. Butler

EPID 810 - Controlled Clinical Trials

This course will cover material relevant to the design and conduct of controlled clinical trials. Design topics will include methods used to achieve unbiased results with improved precision, such as adequate sample size, randomization, blinding, pre- and post-stratification, cross-over designs, placebos and the counting of relevant events. Attention will be given to the problems of conducting multi-centre clinical trials. Topics covered will include drafting of protocols, design of data forms, logistics of data flow, methods of follow-up, data management and quality control, periodic reporting, final data analysis and the production of final reports. Ethical issues and the role of randomized trials in clinical investigation will be discussed. 3.0 credit units. Fall. H. Richardson.

EPID 815 - Independent Study (open to research students only)

EPID 817 - Foundations of Cancer Control

This course is intended for graduate students, clinical fellows and postdoctoral fellows who are engaged or interested in cancer research. The course will focus on concepts and methodological issues central to the conduct of epidemiologic studies of cancer etiology and control. Topics will include: an introduction to basic epidemiologic concepts; biologic and clinical concepts central to the investigation of cancer; study design; clinical epidemiology; molecular epidemiology; and cancer control and prevention. 3.0 credit units. Not offered 2024-25.

EPID 819 - Introduction to Clinical Epidemiology

This course will demonstrate the way in which epidemiological principles guide the practice of medicine and the design of clinical research. Topics include how to select and apply the correct design for a study addressing a clinical question, how to evaluate the quality of clinical publications and research proposals, how to prepare a clinical research proposal and how to synthesize clinical evidence. 3.0 credit units. Not offered 2024-25. PREREQUISITE: EPID 801 and EPID 821 or permission of instructor.

EPID 821 - Essentials of Biostatistics

This course provides an overview of basic statistical concepts, principles, and techniques essential for public health and epidemiologic research. This course covers both descriptive and inferential statistics. Topics covered include measures of association, t-tests, regression, chi-square tests, analysis of variance, and some nonparametric methods. Emphasis is on understanding and interpreting fundamental statistical analyses from health research. 3.0 credit units. Fall. Z. Lu (SAS Lab: A. Day/P. Norman).

EPID 823 - Advanced Methods in Biostatistics

An advanced course in the theoretical issues and analytical practices in epidemiology, and biostatistics. Topics may vary but major topics include analysis of longitudinal and survival data using various regression models; Techniques and strategies for regression modeling; Novel analytic approaches in epidemiology; multivariate analysis methods including discriminant analysis, principal components and factor analysis. 3.0 credit units. Winter. D. Tu, K. Ding.

PREREQUISITE: EPID 821 + knowledge of basic statistical modeling techniques deemed adequate by the Instructors.

EPID 824 - Applied Statistical Learning for Health Data

This course is for students who are interested in learning about applied statistical learning methods and obtaining practical experience in the application of these method to real-world data. This course does not intend to discuss in-depth theoretical and mathematical materials. 3.0 credit units. Fall. Z. Lu, W. Tu PREREQUISITE: EPID 821, EPID 825 and EPID 826 or equivalent with permission of the instructors.

EPID 825 - Linear Regression

In this module, students will be introduced to statistical methods for linear and logistic regressions. Description and inference for continuous and categorical data will be discussed. Topics include analysis of variance, correlation, linear regression, analysis of covariance, contingency table, odds ratio, logistic regression, variable selection, and inference for matched pairs and correlated clustered data. Using SAS to implement these methods and case studies will be discussed. 1.5 credit units. Winter. B. Chen. PREREQUISITE: EPID 821 and pass EPID 821 SAS quiz. (NOTE: SAS quiz waived for M.Sc. Biostatistics students.)

EPID 826 - Generalized Linear Models and Survival Analysis

In this module, students will be introduced to statistical methods for the count and time-to-event data. Topics covered in this module include person-years, incidence rates, Poisson model, types of censoring, life table analysis, Kaplan-Meier estimator, log-rank test, Cox regression analysis and competing risks. Using SAS to implement these methods and case studies will be discussed. 1.5 credit units. Winter. P. Peng. PREREQUISITE:EPID 821 and pass EPID 821 SAS quiz. (NOTE: SAS quiz waived for M.Sc. Biostatistics students.)

EPID 828 - Infectious Disease Epidemiology

This course provides a foundation in infectious disease epidemiology. Principles and methods related to infectious disease biology, outbreak detection and investigation, and the methodological, analytical, and diagnostic tools are covered. Specific infectious diseases that pose contemporary challenges in public health and/or have national or global public health impact are discussed. 3.0 credit units. Winter. S. Brogly PREREQUISITE: EPID 801 or permission of the instructor.

EPID 829 - Foundations of Global Health

Students will be exposed to various global health concepts and be trained to work through potential solutions in a public health context. The course will be taught through formal lecture, seminar and small group learning, and online modules. Topics may include health, public health, and development; Indigenous health; health systems and policies; Canada’s role in global health and social justice; and special populations. 3.0 credit units. Fall. W. Agyemang-Duah

EPID 831 - Chronic Disease Epidemiology

This course will provide an overview of the epidemiology of some of the leading non-infectious causes of morbidity and mortality in Canada and will highlight the key methodological considerations for the study of each disease or health problem. 3.0 credit units. Not offered 2024-25.

PREREQUISITE: EPID 801 and EPID 821 or equivalents with permission of course instructor.

EPID 832 Mental Health/Critical Inquiry 

This course will provide students with in-depth substantive knowledge about the evolution of health issues that have shaped policy and mental health services. 3.0 credit units.

Three term-hours. Winter. H. Stuart

PREREQUISITES:  EPID 801 or permission of course instructor.

EPID 835 - Environmental Public Health

This course provides students with a foundation for understanding, assessing and mediating environmental exposures. Methods for assessing and communicating about exposures, risks and standards in air, water, soil and food are introduced. Case studies of managing hazardous exposures are reviewed. Environmental health policy implications of global climate, energy use and disaster planning are explored. 3.0 credit units. Not offered 2024-25.

PREREQUISITE: EPID 801, EPID 821 or equivalent, or permission of instructor.

EPID 836 - Qualitative Health Research Methods

This course provides foundational instruction in qualitative research methodology for students in the public health sciences, including theoretical basis, study design, research ethics, sampling and recruitment, data collection, data analysis, and disseminating research findings. Topical areas may include ethnography, grounded theory, phenomenology, participatory research, and other areas. 3.0 credit units. Winter. L. Butler, K. Patterson

EPID 837 - Health Services Research

This course introduces health services research methods as they are applied to routinely collected health data. It covers methodologic approaches for assessing healthcare effectiveness, quality, and access. The course also provides an introduction to the Ontario ICES data holdings and the conduct of health services research using those data. 3.0 credit units. Fall. S. Saeed.

EPID 838 - Public Health Special Topics

An advanced course in epidemiology, biostatistics, or other public health sciences focusing on topics drawn from the instructor’s area of expertise. May be offered by current faculty or visiting scholars. 300 credit units. Not offered in 2024-25.

PREREQUISITE: EPID 801 or permission of the instructor.

EPID 839 - Systematic Reviews in Health

This course provides students with background knowledge, methodological skills, and guidance through all steps involved in conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses, with a focus on interventional research. Topics include developing a research question, literature searching, managing references, selecting studies for inclusion in the review, risk of bias assessment, data extraction, synthesizing evidence, heterogeneity, and interpretation and grading of the evidence. 3.0 credit units. Winter. M. Ospina.

PREREQUISITE: EPID 801 and EPID 821.

EPID 851 - Medically Relevant Microbiology in Infection Prevention and Control

This course provides foundational and applied information to support learners' development of infection prevention and control (IPAC) practices within various healthcare and public health settings. Students will gain an understanding of the basics of medical microbiology and how they relate to core competencies for IPAC. 3.0 credit units. Winter. P. Sheth.

EPID 852 - Fundamentals of Infection Prevention and Control and Environments of Care

This course provides foundational and applied information to support learners' development of infection prevention and control (IPAC) practices within various healthcare and public health settings. Students will gain an understanding of the core competencies for IPAC. Diverse principles and practices associated with routine practices, additional precautions, program evaluation, surveillance and outbreak management, occupational health, emergency management, disinfection concepts, preprocessing, construction/renovation and principles of adult learning will be explored as the foundational concepts of an IPAC program. Students will be able to apply these IPAC skills and concepts to a broad environment of care and its overall impact on public health. 3.0 credit units. Fall. K. Allain, H. Candon.

EPID 853 - Healthcare Quality, Safety and Risk

This course provides foundational and applied information and activities to support learners' development of quality, risk and safety principles and practices within Public Health settings. Learners will gain an understanding of the integration of improvement science within the public health setting with a particular focus on the area of infection prevention and control (IPAC). Principals and practices associated with policy, change management, leadership, communication, collaboration, and safety culture will be examined to explore ways to provide optimal health outcomes for individuals and communities while adhering to the principals of IPAC. 3.0 credit units. Summer (on-line). K. Sears.

EPID 861 - Health Systems in Canada

Systems involved in health care delivery are dynamic. This course introduces students to the elements of the WHO Health System Building Blocks framework through detailed examination of health systems within Canada, with emphasis on the interrelatedness and complexity of the elements. 1.5 credit units. Winter. S. Buttemer.

EXCLUSION: EPID 803.

EPID 862 - Health and Public Policy in Canada

This course introduces students to the social, economic, and political forces that shape health policy; the institutions that are responsible for policy design and implementation; and the areas for influence within the policy development cycle. By the end of the course, students will have experience using policy analysis tools and developing policy briefs with the intention of influencing the political process. 1.5 credit units. Winter. S. Buttemer.

PREREQUISITE: EPID 861 or permission of the instructor.

EXCLUSION: MPA 836, EPID 803, NURS 805, NURS 905

EPID 863 Essentials of Survey Methods

This six-week course offers an in-depth overview of survey design, execution, and analysis in health research. It covers questionnaire construction, data management, statistical analysis, ethical considerations, and critical appraisal of survey methods. Students will also explore current trends and challenges, equipping them with skills to navigate the changing survey research landscape. 1.5 credit units. Not offered 2024-25.

EPID 864 Mental Health Special Topics

Mental health conditions and disorders account for a growing amount of disability world-wide and are the fastest growing source of disability claims in workplaces, accounting for 3-5% of our GDP. This module will provide students with in-depth substantive knowledge about key issues and major topics that have emerged in this field. Students taking this course are expected to be active learners and participants. The course will adopt health services and public health perspectives to critically examine key mental health system developments and trends that have emerged over time. No clinical knowledge is required. This module may be offered online. 1.5 credit units. Not offered 2024-25.

EPID 865 Choosing Health Measures

Strong health measures are essential to sound health research and public health practice. In this module students will gain practical skills that will allow them to evaluate the strength and usability of health measures, including methods for assessing reliability and validity. This module is meant for a range of health research and public health professionals whose daily practice has them choosing and using health measures to describe the frequency of occurrence of a health-related characteristics, assess change following a clinical or program intervention, or those who are interested in developing or assessing a new measure as part of their research program. The content applies to clinical research, health services research, survey research, epidemiology, and program evaluation. This module may be offered online. 1.5 credit units. Not offered 2024-25

PREREQUISITE: Permission of the instructor; Introduction to Epidemiology (EPID 801) or other introductory research methods courses would be an asset.

EPID 866 Principles of Health Economics

This is an introductory course that examines the use of economic principles to policy-relevant questions in the arena of health care. The course consists of lectures and discussion revolving around real world policy issues. By the end of the course, students will be able to identify different types of economic evaluations and critically appraise them. 1.5 credit units. Fall. A. Johnson.

EPID 867 Health Economic Evaluation

This is an introductory course that examines the application of economic principles to policy-relevant questions in the arena of health care. This is a stand alone course that does not need EPID 866 as a prerequisite. The course consists of one three-hour class per week. The course format is a combination of lecture and discussion revolving around real world policy issues. By the end of the course, students will be able to propose steps necessary to conduct an economic evaluation and budget impact analysis. 1.5 credit units. Fall. A. Johnson.

EPID 868 Behavioural Epidemiology

This course is for students interested in learning about the linkages between health behaviours and health outcomes, understanding theory-derived constructs of modifiable factors that influence health behaviours, and applying this knowledge to develop interventions aimed at improving health behaviours patterns. 1.5 credit units. Not offered 2024-25.

PREREQUISITE: EPID 801 or equivalent with permission of the instructor.

EPID 869 Cancer Epidemiology

The course will focus on concepts and methodological issues central to the conduct of epidemiologic studies of cancer etiology and control. This course is intended for graduate students, clinical fellows and postdoctoral fellows who are engaged or interested in cancer research. 1.5 credit units. Fall. W. King.

PREREQUISITE: EPID 301and EPID 401 or equivalent, or permission of instructor.

EXCLUSION: EPID 817 (Foundations in Cancer Control)

EPID 886 - Public Health Professional Development

This course assists students to lay the foundation for continuing professional development in public health practice. Students are introduced to the personal learning portfolio and coached to chart their progress in developing skills and competencies through a combination of workshops, seminars, and online learning modules. 3.0 credit units. Fall and Winter terms. Instructor: S. Buttemer/ Coordinator: L. Brancaccio.

EPID 887 - Practicum Placement

The 400 – hour practicum placement provides MPH students with an opportunity to work in the public health field and contribute to evidence-informed public health practice. Through the practicum students demonstrate and enhance the knowledge, skills and attitudes they have learned from course work as well as reflect on and advance their career development. Placement activities and roles will vary according to the needs and interests of both host organization and the student. This course is graded on a PASS/FALL basis. 6.0 credit units. Summer term. Coordinator: L. Brancaccio.

PREREQUISITE: EPID 801, EPID 802, EPID 803, EPID 806, EPID 821, and EPID 886 (16-month students only), or approval of the Practicum Coordinator.

EPID 888 - Master’s Practicum

Under the guidance of the supervisor, students will carry out a practicum project in a health research group/site and practice bio statistical methods and data analysis or conduct methodology research in a bio statistical project. Students will summarize the results of the project in a written report that will be reviewed and orally defended. 6.0 credit units.

EPID 899 - Master's Thesis Research

EPID 901 - Advanced Epidemiology

This course provides in-depth integration of advanced concepts in epidemiology, with theory and examples, including causation and causal inference, study design and conduct, alternate designs, confounding, effect modification, internal and external validity, misclassification, source populations, statistical power and sample size, epidemiologic data analysis and interpretation, meta-analysis and selected specific research areas. This is an advanced course intended primarily for Ph.D. students and open to M.Sc. students with an A+ in course pre-requisites. Sessions consist of lectures, seminars, student presentations and discussions. 3.0 credit units. Fall. W. King.

PREREQUISITE: EPID 801, EPID 804, EPID 821, EPID 825 and EPID 826 or equivalent from other institutions.

EPID 902 - Advanced Public Health Research

This course provides a conceptual and historic view of the Public Health Sciences, as well as a look at contemporary issues in Public Health research ethics, research methodology and knowledge translation. Guided each year by student interests and advanced training needs, the course delves into specific substantive public health research areas including for example: chronic disease, environmental health, infectious disease, injury and disability, maternal and child health, occupational health, humanitarian contexts, Indigenous health and/or health services research. This is an advanced course intended primarily for Ph.D. students. Second year MSc students may enroll with the permission of the instructor. 3.0 credit units. Fall. M. Ospina, S. Saeed.

EPID 999 – Ph.D. Thesis Research