The details
Location: Online Mode of study: Part-time Qualification: Online professional course (20 credits) Study duration: 13 weeks
Start date: Awarding body: University of Essex Delivered by: Kaplan Open Learning For queries: Call +44 (0) 1206 489 358

If you’re interested in exploring the causation and control of diseases, then consider our informative Epidemiology online professional course.   

You’ll gain a sound introduction to the core principles of epidemiology, while helping you analyse and interpret surveillance data. By doing so, you’ll learn how to make informed decisions to protect public health.   

You’ll study a range of topics, including:  

  • identifying the causation of a range of diseases   
  • analysing statistical outcomes in research   
  • theoretical and practical approaches to epidemiology  

Once you’ve successfully completed the course, you have the opportunity to study one of our popular postgraduate health courses – including a PG Cert, PG Dip or full Masters degree. 

This course is accredited by The CPD Certification Service, which provides independent CPD accreditation used to formally record CPD learning. Recognised in over 100 countries, the accreditation is compatible with international requirements and confirms our courses achieve qualitative standards required by professional bodies, institutional associations and education providers.

Why we’re great

  • Develop a strong understanding of reporting risk and identifying causation. 
  • Strengthen your analytical and critical thinking skills.  
  • Study 100% online, part-time, without the need for a career break.  
  • Receive your online professional courses from the University of Essex, a top 40 UK university (Complete University Guide 2025).  
  • All our modules are taught by industry leaders and subject experts with a wealth of experience. 

You’ll study the following topics as part of the online professional course: 

  • the history of epidemiology and contemporary epidemiology 
  • statistical and epidemiological concepts, including prevalence and incidence  
  • descriptive statistics  
  • inferential statistics including confidence intervals, p values and hypothesis testing 
  • inferential statistics including odds ratios, relative risk and simple regression 
  • sampling and sample size calculation 
  • observational studies and standardisation 
  • ethical issues and data sources in epidemiology  
  • intervention studies and research reviews  
  • critical review or appraisal 
  • global surveillance and monitoring 
  • epidemiology and social media 

Teaching methods 

Studying online gives you the freedom to complete your qualification when and where it suits you – at home, during your lunch hour or in a café. 

Our online professional courses are delivered through a virtual learning environment (VLE) instead of a traditional campus. This means you’ll have access to your study materials 24/7, including: 

  • multimedia lecturecasts made up of written content, short videos, animation, audio recordings, infographics, short tests and mini-assignments 
  • discussion forums for you to chat about the module content with fellow students 
  • live Q&A sessions with your tutors 
  • a comprehensive eLibrary of textbooks and academic journals 
  • support from academic staff and your dedicated Student Support team 

To ensure you receive high-quality tutor support, each class is capped at 20 students. 

 

Assessment methods  

You’ll be assessed exclusively through assignments. These include assessed discussion forums, written assignments and journal entries. 

We’re committed to providing frequent and transparent feedback in the following ways: 

  • our assessment criteria are designed to be simple and transparent 
  • you’ll always be aware of your current provisional grade, right from the start 
  • you’ll be able to clearly view your marks in your gradebook whenever you log on to the learning platform 
  • there’s a seven-day turnaround for marking and feedback of assessed work 
  • you’ll have regular contact with your Student Support team, with whom you can discuss any concerns as soon as they arise 

 

Study duration 

Our Epidemiology online professional course has a study duration of 13 weeks, including a one-week induction to help you settle into online study. 

The Epidemiology online professional course offers a whole host of opportunities. On successful completion, you’ll receive a digital certificate confirming you’ve achieved 20 academic credits at postgraduate level. This will be beneficial whether you’re looking to climb the career ladder or take the first step into a healthcare role – helping you stand out amongst the competition.  

If you wish to continue your studies and boost your prospects, you could choose additional health online professional courses, such as Healthcare Leadership in Practice or Topics in Publish Health. Alternatively, you could progress on to one of the following postgraduate qualifications:  

Please note, acceptance on to a postgraduate qualification is subject to meeting the entry requirements of your chosen programme.  

No formal qualifications or experience is necessary.  

As our courses are delivered in English, a high proficiency of English is required. If English isn’t your first language, your ability should be equivalent to an IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5. Don’t worry if you don’t hold an IELTS or equivalent qualification – we offer a free online English test to assess your proficiency.  

You don’t need to prove your English ability if you’re a national of, or have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in, any of these countries. 

Full tuition fee:
£1,386 (2023-24)
Δ 
£1,386 UK / £1,455 International (2024-25) Δ

  • Our courses are fully inclusive – all teaching materials and required reading are included. 
  • Alumni discount of 10% of the tuition fee available if you’re a previous graduate with the University of Essex or University of Essex Online.   
  • We offer a 14-day moneyback guarantee, so if you decide your course isn’t for you during the first 14 days, we’ll give you a full refund. Terms and conditions apply. 

Δ All tuition fees shown are net of any applicable sales tax payable by you in your country of residence. Where we are required to add sales tax at the local statutory rate, this will be added to the tuition fees shown and confirmed during the payment process. 

Subject specialists, industry authorities and experienced academics: the tutors who teach on our Epidemiology course are experts in the health field.

What our students say

testimonials

Josephine Arthur Amoah -MSc Infection Control

I'm studying to push myself further. I’ve been a qualified registered general nurse since 2010, working across various healthcare settings, and became an Infection Prevention and Control Nurse (IPCN) in 2018. While in this role, I wished to become a specialist in my field and started looking into studying a Masters. The decision to study at Masters level didn’t come lightly, since I’d be juggling my course with working full-time, being a mum and running my own part-time business. However, I realised the course would be hugely beneficial to both my personal and professional development. In fact, when I began a new role in 2021 I was asked to pursue a Masters degree! While doing my research, I found that only a handful of universities offered MSc Infection Control for online study. I decided to study<img class="size-medium wp-image-23352 alignright"...

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