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Course Structure Overview

The Epidemiology program at Aiph University Bhubaneswar is structured over eight semesters, combining core academic subjects with departmental electives, science electives, and practical laboratory components. Each semester includes a mix of theoretical lectures, tutorials, lab sessions, and fieldwork to provide students with a well-rounded educational experience.

Advanced Departmental Elective Courses

Advanced departmental elective courses offer students the opportunity to specialize in specific areas of interest within epidemiology. These courses are designed to deepen understanding, enhance analytical skills, and prepare students for advanced research or professional roles.

EPD-301 Advanced Biostatistics: This course delves into advanced statistical methods used in public health research. Students learn about regression analysis, survival analysis, multivariate techniques, and specialized software applications such as R and SPSS. The course emphasizes practical application through real datasets from ongoing health studies.

EPD-302 Chronic Disease Prevention: This course explores the epidemiology of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and respiratory illnesses. It covers risk factor identification, prevention strategies, and intervention evaluation methods. Students engage in case studies and develop policy recommendations based on evidence-based findings.

EPD-303 Nutrition and Food Security: This course examines the relationship between diet, nutrition, and health outcomes at population levels. It includes topics such as malnutrition, dietary assessment methods, food fortification programs, and global food security challenges. Students analyze data from national surveys and develop nutritional intervention plans.

EPD-304 Mental Health Epidemiology: This course focuses on the prevalence, distribution, and determinants of mental health disorders in various populations. Students study anxiety, depression, substance abuse, suicide prevention, and community-based interventions. The course incorporates case studies and fieldwork experiences to understand real-world applications.

EPD-305 Occupational Health: This course addresses occupational hazards and their impact on worker health. It covers industrial hygiene, workplace safety, risk assessment, and exposure monitoring. Students learn to assess occupational risks, design prevention programs, and advocate for safer working environments.

EPD-401 Global Health Equity: This course examines disparities in health outcomes across different populations and regions. Students study social determinants of health, health system strengthening, equity in access to care, and global health governance. The course includes case studies from low-income countries and explores solutions for reducing health inequities.

EPD-402 Infectious Disease Surveillance: This course focuses on tracking the spread of infectious diseases, identifying outbreaks, and implementing control measures. Students learn outbreak investigation techniques, laboratory diagnostics, contact tracing, and vaccine effectiveness studies. The course includes practical exercises using real data from disease surveillance systems.

EPD-403 Health Informatics: This course integrates technology with public health practice. Students study data management systems, electronic health records, telemedicine, mobile health applications, and digital tools for health surveillance. The course emphasizes hands-on experience with health informatics platforms and software.

EPD-404 Disease Prevention and Control: This course emphasizes evidence-based strategies for preventing disease outbreaks and managing chronic conditions. Students examine prevention programs, vaccination campaigns, screening protocols, and health promotion initiatives. The course includes simulations of real-world public health challenges and policy development exercises.

EPD-405 Public Health Policy Evaluation: This course prepares students to develop, implement, and assess public health policies and interventions. It covers policy analysis, program evaluation methods, stakeholder engagement, and regulatory frameworks. Students learn to evaluate the impact of public health initiatives using rigorous research methodologies and data-driven approaches.

EPD-501 Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology: This course focuses on tracking health outcomes in mothers and children, identifying risk factors for complications during pregnancy and early childhood, and evaluating interventions aimed at improving maternal and child well-being. Students engage in literature reviews, data analysis projects, and fieldwork experiences.

EPD-502 Climate Change and Health Impact: This course examines how environmental factors affect human health and how climate change influences disease patterns. It includes topics such as extreme weather events, vector-borne diseases, air quality impacts, and sustainable development goals in public health. Students analyze data from climate-health studies and propose adaptation strategies.

EPD-601 Emerging Diseases Epidemiology: This course explores the epidemiology of emerging infectious diseases, including zoonotic infections and novel pathogens. Students study outbreak detection systems, risk communication strategies, and pandemic preparedness measures. The course includes simulations of disease outbreaks and policy development exercises.

EPD-602 Community-Based Research: This course emphasizes participatory research methods in public health settings. Students learn to design studies that involve community stakeholders, conduct interviews, collect qualitative data, and analyze community needs. The course includes fieldwork experiences with local organizations and NGOs.

EPD-603 Ethics in Public Health Research: This course addresses ethical considerations in public health research, including informed consent, privacy protection, vulnerable populations, and research integrity. Students examine case studies involving ethical dilemmas in public health and develop guidelines for responsible research practices.

Project-Based Learning Philosophy

The department's philosophy on project-based learning is rooted in the belief that hands-on experience enhances comprehension and fosters critical thinking. Students engage in both mini-projects during their second year and a final-year thesis or capstone project that synthesizes all learned concepts.

Mini-projects are designed to provide early exposure to research methodologies and practical skills. They typically involve small teams of 3-5 students working under faculty supervision on specific health issues. Projects may include developing survey instruments, analyzing existing datasets, conducting literature reviews, or designing intervention strategies for identified health problems.

The final-year thesis/capstone project is a comprehensive endeavor that allows students to demonstrate mastery in their chosen area of specialization. Students select topics aligned with their interests and career goals, often involving collaboration with external partners such as government agencies, NGOs, or research institutions. The project includes a detailed literature review, methodology development, data collection, analysis, interpretation of results, and presentation of findings.

Faculty mentors play a crucial role in guiding students throughout the project process. They provide expertise in research design, statistical analysis, data interpretation, and academic writing. Mentors also facilitate networking opportunities with professionals in the field and support students in presenting their work at conferences or publishing in journals.

Evaluation criteria for projects are rigorous and include aspects such as clarity of objectives, methodological soundness, data quality, analytical depth, presentation skills, and contribution to knowledge in the field. Students are assessed through peer reviews, faculty evaluations, and oral presentations during project defense sessions.