In this course there is a particular focus on global health aspects of disease control with emphasis on trans-national, collaborative research, and a wide range of strategies to manage these challenges across nations. The course is based on real case scenarios and examples, presented by a wide range of global health experts.

This course is an elective course in the Master of Infectious Diseases Intelligence, Master of Public Health, Master of Global Health and the Master of Health Leadership and Management programs. There are no pre-requisites for this course.

Mode of study

External (Distance) and Internal (Face-to-Face) classes on campus

Key contacts

Dr Minh Cuong Duong
Course Co-convenor
+61 (2) 9385 1185
minh.duong@unsw.edu.au

Dr Padmanesan Narasimhan
Course Co-convenor
+61 (2) 9385 3944
padmanesan@unsw.edu.au

Who should do this course?

We welcome students from any discipline and level of experience to contribute perspectives and understandings. In addition, we encourage you to engage with the material, ask questions, discuss relevant issues with teachers and colleagues, and regard the available literature with a critical eye. 

Course outcomes

This course aims to equip candidates with an insight into the prevention and control of communicable diseases and related challenges, and the promotion of health especially in developing, remote and resource-poor countries. There is a particular focus on global health aspects of disease control with emphasis on trans-national, collaborative research, and a wide range of strategies to manage these challenges across nations. The course is based on real case scenarios and examples, presented by a wide range of global health experts.

There are three course learning outcomes (CLOs). By the end of this course you will be able to:

  • identify the major communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries and analyse the causation and transmission mechanisms of these communicable diseases
  • critically analyse the current management and control of communicable diseases with a focus on challenges in the healthcare system
  • discuss appropriate strategies for communicable diseases prevention and control and address implementation challenges in resource-poor settings.

Learning & teaching

This course will involve input from international experts in the field, but you will also be expected to play an active part in the online activities and discussions. The course is based on a model of adult learning where all students are responsible for actively contributing to the course and drawing on and sharing their depth of knowledge on their own health contexts. It is envisaged that there will be international students within the course who will, no doubt, know more about the domestic situation in their home country than the presenters, whose role will be to provide the tools, insights and concepts that students can apply to their own situation. Furthermore, there may well be domestic and international students who have direct experience in communicable disease prevention and control in developed or developing country settings, and this background will be utilised in tutorials and online discussion forums.

Internal and external students: The format of the course consists of 10 weekly lectures given by communicable disease experts with experience in international settings. These lectures will be delivered online to both internal and external students using Teams. Students will attend an unstructured tutorial session after each lecture. The lectures will be recorded, while the tutorial will not be recorded. 

Assessments

Assessment 1 – Quiz
Weighting: 15%

Assessment 2 – Communicable Disease Summary 
Weighting: 35%
Length: 1000 words

Assessment 3 – Essay
Weighting: 50%
Length: 2000 words

Readings & resources 

Learning resources for this course consist of the following, available in Moodle:

  • course outline and readings
  • lecture slides
  • lecture recordings.

Background reading material related to the lectures can be accessed through the course reading list, also available in Moodle.