SFOK19007U Cancelled Life Course Influences on Health and Aging. Epidemiology and Theory

Volume 2019/2020
Education

MSc in Public Health Science - elective course

 

 

Content

The purpose of the elective course is to provide the students knowledge about which and how factors across the life course influence health and aging, and knowledge about the epidemiologic methods and epidemiological and sociological theories applied in this research. Furthermore, it is the purpose for the students to gain knowledge about the larger life course cohort studies in Denmark and selected places in Europe with a main focus on UK.

Learning Outcome

After the course the student must be able to:

Knowledge

  • Define life course epidemiology
  • Mention and describe larger life course cohorts in Denmark and Europe
     

Skills

  • Explain strenghts and weaknesses of the life course research approach
  • Explain the different epidemiological life course theories regarding the influence on health and aging, among these the theory of critical and sensitive periods, theory of accumulation and theory of social mobility
  • Mention and describe major sociological theories of life course
     

Competencies

  • Discuss the analytical challenges in life course epidemiology
  • At a superior level explain what life course factors are the most important regarding development of chronic disease and accelerated aging (for example decline in functional ability or cognitive function)

Kun d et al. A life course approach to healthy aging. Oxford University Press 2014, and selected peer-reviewed scientific papers

 

It is recommended that you are familiar with advanced epidemiology at MSc level equivalent to the MSc course in Epidemiologi at the MSc in Public Health Science, University of Copenhagen.
Lectures, group work and student presentations
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Class Instruction
  • 40
  • Exam
  • 30
  • Preparation
  • 205
  • Total
  • 275
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Credit
10 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Course assignment: Written assignment developed in parallel with the teaching of the course, without allocating extra resources to individual supervision.

The course assignment can be completed alone or in groups of 2-3 people. The assignment must be respectively 15, 24 or 30 pages excluding the reference list, appendices, figures and tables.

Extent of written assignments:
Students are obliged to disclose the number of characters of the submission of written assignments with maximum length. A standard page contains 2,400 characters including spaces. The individual pages can consist of fewer or more than 2,400 characters, but the total number of characters must not exceed 2,400 characters x max. number of pages.

Group assignments:
Requirements for individualisation of written assignments means that the student must account for the students who have been the main responsibility for which section. This division must follow a meaningful division of the assignment, e.g. in sections and subsections. Up to 1/3 of the assignment may be prepared with collective responsibility, which obviously can include the introduction and conclusion. The division of responsibility is displayed on a separate page, which is included in the task, but does not count
Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
One internal examiner.
Exam period

See the exam schedule here: http://sund.ku.dk/uddannelse/vejledning-information/eksamensplaner/folkesundhedsvidenskab/

Re-exam

See the exam schedule here: http://sund.ku.dk/uddannelse/vejledning-information/eksamensplaner/folkesundhedsvidenskab/

Criteria for exam assesment

To achieve the grade 12, the student must be able to:

Knowledge

  • Define life course epidemiology
  • Mention and describe larger life course cohorts in Denmark and Europe
     

Skills

  • Explain strenghts and weaknesses of the life course research approach
  • Explain the different epidemiological life course theories regarding the influence on health and aging, among these the theory of critical and sensitive periods, theory of accumulation and theory of social mobility
  • Mention and describe major sociological theories of life course
     

Competencies

  • Discuss the analytical challenges in life course epidemiology
  • At a superior level explain what life course factors are the most important regarding development of chronic disease and accelerated aging (for example decline in functional ability or cognitive function)