MPH5218 Infectious diseases: Epidemiology and prevention
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
MPH5218 Infectious diseases: Epidemiology and prevention is a level 5, 6-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, offered in 2026 in Semester 2 at Alfred Hospital. It needs MPH5040.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 2
- Alfred Hospital
- Assessment
- No exam
- 3 tasks
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before MPH5218
Prohibitions
You can't enrol if you have passed any of these.
Prerequisites
Pass these before you enrol.
After MPH5218
No unit lists MPH5218 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Equivalent units
The same content under another code. Only one of them counts.
Overview
Importance of transmission source, host and organism factors in infectious disease epidemiology. Outbreak investigation, surveillance of infectious diseases, prevention/control strategies, mathematical modelling of infectious diseases and of impact of immunity. Includes discussion of infection control, vaccines, exotic and emerging diseases.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester | Alfred Hospital | Flx blk |
Assessment
- Four critical reflections (4 x 400 words each. Total 1,600 words)Written40%
- Leder disease assignment (short answer 1,000 words and Infographic -1 page)Written30%
- Outbreak report (1,800 words)Written30%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Argue the importance and dynamic nature of infectious diseases;
- 2
Identify the unique aspects of infectious disease epidemiology and evaluate these aspects in practice;
- 3
Critically evaluate strategies in the prediction, detection and control of infectious disease outbreaks;
- 4
Critically evaluate the epidemiologic principles underlying disease surveillance programs;
- 5
Critically evaluate the epidemiologic principles underlying disease control and prevention strategies;
- 6
Describe the role of mathematical modelling in relation to infectious diseases.
Workload and teaching
- Workshops-
6 hours of teacher-directed and 6 hours of self-directed study per week. There is an expectation that you will attend 3 on-campus Block Days incorporating 22 contact hours.
Learning resources
Required resources
See Moodle for details about required resources.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Asma Sohail
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Sarah McGuinness
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for MPH5218?
You need MPH5040 before you enrol.
When is MPH5218 offered?
In 2026, MPH5218 runs in Semester 2 at Alfred Hospital.
Does MPH5218 have an exam?
No. MPH5218 has 3 assessment tasks and no exam.