Epidemiology in Public Health | Enroll Anytime Online Course
PHE 102 introduces the principles and applications of epidemiology — including how to assess population health trends, identify causes of disease, and design interventions to improve community well-being.
| Course Title | PHE 102: Epidemiology in Public Health |
|---|---|
| Credits | 3 undergraduate credits |
| Format | Online - Self-Paced Enroll Anytime |
| Estimated time to complete | 3 to 9 Months |
| Cost |
Undergraduate tuition is $407.97 per credit. Visit the Costs & Aid page for more information. |
Why Take Epidemiology in Public Health Online?
Epidemiology is more than just numbers — it’s about understanding the why and how behind the spread of diseases and using that knowledge to prevent them. PHE 102: Epidemiology in Public Health introduces you to the principles and applications of epidemiology — the cornerstone of public health practice. You’ll explore how data, research methods, and critical thinking are used to track diseases, identify risk factors, and protect communities from health threats.
Through real-world examples and interactive assignments, you’ll develop the skills needed to interpret health data, investigate outbreaks, and inform public health policy. Whether you’re planning a career in healthcare, public health, research, or policy, this course equips you with the knowledge to make a measurable impact on population health.
What You’ll Learn
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Discuss the history, philosophy, and uses of epidemiology.
- List sources of epidemiologic data and define related measures of morbidity and mortality.
- Define the term descriptive epidemiology and describe the applications of descriptive epidemiology to the health of populations.
- State what is meant by the terms association and causation.
- Define the term analytic epidemiology and differentiate among the types of analytic research designs.
- Define the term evidence-based public health and discuss its applications.
- Discuss the applications of epidemiology to policy development.
- Describe applications of epidemiology to outbreak investigation, social and behavioral phenomena, and special topics including work and the environment.
Who Should Enroll?
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Public health majors and pre-health students
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Nursing and allied health students seeking foundational epidemiology knowledge
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STEM majors exploring public health as an elective
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Community health workers and public health professionals looking to strengthen skills
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Students preparing for graduate programs in epidemiology, global health, or healthcare policy
The course covers applications of epidemiologic methods and procedures to the study of the distribution and determinants of health and diseases, morbidity, injuries, disability, and mortality in populations. Epidemiologic methods for the control of conditions such as infectious and chronic diseases, mental disorders, community and environmental health hazards, and unintentional injuries are discussed. Other topics include quantitative aspects of epidemiology, including data sources, measures of morbidity and mortality, evaluation of association and causality, and study design.
Meet the Professor
Required Textbook and Materials
Scott Quinlan (2025). Frii's Epidemiology 101: Essential Public Health Series (3nd Ed). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc. ISBN: 9781284229097.
The access code is NOT needed.
How will the course appear on my transcript?
You may enroll at any time and have up to 9 months to complete this online course.
The credits earned will be recorded on your UND transcript based on the date you registered
for the course. It will appear on your transcript in the same way as a course taken
during a regular semester. There is no indication that the course was taken online
or that you completed it at your own pace.
Consult the table on our How Enroll Anytime Courses Work page for a current listing of Enroll Anytime Registration Dates and the semester
information that will appear on a UND transcript.
Why Take Online Classes at UND?
Here are a few reasons why you should take an online enroll anytime course at UND:
- Great customer service – Our registration team is ready to answer questions quickly so you can focus on your coursework.
- Affordable – UND's enroll anytime courses are priced at North Dakota's affordable, in-state tuition rate.
- Accredited – UND is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
- Easily transfer credits – Transferring credits is always at the discretion of the institution to which the credits are being transferred. In general, credits from schools/universities that are regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission transfer to other regionally accredited institutions. UND's online courses appear on your UND transcript in the same way as other courses.
Flexible 100% Online Course
You'll take this online course at your own pace. Some students thrive in this environment, while other students may struggle with setting their own deadlines. If you have successfully taken an independent study or correspondence course previously, UND’s enroll anytime courses may be right for you. Still not sure? Take our online quiz to help determine if online enroll anytime courses are right for you.
Course information including tuition, technology requirements, textbooks, lessons and exams is subject to change without notice.
