The Research Design and Methods course teaches relevant theories, concepts, tools, and techniques in epidemiology to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to undertake an applied epidemiological research study. The focus is on transforming a research question into a study that is appropriate for the setting and capable of answering the research question. Students apply the skills they learn by developing their own research proposal on a topic of their choosing. Teaching methods include case studies, lectures, and small group tutorials
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Apply systematic search strategies to find relevant peer-reviewed and grey literature on a specific public health problem and develop a comprehensive reference list using appropriate citation styles.
- Analyse different sources of literature by comparing, contrasting and summarising the literature to synthesise a coherent understanding of the public health problem/event of interest issue.
- Use literature findings to justify the rationale for a study and to formulate explicit study objectives and research questions.
- Evaluate various study designs and methods and the advantages and disadvantages of different study designs for the public health problem/event of interest issue.
- Identify and implement practical methods to minimize chance, bias, and confounding in an applied epidemiological study and assess the effectiveness of these methods in improving study validity
- Design a detailed feasible research plan outlining logistics, timelines, team roles, and potential challenges in conducting the study.
- Present research methods and findings clearly to a scientific audience and develop communication strategies to engage lay communities and potential study participants.
Indicative Assessment
- Literature review (35) [LO 1,2,3]
- Research plan (55) [LO 4,5,6,7]
- Peer review (10) [LO 1,2,3,4,5,6,7]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
The expected workload will consist of approximately 130 hours throughout the semester, including:
Online Delivery:
- Approximately 130 hours of self-directed study, which will include reading, listening to/viewing online lessons and materials, completing exercises, and other assessment tasks.
In-Person Delivery:
- Face-to-face component, which may consist of one 3-hour lecture per week.
- Approximately 96 hours of self-directed study, which will include listening to/viewing online lessons, preparing for tutorials, and completing other assessment tasks.
Inherent Requirements
No specific inherent requirements have been identified for this course.
Requisite and Incompatibility
You will need to contact the National Centre Epidemiology & Population Health to request a permission code to enrol in this course.
Prescribed Texts
Reading materials will be provided throughout the course.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
First Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2710 | 23 Feb 2026 | 02 Mar 2026 | 31 Mar 2026 | 29 May 2026 | In Person | N/A |
| 2711 | 23 Feb 2026 | 02 Mar 2026 | 31 Mar 2026 | 29 May 2026 | Online | N/A |