340.705.01
Advanced Seminar in Social Epidemiology

Location
East Baltimore
Term
3rd Term
Department
Epidemiology
Credit(s)
4
Academic Year
2024 - 2025
Instruction Method
In-person
Class Time(s)
Tu, Th, 1:30 - 3:20pm
Auditors Allowed
No
Available to Undergraduate
No
Grading Restriction
Letter Grade or Pass/Fail
Course Instructor(s)
Lorraine Dean
Contact Name
Lorraine Dean
Frequency Schedule
Every Other Year
Next Offered
2026 - 2027
Prerequisite

2 graduate level courses in Epidemiology and in Biostatistics (prefer 140.622 and 340.752) and one graduate level course in social or behavioral sciences

Description
Offers doctoral students an opportunity to synthesize theories and methodologies from the social and behavioral sciences and epidemiology. Highlights current controversies and practices in the evolving field of social epidemiology. Topics include: (a) the role of theory in epidemiology, (b) fundamental causes and the problem of “distality”, (c) how social factors affect the body, (d) modeling of social factors and health, and (e) area-based influences on health. Course is oriented toward research rather than practice.
Learning Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
  1. Define and describe the origins, history, and major approaches to the study of social conditions as determinants of health at the population level
  2. Identify and describe seven distinct core areas of research within the field
  3. Distinguish between and apply leading theories that have guided the field of social epidemiology
  4. Apply concepts, theories and methods from the field of social epidemiology to a research problem of interest to the student
  5. Construct theoretical arguments and select appropriate methods for analyzing the influence of upstream social processes on population health
Methods of Assessment
This course is evaluated as follows:
  • 30% Participation
  • 40% Final Project
  • 30% Reflection
Enrollment Restriction
per instructor
Instructor Consent
Consent required for some students
Consent Note
Consent of instructor is required for special students only.
Consent Contact
ldean9@jhu.edu
Special Comments

140.658 Statistics for psychosocial research strongly recommended. The course will be taught as a seminar involving in-depth discussion of pre-assigned readings with minimal lecture time. Seminar discussions will take place each session and may begin with a brief “mini-lecture” by the course director or a guest followed by group discussion. Students are expected to bring a 1-page written critique of each required reading to class. All readings and a blank critique form can be found on CoursePLUS. Materials are organized by seminar session. Each session, names will be selected at random to determine which students will lead discussions of critiques to a small group Critical to the success of this seminar will be thorough and complete reading of the assigned materials prior to the seminar session. Students are expected to have read the material for the first session prior to coming to class.