SLE354 - Disease Ecology and Epidemiology
Unit details
| Year: | 2024 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 2: Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 2: Marcel Klaassen |
| Prerequisite: | SLE251 and one of SLE204 or SLE205 |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | Nil |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site. |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | Online independent and collaborative learning including 2 x 1 hour online lecture per week and 2 x 3 hour online seminars per trimester, 2 x 3 hour online practical experience (computer practical) per trimester. |
Content
This unit addresses the processes underlying the evolution and ecology of host-pathogen interactions and how these affect animal populations and communities. The unit will involve classes, seminars and small research projects. The unit starts off with addressing the fundamental question why pathogenic organisms are around and how evolutionary processes combined with design constraints in both hosts and the pathogens have shaped host-pathogen interactions in natural settings. Next we will scale up from host-pathogen interactions at the individual level to the impact of these processes at the level of animal populations, communities and ecosystems. Finally, we will identify how host-pathogen interactions (may) alter various global change processes (including climate change and increased human and domestic animal populations).
| ULO | These are the Learning Outcomes (ULO) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Investigate disease ecology and epidemiology to describe the evolution and life history of parasites and its effects on health and disease conditions in animal populations. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Analyse the impact of pathogens on disease outbreak and emergence to illustrate host-pathogen interactions and community dynamics. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO3 | Develop simple epidemiological models and apply scientific experimental methodologies to assess patterns and causes of disease outbreak and emergence. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO4 | Demonstrate transferrable employability skills by working collaboratively in a team to construct and communicate an integrated argument of strategies for disease control, taking into account authentic real world global change processes. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1 Oral presentation | Two-part collaborative PowerPoint presentation (each part 10-minutes) | 20% (2 x 10%) | Weeks 5 and 10 |
| Assessment 2 Online tests | Two 50-minute online tests | 40% (2 x 20%) | Weeks 6 and 11 |
| Assessment 3 Written report | Group written report 2500 word maximum | 40% | Week 12 |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning Resource
The texts and reading list for the unit can be found on the University Library via the link below: SLE354 Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
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