WELCOME TO THE COURSE
Below you will find more information about the course
As a new student, you need to activate your user account (your Umu-id) approximately two weeks prior to the start of the semester.
With your user account you can:
If you are a new student, you will automatically receive a user account when you are admitted, but you will need to activate it for it to function properly. You will not be able to activate it until approximately two weeks prior to the start of the semester.
Install MFA for a more secure login
To increase security and reduce the risk of unauthorised access to your information or account, students must enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) to log in to various systems, such as Canvas and the Student Web.
I want to activate my user account and install MFA
If you are an exchange student or tuition fee paying student, you will receive an email with instructions on how to activate your account.
If you are having problems activating your account or logging in, please contact our Servicedesk. You will find answers to common questions, and can submit enquiries.
The course starts off with registration and introduction. You need to be registered on the course in the study documentation system in order to be able to follow the course and to get your results registered during the course. If you are unable to attend during the registration and introduction, you need to contact the study administrator Angelica Johansson in advance, or else you risk losing your place (seat) at the course/programme.
The course runs from Thursday 15th of February to Tuesday 19th of March 2024. We will start the first course week at 09.00 on Thursday 15th of February in the Natural Science building in lecture room NAT.D.380 https://link.mazemap.com/5E3Mdikq
The schedule is enclosed, along with details of the learning objectives and literature you should read for each session. Please note that some changes might occur, but then you will be informed as necessary.
In addition to face-to-face lectures, this course involves group work, and a written home exam. Details of these course requirements are given at the end of this document.
If you have any questions, you are very welcome to contact us.
Learning objectives and reading material
Required knowledge: For non-programme students applying as single-course students, the requirements are 120 ECTS, of which a minimum of 30 ECTS are within one of the following: health sciences, environmental health, or social sciences.
Contents: This course is an introduction to methods for the evaluation of public health programmes, with complementary discussion of a number of associated issues. The course combines concepts and experience from different disciplines in order to facilitate a comprehensive perspective, and it includes: the history of evaluation in public health; measures of exposure levels and of both positive and adverse health effects caused by an intervention; qualitative and realistic evaluation; issues of equity, ethics, and politics; uses and users of evaluations; and dissemination.
The teaching: Teaching on the course takes place over three weeks during the course period, and it is conducted through lectures and group exercises. There are also seminars where students present and discuss their evaluation plans. These seminars are compulsory. Teaching is given in English.
Expected learning outcomes:
Knowledge and understanding
After completion of the course the student should be able to:
Skills and Abilities
After completion of the course the student should be able to:
Judgement and approach
After completion of the course the student should be able to:
WEEK 1 and 2
Thursday 15/2 – Evaluating complex interventions (F Jonsson)
Essential reading:
• Different types of questions, levels
Friday 16/2 – Introduction to the MRC framework (M Lindström)
Essential reading:
• Skivington K, Matthews L, Simpson S A, Craig P, Baird J, Blazeby J M et al. (2021). A new framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions: update of Medical Research Council guidance. BMJ.
• Moore, G., Evans, R. E., Hawkins, J. Shenderovich, Y. & Young, H. (2023). "What does ‘following the guidance’ mean in an era of increasingly pluralistic guidance for the development, evaluation and implementation of interventions?." J Epidemiol Community Health.
Monday 19/2 – Intervention development or identification (F Jonsson and M Lindström)
Essential reading:
Complementary reading:
Tuesday 20/2 – Analyzing feasibility (F Jonsson and M Lindström)
Essential reading:
Complementary reading:
Wednesday 21/2 – Evaluating intervention effects (F Jonsson and M Lindström)
1. MRC
Essential reading:
Complementary reading:
Wednesday 21/2 – Examples from the Salut Program (A Ivarsson)
Essential reading:
Complementary reading:
Thursday 22/2 – Assessing implementation (F Jonsson and M Lindström)
1. MRC
2. Assessing conditions for implementation of intervention (frameworks)
3. Assessing intervention implementation (process evaluation)
4. Assessing effects of implementation (natural experiments)
Essential reading:
Complementary reading:
Friday 23/2 – Attend dissertation
WEEK 3 and 4
Tuesday 27/2 – Theory-based appraoches (F Jonsson)
Essential reading:
Complementary reading:
Wednesday 28/2 – Health economic and health system evaluation (C Löfgren)
Essential reading:
Complementary reading:
Thursday 29/2 – Policy evaluation (PE Gustafsson)
Essential reading:
Complementary reading:
Monday 4/3 – Health promotion evaluation (M Mondaca)
Essential reading:
Complementary reading:
COURSE EXAMINATION
Group work and discussions
In this course, you are expected to take part in group work, discussions, and presentations. The literature outlined under ‘essential readings’ should be read before each lecture. If you are not able to attend, you need to inform the course organizers.
Assignments
During the course there will be three individual assignments. The first and third ones are voluntary, although you are recommended to do them since they will increase your chances of passing the exam by providing an opportunity for you to learn by getting feedback on your work. The second one is mandatory.
Assignment 1 – Detailing your intervention including peer review
During the first assignment, you are expected to write a short summary of an intervention of your choosing and describe the public health problem that it addresses. You will then submit this draft to a peer for feedback while peer-reviewing another student’s text.
Assignment 2* – Presenting a critical review of an evaluation
Assignment 3 – Reviewing a draft of a peer’s home exam
During the third assignment, you will submit a draft of your home exam to a peer for feedback while peer-reviewing another student’s text.
Written home examination*
The main examination of the course will be an individual written home exam.
In this course, we use the learning platform Canvas. There you will find for example course schedule, instructions for exercises during the course and messages from the teachers. In order to get access to the learning platform, you sign in using your Umu-id. You will get access to the Canvas site (Evaluation in Public Health) after the first day on the course. If you are not able to attend on the first day it's important that you let us know.
It’s not possible to self-register online for this course.
In order to get registered you need to attend the mandatory roll call at 09:00 am February 15.
In order to access the central IT systems at Umeå University, you need a user account, an Umu-id. You will receive a user account after you have been admitted to studies at Umeå University, and you will need to activate it before you can use it to sign in. https://www.umu.se/en/student/we-can-assist-you/it-services/umu-id/
Checklist for admitted students
Follow this simple list of things to complete your enrolment at Umeå University. It includes: how to secure housing, getting a residence permit (for citizens from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland), tuition payment (if applicable), travel directions and more.
The Student web
The website for current students has all sorts of information about services, support, legal and practical matters at Umeå University. You can sign in to the learning platforms, see your schedule and course overview, get a study certificate, apply for a degree or sign up for an examination.
Recommended arrival times
International students are recommended to arrive at least a few days before the start of the regular semester, preferably prior to the Orientation. If you fail to arrive on time, you have to contact the study counselor as soon as possible, but no later than one week ahead of the course start, or you may not be able to register for the programme or course.
If you will have student housing through the Housing Office at Umeå University you will receive information about your arrival in your offer of housing.
Don't forget - Umeå has cold winters, so pack accordingly with a warm jacket, warm shoes, gloves and hat.
Orientation
Moving to a new country with an unfamiliar language, culture and customs can be a challenge. We would like to help you and ease that challenge so that you can focus on your studies. Therefore, we would like to offer you the possibility to take part in our Orientation, which begins a few days before the start of the semester (Autumn) or the same day as the semester starts (Spring).
Welcome Fair
Are you a new student at Umeå University? Visit the Welcome Fair – a perfect opportunity to learn what our university and Umeå can offer. The fair normally takes place in the beginning of each semester.
Get your UmU card
When you are on Campus Umeå, Umeå Arts Campus or Campus Örnsköldsvik, you will need a UmU card. The card has the following functions:
To get the card, you need to apply for it. Here’s how to apply for the UmU card.
Join a student union
There are three student unions at Umeå University:
They are actively involved so that fellow students have a high quality of education, good working environment, and fun leisure time.
Access to Microsoft Office 365
Students at Umeå University have free access to the programmes of Microsoft Office 365. This means that you have access to Teams, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Whiteboard Forms, your student email and other services which can facilitate your studies and your collaboration with other students. To access Office 365 you need to activate your UmU-id.
Learn more about Office 365 and how to install it on your computer