Written by Geoffry Fowler
A new upper-division class called Epidemiology will be offered during the 2021 Winter Semester. This course will be taught by biology professor Aaron Corbit.
A new upper-division class called Epidemiology will be offered during the 2021 Winter Semester. This course will be taught by biology professor Aaron Corbit.
Corbit said epidemiology is “the basic science of public health.” Epidemiology analyzes the population data of how and why people get sick.
“It is a discipline that deals with a lot of data analysis,” Corbit said.
Corbit explained that epidemiology is more than just tracking viruses—it’s the broad spectrum of public health. The goal of the class is critical thinking.
“It is one of the big things we are talking about with COVID right now,” Corbit said. “The job is to sort through the sources with the best data and what it is about. This does not apply just to COVID, but [also] health claims that are out there as well.” Reading primary literature will be part of the course to address some of these ideas about health.
The epidemiology class will be an elective, according to Corbit. Biology majors in upper-division classes can take the course, which will be offered every other year during the winter semester. It will be a three credit class, with two hours of lecture and one hour of lab. Corbit mentioned that the information learned in the class extends beyond the classroom and can be used to help others. He said classes like this play a role in the Christian life.
“This can have some implications for Christians,” Corbit said. “As Christian, we want to understand how to help people, and understanding how diseases work is a first step to understanding how to help people.”
Professor Aaron Corbit will be teaching the new upper-division Epidemiology class starting this Winter 2021 semester.
Photo courtesy of Marketing and University Relations Department.