Epidemiology

For detailed information about our PhD program, including advising, program requirements, and dissertation, please consult the Department of Epidemiology Doctoral Guidelines.

Overview

The goal of the PhD program in epidemiology is to train students for future careers as research epidemiologists in academic, not-for-profit, governmental, and private sector settings.

Upon completion of the PhD, students will be able to identify important public health issues that merit epidemiologic study and conduct independent, scholarly research that advances knowledge about the causes, prevention, and amelioration of human disease.

The successful PhD graduate will be prepared to teach graduate students and health professionals in academic and other settings and to work collaboratively with health professionals in other disciplines on research and applied projects that include epidemiologic elements.

Competencies

Upon graduation, PhD students in Epidemiology will be able to:

• Identify and address critical public health issues that merit epidemiologic study and design.
• Design, implement, communicate, and publish independent, scholarly research that advances knowledge about the causes, prevention, and amelioration of human disease.
• Apply principles of causal inference to epidemiologic data.
• Apply evidence-based principles and the scientific knowledge base to critical evaluation and decision-making in public health.
• Train graduate students or health professionals in academic and other setting to understand, conduct, and analyze epidemiologic studies.

Doctoral Dissertation

Doctoral students are required to complete and defend a dissertation to be awarded the PhD. After completing their qualifying exams, students identify a topic and a dissertation sponsor, who then appoints other members of the dissertation committee.

The dissertation committee usually consists of the sponsor, a chair, and a second reader all in the Epidemiology Department, as well as two other members extraneous to the Department. Working closely with their sponsors, students develop and defend a research proposal first to their committee and then at a public seminar.

Having successfully met these challenges, the students complete a literature review relevant to their specific aims, undertake the appropriate analyses, and usually complete the dissertation in the form of at least two empirical and publishable papers with associated introductions and appendices. They defend the final dissertation before their committee in closed session. 

Doctoral Required Courses

For detailed information about required courses, please consult the Department of Epidemiology Doctoral Guidelines.

Admissions Information

Deadline for applications is December 1.