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School of Public Health and Tropical MedicineHome /Departments /Epidemiology /Programs

Programs

Department of Epidemiology

Epidemiology is the science upon which public health and population science are based.  Epidemiology deals with the incidence, distribution and possible control of diseases and factors relating to health. Epidemiologists discover the patterns, distribution, etiology, and risk factors of disease in human populations through the collection and analysis of health data.

The Department of Epidemiology offers the following degrees:

  • The MPH in Epidemiology is a professional degree that provides a strong foundation in epidemiologic principles and methods along with application in a chosen area such as    cardiovascular disease, chronic disease, infectious disease, or environmental, reproductive, molecular/cancer, or genetic epidemiology. The MPH degree provides the knowledge and skills to become a leader in public health practice and research.
  • The MS in Clinical Investigation is an academic degree that prepares students for research careers addressing patient-centered health concerns and in research clinical trials.
  • The MS in Epidemiology is an academic degree that provides the theoretical foundation, research methods, and analytical skills for population-based research.
  • The PhD in Epidemiology is the academic doctoral degree in which graduates gain the strong theoretical basis, research methodology and analytical skills to become independent researchers.

Epidemiology is a choice of students who like to explore disease etiology, collect and analyze data, develop evidence-based public health activities, work on clinical trials and biomonitoring studies, investigate disease outbreak, and conduct disease surveillance. 

Backgrounds 

Students have a wide range of backgrounds that include undergraduate public health, biological sciences, math, computer science, medicine, and social and behavioral sciences.

Careers

 MPH graduates serve as mid-level epidemiologists in public health practice or research settings. Graduates work in public health agencies, NGOs, and healthcare organizations where epidemiologic information is needed for health policy decisions. Graduates of the MS degrees pursue research careers and advanced doctoral or medical degrees.  Those with PhD degrees have careers in academia and lead research teams.