Welcome to the Epidemiology Concentration!
Epidemiology focuses on the study of the distribution and determinants of health in populations and communities. It is the scientific foundation of public health research that seeks to reduce risk factors and improve health. The discipline also contributes to public health practice and policy, and research in other health related fields, such as medicine and pharmacy. This concentration area is designed to train professionals to apply the principles and methods of epidemiological investigation in a broad range of settings.
Students who seek epidemiology as a concentration typically have strong quantitative training, or are interested and enjoy quantitative or mathematical work. They tend to describe themselves as enjoying science, problem solving, analytic reasoning, and have goals that include studying the causes, cures, and prevention of health problems.
MPH graduates with a concentration in epidemiology are employed as epidemiologists in a broad range of organizations, such as federal, state and local public health agencies, private, government and academic research, pharmaceutical and other industries, healthcare organizations and medical settings, legal settings, and consulting firms.
Faculty in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Division of Epidemiology teach courses and advise students in the epidemiology concentration. The curriculum is designed to prepare practicing epidemiologists and to provide a foundation for those who wish to continue to a PhD program in Epidemiology. Courses and other educational experiences are carefully structured to enable students to develop competence in very specific epidemiology skills. In addition to the 16 credits that constitute the public health core courses, the epidemiology concentration requires 12 credits of epidemiology concentration courses in epidemiological methods and the epidemiology of acute and chronic diseases, 3 credits of biostatistics, and at least 6 credits of specialty electives, such as social epidemiology, survey research, survival analysis, pharmacoepidemiology, or research measurement. Public health electives, additional concentration electives, and an internship (5-8 credits) complete the 48-credit degree.
Click below to view full curricula for the 48-credit and accelerated 42-credit MPH programs.
- Standard 48-credit MPH Curriculum, Epidemiology Concentration
- Accelerated 42-credit MPH Curriculum, Epidemiology Concentration
Click here to review
the competencies expected of graduates of the epidemiology concentration
and the courses that contribute to them.
Click below for descriptions of the epidemiology concentration core courses
- PHC 6000 Epidemiology Research Methods I
- PHC 6011 Epidemiology Research Methods II
- PHC 6002 Epidemiology of Infectious Disease
- PHC 6003 Epidemiology of Chronic Disease
- PHC 6053 Regression Methods for the Health and Life Sciences
- PHC 6405 Epidemiology of Aging
- PHC 6711 Measurement in Epidemiology & Outcomes Research
- PHC 6716 Survey Research Methods
- PHC 6901 Epidemiology Literature Review & Critique
- PHC 6937 Special Topics: Social Influences in Public Health
- PHC 6937 Special Topics: Oral and Craniofacial Epidemiology
- PHC 6937 Special Topics: Public Health Concepts in Infectious Disease
- PHC 6937 Special Topics: SAS for Public Health Analysis
- PHC 6937 Special Topics: SAS for Public Health Data
- PHC 6937 Special Topics: SAS Applications
PHC 6000—Epidemiology
Methods I (3) Prereq: PHC 6001, and STA 6166 or PHC 6050 or
approval of department.
This course extends the concepts and methods of epidemiology from PHC 6001
(Principles of Epidemiology). Research design and analytic reasoning are
emphasized throughout the class. The course provides an understanding of
the methods of epidemiological study designs and their analyses including
issues of bias, confounding, and effect modification. The goal of this class
is to provide a strong background in analytic reasoning and research design,
study execution, analysis, and research interpretation. Full syllabus
PHC 6011 Epidemiology Research
Methods II (3) Prereq: PHC 6000, and STA 6166 or PHC 6050 or
approval of department.
This course extends the concepts and methods of epidemiology from PHC 6000
(Epidemiology Methods I). Hands on analytic methods in epidemiology are
the primary emphasis of the class. The goal of this class is to provide
a foundation in applied epidemiological analysis and experience in peer-review
productivity based on secondary data analysis. Full syllabus
PHC 6002—Epidemiology
of Infectious Diseases (3) Prereq: PHC 6001, and STA 6166 or
PHC 6050 or approval of department.
Epidemiology, prevention, and control of infectious diseases impacting local,
national, and global community health; epidemiology methods used in disease
surveillance and measures used in slowing or preventing spread of disease.
Full
syllabus
PHC 6003—Epidemiology
of Chronic Diseases and Disability (3) Prereq: PHC 6001, and
STA 6166 or PHC 6050 or approval of department.
This course is an overview of the epidemiology of chronic diseases and disabilities
prevalent in various populations and introduction of contemporary methods
for surveillance including risk factors, etiology, and changes over time.
Full syllabus
PHC 6053– Regression Methods
for the Health and Life Sciences (3) Prereq: STA 6166 or equivalent.
This course introduces graduate students in fields other than statistics
to a wide range of modern regression methods. Emphasis is on modeling driven
by actual data from studies in a variety of areas, primarily from health,
biology, and ecology. The primary topics are multiple linear regression,
logistic regression, and Poisson regression. A main goal is to determine
what approach to use among the linear and nonlinear models, and how to determine
if the fit is adequate. By the end of the course, students will achieve
competence in carrying out the analyses in standard statistical software,
primarily the SAS language. Full syllabus
PHC 6405 - Epidemiology of Aging
An overview of the principles and research in the epidemiology of aging to learn more about the causes and consequences of an aging population. Current topics in this area are used to illustrate what is known and where gaps exist.Full syllabus
PHC 6711 - Measurement in Epidemiology & Outcomes Research
This course emphasis is on the major designs of epidemiology and health services outcomes research and the principles of measurement for these studies, particularly the use of primary data collection. Special emphasis include: formative work, questionnaire design; interviewing methods; reliability and validity studies; and the extension of data quality methods to the use of various record resources (e.g., medical records, administrative data), and physical performance, laboratory, and biomedical specimens. Measurements in outcomes research, for physical activities, substance abuse, diet and nutrients, and physical performance, will be used as primary examples throughout the course.Full syllabus
PHC 6716- Survey Reseach
Methods (3)
This course provides an introduction to population surveys typical in descriptive
(surveillance) and analytic epidemiologic research. The course has a strong
emphasis on telephone questionnaire methods, but also includes other data
collection modes and their relative advantages and disadvantages. Survey
sampling, survey planning and data collection, computer interviewing and
data management techniques for research surveys are emphasized. The course
includes generalized methods and didactic materials as well as case studies
drawn from the experiences of the course instructor and other University
researchers. Full syllabus
PHC 6901 - Epidemiology Literature Review & Critique (1)
This is an elective course for epidemiology masters and PhD students. This course is intended to extend students' understanding of the field of epidemiology, and their ability to explore and critique research methods. In weekly sessions, the instructor, guest faculty, and students, will prepare a peer-reviewed article for class discussion that demonstrates or involves innovative epidemiology content or methods. A secondary goal of this class is to prepare students to perform peer-review themselves (e.g., for journals, study sections) by examples of this work from faculty. Full syllabus
PHC 6937- Special Topics: Social Influences in Public Health
PHC 6937 - Special Topics: Oral and Craniofacial Epidemiology
PHC 6937 - Special Topics: Public Health Concepts in Infectious Disease
PHC 6937 - SAS for Public Health Analysis (1) Coereq: PHC 6937: SAS for Public Health - Data (or equivalent), Prereq: PHC 6052 or equivalent.
This is a one credit course which covers using SAS to analyze public health data. Students will learn how to use common SAS procedures to conduct common statistical analyses. Although we results will be discussed, this course does NOT teach statistical methods. Students must have prior experience with basic data entry and analysis in SAS and also have access to a laptop with SAS version 9.2 for in-class use. Full syllabus
PHC 6937 - SAS for Public Health Data (1) Prereq: PHC 6052 or equivalent.
This is a one credit course which covers using SAS to process public health data. Students will learn how to input, store, and modify data using SAS. Students must have prior experience with basic data entry and analysis in SAS and also have access to a laptop with SAS version 9.2 for in-class use. Full syllabus
PHC 6937 - SAS Applications (1) Prereq: PHC 6937 SAS for Public Health Data and PHC 6937 SAS for Public Health Analysis and consent of instructor
This is a one credit course providing students an environment for discussion of data
management and analysis in their research using SAS. During the course, each student will apply their SAS knowledge to a specific data analysis research project. Students will use many resources for SAS documentation, resulting in skills that promote independent understanding of the application of SAS for analyzing data in current and future research. Students must have prior experience with basic data entry and analysis in SAS and also have access to a laptop with SAS version 9.2 for in-class use. Full syllabus
