The MPH in Epidemiology is a degree for those students who desire to learn the fundamental concepts and methods of epidemiology. The degree provides the methodologic skills and knowledge and the practical experience oriented to the public health setting. The focus of the degree is public health data and methods and on their utilization in assessment of disease burden in the community. The student will also learn use of evaluation methods to assess the need and outcome of programs and interventions in the community. The student should be capable of performance in the public health department and health care settings.

Graduates of the MPH in Epidemiology will be able to:

• Define the concepts and contents of epidemiology.
• Use existing databases to provide background or supportive public health.
  data to determine priorities and formulate public health investigations.
• Use existing questionnaires and measurement instruments in collection of data to determine public health status and priorities and to evaluate interventions.
• Create study aims and objectives needed to address a public health program or investigation.
• Select the appropriate study design for interventions/investigations.
• Describe health and disease measurement in a community population.
• Identify risk or preventive factors that may contribute to outcome and to incorporate them into a preventive study.
• Use computers to collect, manage and analyze data for analysis of basic associations.
• Analyze results and compose an understandable and presentable report of the results.
• Identify who to contact regarding additional clinical, biomedical, statistical and programmatic expertise.
• Interpret results to guide public health policy.

Examples of careers include:

• Multi-site Director of Infection Prevention and Control
• Healthcare-Associated Infections Epidemiologist
• APHL/CDC Newborn Screening Bioinformatics Fellow
• Influenza Surveillance Coordinator/Epidemiologist
• Chronic Disease Prevention Epidemiologist
• Workplace Suicide Prevention Program Coordinator

A typical student completes the MPH in two years. This following is a sample plan of study based on a full-time student starting in the Fall. Please work with your advisor to choose a plan that works best for you.