MS in Epidemiology
Degree Description and Learner Objectives
This program is designed to prepare graduate level students for professional career opportunities in which specialized knowledge of epidemiologic methods and analytic techniques are useful. Placement possibilities include employment in local, state, or federal health agencies, academic departments within Schools of Public Health or Colleges of Health Sciences, or private enterprise.
Graduates of the MS program will be able to:
- Define the concepts and contents of epidemiology.
- Formulate a research hypothesis.
- Determine study aim, objectives and appropriate study design to address the hypothesis.
- Apply concepts of ethics to research practice
- Develop study procedures and data collection instruments for conducting a study
- Collect data and manage data quality
- Use existing databases to provide supportive data to address a research question
- Analyze data for a research study
- Compose an understandable and presentable report of research findings
Prerequisites
A baccalaureate degree is required. Undergraduate preparation must have included two semesters of biological sciences and mathematics through algebra. Coursework in statistics is highly desirable.
Required General Courses
NOTE: For more detailed information on MS requirements, consult the Student Handbook.
In addition to the requirements listed below, all students are required to attend 80 percent department seminars and Journal Club meetings. Also, each student must present one scientific poster at the department level, and the department recommends that they present at the international, national, regional, state, or University level at some point in the student’s program of study.
| Number | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CPH:6100 | Essentials of Public Health | 2 s.h. |
| BIOS:4120 | Introduction to Biostatistics | 3 s.h. |
| EPID:5610 | Intermediate Epidemiology Data Analysis with SAS and R | 3 s.h. |
| BIOS:5120 | Regression and ANOVA in Health Sciences | 3 s.h. |
| EPID:4400 | Epidemiology I: Principles | 3 s.h. |
| EPID:5925 | Epidemiology Journal Club: Evaluating the Literature | 0 s.h. |
| EPID:5600 | Intro. to Epi Data Management & Analysis | 3 s.h. |
| EPID:6400 | Epidemiology II: Advanced Methods | 4 s.h. |
| CPH:7270 | Principles of Scholarly Integrity: Public Health(taken first year in the fall semester for 0 s.h. and in the spring semester for 1 s.h.) | 1 s.h. |
| PATH:8133 | Introduction to Human Pathology | 4 s.h. |
| or | ||
| PATH:5270 | Pathogenesis of Major Human Diseases | 3 s.h. |
Choose one of the following two courses:
| Number | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EPID:6550 | Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases or | 3 s.h. |
| EPID:6600 | Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases | 3 s.h. |
In addition, students must select either Preceptorship
(for non-thesis degree students) or Thesis (for thesis degree students):
| Number | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EPID:5950 | Preceptorship in Epidemiology | 3 s.h. |
| EPID:7000 (may be taken twice) | Thesis | 3-6 s.h. |
Epidemiology Electives
A minimum of 6 s.h. of electives must be selected from any course offered by the Epidemiology Department (EPID). In addition, the student will work with her/his adviser in selecting at least 2 s.h. of elective coursework pertinent to educational goals and background. Selection may be made from among courses in the Epidemiology Department or from any graduate course in the university catalog provided approval is obtained from the adviser on the Plan of Study.
Students may need to do additional elective course work in order to complete the minimum 39 s.h. required for the degree.
Suggested College of Public Health Electives:
| Number | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOS:6310 | Introductory Longitudinal Data Analysis | 3 s.h. |
| BIOS:6210 | Applied Survival and Cohort Data Analysis | 3 s.h. |
| CBH:5220 | Health Behavior and Health Education | 3 s.h. |
| HMP:4000 | Introduction to US Health Care System | 3 s.h. |
| OEH:4240 | Global Environmental Health | 3 s.h. |
Total Semester Hours Required for M.S. in Epidemiology (minimum): 39
MS Degree Without Thesis, Master’s Final Examination
The master’s examination is a written in-class exam that measures learning of epidemiological concepts and knowledge of epidemiological thoughts as presented in required courses. This exam is offered twice per year.
MS Degree With Thesis, Master’s Thesis Defense
The master’s thesis defense is an oral presentation of the purpose, methods, and results of the thesis research. A specially formed committee will thoroughly examine the student’s area of knowledge associated with the context of the work. The goal of the thesis is a document that is publishable in a peer-reviewed journal.