Epidemiology Concentration
Modeling risk behavior and transmission
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Program Snapshot
Competencies
MPH candidates in this concentration will develop core competencies prior to graduation. Required skills and topics include:
- Write an original research paper based on an epidemiologic research question formulated to help fill the gaps in a given substantive area.
- Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of study designs commonly used in epidemiologic research for answering epidemiologic research questions.
- Use causal diagrams to identify threats to study validity and approaches to minimize such threats.
- Develop and implement the most appropriate analysis plan to analyze data to answer a specific epidemiologic research question.
- Evaluate scientific evidence regarding a specific epidemiologic research question.
- Justify the design and analysis for their own epidemiologic study.
- Write and present the findings and implications of their own epidemiologic study.
- Select the most appropriate epidemiologic study design that can be used to answer a specific epidemiologic research question.
Non-Credit Activities
Non-credit activities to be completed by the end of the first semester after enrollment:
- Online course offered by the SAS Institute, SAS Programming 1: Essentials
Non-credit activities to be completed by the end of the second semester of enrollment:
- Online course offered by the SAS Institute - SAS Programming 2: Data Management
Non-credit activities to be completed each semester:
- Department of Epidemiology Seminar Series
Courses
Core Requirements
Students in the Epidemiology Concentration should complete the following courses for the Biostatistics and Applied Data Analysis and Epidemiology core requirements:
- PHP2150, Foundations in Epidemiologic Research Methods (Fall)
- PHP2510, Principles of Biostatistics and Data Analysis (Fall)
- PHP2511, Introduction to Applied Regression Analysis (Spring)
*If a student completes PHP2120 or PHP2507 or PHP2507 & PHP2508 before deciding on the Epidemiology Concentration, the student must meet with the Epidemiology Concentration Advisor and the MPH Program Director to request that PHP2120 or PHP2507 or PHP2507 & PHP2508 meet(s) the relevant core requirement(s). Based on an assessment of the student’s background, course performance, knowledge base, and other Department of Epidemiology requirements, PHP2120 or PHP2507 or PHP2507 & PHP2508 may be able to substitute.
Epidemiology Concentration Courses
Complete all of the following concentration courses:
- PHP2180, Interpretation and Application of Epidemiology (Spring)
- PHP2200, Intermediate Methods in Epidemiologic Research (Spring)
- PHP2260, Applied Epidemiologic Data Analysis (Fall)
Methods Courses
Complete one of the following methods courses:
- PHP1895, Mindfulness Epidemiology** (Spring)
- PHP2030, Clinical Trials Methodology (Spring)
- PHP2040, Survey Research Methods (Spring)
- PHP 2210 - Surveillance Methods for Applied Epidemiology (spring)
- PHP2220B, Nutritional Epidemiology** (Fall)
- PHP2250, Advanced Quantitative Methods in Epidemiologic Research (Fall)
- PHP 2415 – Introduction to Evidence-based Medicine (spring)
- PHP2440, Introduction to Pharmacoepidemiology (Spring)
- PHP2455A, Health Services Research Methods I (Fall)
- PHP2465A, Introduction to Health Decision Analysis (Fall)
- PHP 2490 - Methods in Pharmacoepidemiology (fall)
- PHP2516, Applied Longitudinal Data Analysis, and PHP2517, Applied Multilevel Data Analysis (Both half-credit courses must be taken to count as the methods requirement) (Spring)
- PHP2520 – Statistical Inference I (fall)
- PHP2530, Bayesian Statistical Methods (Spring)
- PHP2580 – Statistical Inference II (spring) *requires PHP2520
- PHP 2590 – Design of Experiments (spring) *requires PHP2510 and PHP 2511
- PHP2602, Analysis of Lifetime Data (Spring)
- PHP2610, Causal Inference and Missing Data (Fall)
- PHP2670 – Simulation Models for Public Health (spring) *requires PHP2510 and PHP2511
Substantive Area Courses
Complete one of the following courses:
*Students take 1 full-credit substantive course at the 1000 or 2000 level chosen so that the student will develop greater knowledge of human biology or expertise in applying epidemiologic methods to substantive areas (e.g., cardiovascular disease, cancer, infectious diseases, or environmental health). Substantive courses may be offered every year or every other year. The below list includes substantive courses that meet this requirement. However, other courses may meet this requirement with written approval from the Epidemiology Concentration Lead.
- PHP1700, Current Topics in Environmental Health (Fall)
- PHP1720, Environmental Exposure Assessments in Practice (Fall)
- PHP1854, Infectious Disease Epidemiology (Spring)
- PHP1895, Mindfulness Epidemiology** (Spring)
- PHP1900 Epidemiology of Disorders and Diseases of Childhood and Young Adulthood (Fall)
- PHP1920, Social Determinants of Health (Fall)
- PHP1964, Cancer Epidemiology (Fall)
- PHP2015, Foundations of Spatial Analysis in Public Health (Fall)
- PHP2018 Epidemiology of Cardio-Metabolic Health (Spring)
- PHP2130, Human Biology for Public Health (Spring)
- PHP2220B, Nutritional Epidemiology** (Fall)
- PHP2220F, Reproductive and Perinatal Epidemiology (Fall)
- PHP2220H, HIV Epidemiology
- PHP2220E, Environmental, and Occupational Epidemiology (Spring)
- PHP2440, Introduction to Pharmacoepidemiology (Spring)
**Can be used as either a substantive or methods course, but cannot count towards both.
Thesis
All in-person students are required to complete a thesis. Students in the Epidemiology Concentration must complete their thesis focused on epidemiology with an advisor approved by the Epidemiology Concentration Lead
Faculty
Epidemiology Concentration Lead
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Shilo McBurney
Assistant Professor, MPH Epidemiology Concentration Lead