Epidemiology

How are health and disease affected by where and how you live? These are the central questions of epidemiology, the foundation of public health. As epidemiologists, our answers form the basis for developing policies and interventions to protect and improve the health of populations.

The field of epidemiology has grown dramatically in scope and importance in recent decades. With increasing concerns about emerging infections, environmental hazards, and global health disparities, epidemiologists are playing key roles in an expanding range of public health issues. Our faculty members are experts in epidemiologic methods, chronic and infectious diseases epidemiology, reproductive and perinatal epidemiology, and pharmacoepidemiology. We measure how social, behavioral, medical, infectious, and genetic factors relate to a wide range of outcomes across the entire lifespan, ranging from reproductive, perinatal, and pediatric outcomes to conditions that accompany the aging process. We evaluate the interplay among environmental and societal conditions, psychosocial factors, and disease. And we quantify the risks and benefits of medications and other treatments.

Academic Programs

Department of Epidemiology faculty and staff participate in interdisciplinary master’s and doctoral degrees and offer the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Epidemiology and the MS in Population Health Research: Epidemiology, co-direct the Master of Public Health (MPH) Functional Certificate in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and house the Master of Public Health (MPH) Context Certificate in Chronic and Non-Communicable Diseases.