MS in Epidemiology

The 32-unit program provides students with a fundamental grounding in both the theory and practice of epidemiology, and emphasizes the development and application of quantitative research skills to real-world research in public health with the acquisition of skills in hypothesis formation; data collection and management; statistical computing and interpretation and presentation of results. Graduates of the program are prepared for research positions in academic settings, government, hospitals, or private industries. They are also well-positioned for doctoral education in epidemiology and related fields.

Learning Outcomes

Upon graduation, students will be able to:

• Critically evaluate the data collection methods and study designs reported within the epidemiologic literature.
• Develop clear, testable scientific hypotheses and design epidemiologic studies to evaluate them.
• Apply statistical programming tools (e.g., R) to acquire, clean, document, and analyze epidemiologic data and produce reproducible workflows.
• Quantify disease occurrence and causal contrasts on appropriate scales—incidence, prevalence, risk/rate differences and ratios, odds ratios, and hazard measures—and draw valid inferences from epidemiologic data.
• Communicate epidemiologic research results in technical and nontechnical terms to researchers, public health professionals, and external audiences.

Course Requirements

• SPH BS 730 Introduction to Statistical Modeling in R (4 units)
• SPH BS 845 Data Science and Statistical Modeling in R (4 units)
• SPH EP 714 Introduction to Epidemiological Research (4 units)
• SPH EP 722 Data Collection Methods for Epidemiologic Research (2 units)
• SPH EP 749 Applications to Introductory Epidemiology (4 units)
• SPH EP 813 Intermediate Epidemiology (4 units)
• SPH EP 816 A Guided Epidemiologic Study (2 units)
• SPH EP 850 Applications of Intermediate Epidemiology (4 units) or SPH EP 752 Cancer Epidemiology (4 units) or SPH EP 755 Infectious Disease Epidemiology (4 units)
• SPH PH 700 Foundations of Public Health (0 units)
• SPH PH 746 Career PREP (0 units)
• SPH PH 870 Research Skills Seminar (2 units)
• SPH PH 880 Research Dissemination Seminar (2 units)
• SPH PH 890 Mentored Research Experience (0 units)

Mentored Research Experience

The 400-hour mentored research experience requirement gives students the opportunity to collaborate with a BUSPH faculty member or an approved partner.