Curriculum Information – Epidemiology PhD (PDF)

The PhD program in Epidemiology has two areas of emphasis, with a minimum of 61 credits each, which emphasize study design, measurement, quantitative analysis, and data interpretation. Students work with their advisors to choose content area electives to complete degree requirements.

Social/Behavioral Epidemiology

Social/behavioral epidemiology recognizes that many of the major diseases affecting today’s population are related to social forces and lifestyles. Poverty, structural racism, diet, exercise, and use of legal drugs are among the most important contributors to disease, death, and disability in developed countries. To understand modern disease epidemics and to develop ways of preventing them, students learn the origins of these patterns and the ways in which they may be mitigated or altered.

Clinical/Biological Epidemiology

Clinical/biological epidemiology focuses on determinants and description of diseases. This area of emphasis has particular strengths in the etiology of cardiovascular disease, cancer, genetics, and infectious disease. Students study with experts in cancer, cardiovascular and infectious disease; nutrition; maternal, child and reproductive health; genetic epidemiology; behavioral interventions; and epidemiologic methods for clinical, observational and community-based research.