Campuses:
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Twin Cities Campus
Epidemiology Ph.D.School of Public Health - Adm
School of Public Health
Link to a list of faculty for this program.
Contact Information
School of Public Health, MMC 819, A395 Mayo Memorial Building, 420 Delaware Street, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (612-626-3500 OR 1-800-774-8636, Fax: 612-624-4498)
Email:
sph-oasr@umn.edu
Website: http://www.sph.umn.edu
Along with the program-specific requirements listed below, please read the
General Information section of
this
website for requirements that apply to all major fields.
The epidemiology Ph.D. program is designed for students interested in research and teaching careers in the health sciences. Students select one of two formal tracks: clinical/biological epidemiology (CBE) or social/behavioral epidemiology (SBE). The two tracks, each with a minimum of 61 credits, emphasize advanced epidemiologic design, methodology, and analytic skills.
The social/behavioral epidemiology track focuses on origins and development of human behavior patterns and how they are influenced and formed by personality, family, culture, and environment. The clinical/biological epidemiology track focuses on the etiology of diseases, particularly cardiovascular, cancer, genetics, and infectious diseases. A detailed description of the details related to each track may be obtained online or by contacting the major coordinator at epichstu@umn.edu.
Program Delivery
Prerequisites for Admission
The preferred undergraduate GPA for admittance to the program
is 3.00.
For the doctoral program, applicants must have completed or be about to complete a master's degree in a related field.
Special Application Requirements:
Because of the program's strong emphasis on methodology, quantitative aptitude is very important. This can be demonstrated by scoring at or above the 70th percentile on the quantitative section of the GRE, along with satisfactory grades in college-level quantitative courses. At least three recommendations (form and separate letter) from faculty and/or work supervisors with knowledge of the applicant's scholastic and professional capabilities and potential, and a statement of goals and objectives (letter of intent) for seeking a career in epidemiology are also required.
In addition to the above materials, applicants for the Ph.D. program must submit a separate essay (statement of research interests) beyond what is required for the SOPHAS application process that provides evidence of their potential to conduct original research in a specific epidemiologic area and, if possible, that indicates an interest in particular methodologies or study designs. Serious doctoral applicants are encouraged to contact the major coordinator at epichstu@umn.edu before applying. Students begin their studies in the fall semester. Applications must be completed by December 1 of the year prior to beginning the doctoral program for scholarship consideration; the final deadline is February 15.
Applicants must submit their test score(s) from the following:
International applicants must submit score(s) from one of the following tests:
Key to test
abbreviations
(GRE, TOEFL, IELTS, MELAB).
For an online application or for more information about graduate education admissions, see the
General Information section of this
website.
Program Requirements
37 to 39
credits are required in the major.
24 thesis credits are required.
This program may be completed with a minor.
Use of 4xxx courses towards program requirements is not permitted.
A minimum GPA of 3.25
is required for students to remain in good standing.
At least 2 semesters must be completed
before filing a Degree Program Form.
Students may select one of two formal tracks; both have an applied perspective that emphasizes study design, measurement, quantitative analysis, and data interpretation. Social/behavioral epidemiology focuses on origins and development of human behavior patterns and how they are influenced and formed by personality, family, culture, and environment. Clinical/biological epidemiology focuses on the biological causes of diseases, especially determinants of cardiovascular disease, cancer, infectious diseases, and genetic epidemiology.
The Ph.D. program includes a minimum curriculum of 61 credits. Students must pass written and oral preliminary exams, serve as a TA for 1 semester, write and defend a dissertation, and prepare a first-authored manuscript for publication.
Coursework includes 14-16 credits in epidemiology, biostatistics, ethics, writing grants, and teaching core courses common to both tracks; 6 credits in advanced methodology/statistics that focus on track-specific courses; 4 credits of content-area courses; and 13 credits of supporting program or minor coursework. In addition, the University requires 24 doctoral thesis credits.
Required Coursework
14-16 credits plus 24 thesis credits
PUBH 7401 - Fundamentals of Biostatistical Inference
(4.0 cr)
PUBH 6348 - Writing Research Grants
(2.0 cr)
PUBH 6742 - Ethics in Public Health: Research and Policy
(1.0 cr)
PUBH 8888 - Thesis Credit: Doctoral
(1.0-24.0 cr)
PUBH 8341 - Advanced Epidemiologic Methods: Concepts
(3.0 cr)
PUBH 8342 - Advanced Epidemiologic Methods: Applications
(3.0 cr)
Epidemiology PhD students need to take one teaching course. They can take either Grad 8101 (3 cr) or Grad 8200 (1 cr, online) to fulfill the requirement.
Program Sub-plans
Students are required to complete one of the following sub-plans.
Students may not complete the program with more than one sub-plan.
Clinical/Biological Epidemiology
Clinical/biological epidemiology focuses on the biological causes of diseases, especially determinants of cardiovascular disease, cancer, infectious diseases, and genetic epidemiology.
Clinical/Biological Track
Clinical/Biological Track (22 credits minimum)
Biological Methods/Statistics (6 credits minimum).
PUBH 7420 - Clinical Trials: Design, Implementation, and Analysis
(3.0 cr)
or
PUBH 6363 {Inactive}
(3.0 cr)
Choose additional credits from the following courses:
PUBH 7402 - Biostatistics Modeling and Methods
(4.0 cr)
PUBH 7430 - Statistical Methods for Correlated Data
(3.0 cr)
PUBH 7435 {Inactive}
(3.0 cr)
PUBH 7407 - Analysis of Categorical Data
(3.0 cr)
EPSY 8268 - Hierarchical Linear Modeling in Educational Research
(3.0 cr)
EPSY 8282 - Statistical Analysis of Longitudinal Data
(3.0 cr)
PUBH 8140 {Inactive}
(2.0 cr)
PUBH 6915 - Nutrition Assessment
(2.0 cr)
PUBH 7445 - Statistics for Human Genetics and Molecular Biology
(3.0 cr)
PUBH 8141 - Doctoral Seminar in Observational Inference
(2.0 cr)
PUBH 6355 - Pathophysiology of Human Disease
(4.0 cr)
Content area courses (4 credits minimum)
PUBH 6386 - Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention
(2.0 cr)
PUBH 6387 - Cancer Epidemiology
(2.0 cr)
PUBH 6385 - Epidemiology and Control of Infectious Diseases
(2.0 cr)
PUBH 6381 - Genetics in Public Health in the Age of Precision Medicine
(2.0 cr)
PUBH 6389 - Nutritional Epidemiology
(2.0 cr)
PUBH 6140 - Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology
(2.0 cr)
Supporting Program/Minor Credits
13 credits minimum. Chosen in consultation with adviser. Potential supporting program courses include courses from the additional biological methods/statistics courses listed above not used to satisfy the biological methods/statistics requirement, or other appropriate courses. Other courses can be considered with adviser's approval.
Social/Behavioral Epidemiology
Social/behavioral epidemiology focuses on origins and development of human behavior patterns and how they are influenced and formed by personality, family, culture, and environment.
Social/Behavioral Track
Social/Behavioral Track (22 credits minimum)
Behavioral Methods/Statistics (6 credits mimimum)
PUBH 6363 {Inactive}
(3.0 cr)
or
PUBH 7420 - Clinical Trials: Design, Implementation, and Analysis
(3.0 cr)
Choose additional credits from the following courses
Take 1 or more course(s) from the following:
·
PUBH 7402 - Biostatistics Modeling and Methods
(4.0 cr)
·
PUBH 7430 - Statistical Methods for Correlated Data
(3.0 cr)
·
PUBH 7435 {Inactive}
(3.0 cr)
·
PUBH 7407 - Analysis of Categorical Data
(3.0 cr)
·
EPSY 8268 - Hierarchical Linear Modeling in Educational Research
(3.0 cr)
·
EPSY 8282 - Statistical Analysis of Longitudinal Data
(3.0 cr)
·
PUBH 8140 {Inactive}
(2.0 cr)
·
PUBH 6915 - Nutrition Assessment
(2.0 cr)
·
EPSY 8264 - Advanced Multiple Regression Analysis
(3.0 cr)
·
EPSY 8267 - Applied Multivariate Analysis
(3.0 cr)
·
EPSY 8221 {Inactive}
(3.0 cr)
Content area courses (4 credits minimum)
PUBH 6333 - Principles of Human Behavior I
(2.0 cr)
PUBH 6334 - Human Behavior II
(2.0 cr)
Supporting Program/Minor Credits
13 credits minimum. Chosen in consultation with adviser. Potential supporting program courses include courses from the additional biological methods/statistics courses listed above not used to satisfy the biological methods/statistics requirement, or other appropriate courses. Other courses can be considered with adviser's approval.
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Prerequisites: | Public health nutrition major or # |
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Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
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Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Prerequisites: | Public health nutrition major or # |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Every Fall |
Credits: | 3.0 [max 3.0] |
Typically offered: | Spring Even Year |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Fall Even Year |
Credits: | 2.0 [max 2.0] |
Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud |
Typically offered: | Spring Odd Year |