Epidemiology

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Epidemiology offers students rigorous training in the concepts, methods and analytic approaches used in epidemiology to understand the distribution and causes of health in populations.  Upon completion of the degree, students will have the following skills and competencies: ability to critique epidemiologic literature, assess its strengths and weaknesses and determine if conclusions are supported; use of epidemiologic techniques to quantitatively assess patterns and changes in disease occurrence; formulate a specific hypothesis and determine an appropriate study design and analytic plan; design, implement and assess ordinary data collection systems for public health research; design and implement basic quality control methods during data entry and analysis; appropriately analyze and interpret epidemiologic data, including large national and state level datasets; communicate and present study findings to professional audiences; conduct independent epidemiologic literature reviews and summarize studies using qualitative and quantitative techniques; independently design and implement a study to investigate a suspected cause of disease; originate, design and implement new studies in the field that are worthy of publication and grant support; and have sufficient familiarity and understanding of epidemiologic research methods to teach at the graduate level.

Students seeking the PhD in Epidemiology degree must complete a minimum of 72 credits of academic work with an average grade of “B” or better. Courses are three credit hours unless otherwise noted.

PREREQUISITES

• BIST 0535 - Biometrics Computing (or equivalent)

CORE COURSES (9 credits)

• PHCO 0502 - Principles and Methods of Epidemiology (Prerequisite: Quantitative Skills Assessment)
• PHCO 0504 - Introduction to Biostatistics (Prerequisite: Quantitative Skills Assessment)
• PHCO 0508 - Issues in Environmental and Occupational Health (1 credit)
• PHCO 0510 - Issues in Health Education and Behavioral Science (1 credit)
• PHCO 0511 - Issues in Health Care Systems and Policy (1 credit)

REQUIRED COURSES (33 credits)
Semesters when the required courses will be offered are noted for your course planning.

-also-

• EPID 0552 - Infectious Disease Epidemiology
• EPID 0652 - Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases
• EPID 0656 - Intermediate Epidemiologic Research Methods (Spring)
• EPID 0657 - Applied Methods in Epidemiologic Research (Fall)
• EPID 0753 - Advanced Epidemiologic Research Methods with Applications (Fall)
• BIST 0551 - Applied Regression Analysis for Public Health Studies (Fall/Spring)
• BIST 0615 - Categorical Data Analysis
• BIST 0616 - Lifetime Data Analysis
• BIST 0650 - Applied Longitudinal Data Analysis
• ENOH 0594 - Environmental & Occupational Toxicology or other toxicology/biology course
• Choose one of the following two:
• HEBS 0663 - Intermediate Survey Research Methods (Spring)
• EPID 0621 - Survey Research Methods Questionnaire Design

RECOMMENDED ELECTIVE COURSES (6 credits)

• EPID 0563 - Introduction to Outcomes Research
• EPID 0591 - Air Pollution Epidemiology (2 credits)
• EPID 0595 - Global Communicable Disease Control
• EPID 0607 - Perinatal Epidemiology
• EPID 0650 - Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology
• EPID 0670 - Advanced Seminar in Epidemiology I
• EPID 0671 - Advanced Seminar in Epidemiology II
• EPID 0673 - Social Epidemiology
• EPID 9542 - GIS for Health and Planning
• EPID 9663 - Regression Analysis
• BIST 0655 - Biocomputing II
• BIST 0660 - Clinical Trials: Design and Analysis of Medical Experiments
• BIST 9655 - Nonparametric Statistics
• ENOH 9627 - Advanced Multivariate Methods for Environmental Health Issues
• PHCO 0503 - Introduction to Environmental Heath 

REQUIRED RESEARCH (24 credits)

• RESH 0760 - Doctoral Research

Requirements for admission to the doctoral programs are generally more stringent than those for the MPH or MS degree programs. Considerable attention is given to the match between the expertise of the faculty and the specific interests of the candidate. Students may work towards a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree at Rutgers School of Public Health.

• UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE (all transcripts must be official sent directly from accredited institution). 
• GRE
• MCAT, GMAT, DAT, or Pass USMLE, Step I; or have U.S. or Canadian Medical Board Certification; or have a doctorate from an accredited school in the US or Canada; LSAT for JD/MPH applicants or the LSAT can be substituted in all departments except BIST and EPID.
• ESSAY ON STATEMENT OF GOALS
• Three letters are required for doctoral degree applicants.
• TOEFL
• Relevant work experience is preferred

Scholarships

Rutgers School of Public Health realizes that many students need financial aid to help them complete their education. Financial aid is any grant, scholarship, loan or paid employment offered for the express purpose of helping a student meet educationally-related expenses. Such aid is usually provided by or through federal and state agencies, foundations, corporations and/or the University. Financial aid is awarded based on financial “need,” which is the difference between the cost of attending school and the student’s ability to contribute to his or her education, as determined on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Once a student has matriculated, financial aid funding is also contingent on the student making satisfactory academic progress.