Skip to main content

MPH, Epidemiology

Aerial. People crowd motion through the pedestrian crosswalk.

Identify where disease occurs and why

Epidemiology is the study of trends, patterns, and causes related to disease in populations. Students who concentrate in epidemiology are interested in how diseases spread among given populations. Epidemiologists create complex analytical models to help us understand the causes of and solutions to these diseases more clearly.

Perfect for students interested in

  • How diseases spread among given populations over time  
  • Understanding biologic, social, and behavioral determinants of diseases and public health events
  • Designing valid epidemiologic studies and collecting bias-free data
  • Analyzing epidemiologic data and interpreting findings
  • Translating findings into public health policies and practice

Career Paths

Graduates from this program will work in public health services as:

  • Practitioners
  • Researchers
  • Administrators
  • Consultants

Program Overview

The MPH with a concentration in Epidemiology is a 45-credit professional degree that prepares graduates to work in public health services as practitioners, researchers, administrators, and consultants. A full-time student may complete our program in two years. Part-time students may take up to four years to complete the program. The majority of courses are offered in the evenings.

In addition to coursework, all epidemiology master's students are required to complete a 240-hour internship and a capstone project. 

See all Epidemiology and Biostatistics graduate student resources

5%
Employment of epidemiologists is projected to grow five percent from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations.

Students admitted to the MPH in Epidemiology program will complete 45 credit hours of coursework.

View all MPH in Epidemiology required courses

In addition to the core MPH courses (14 credits over three semesters), the course of study for the MPH in epidemiology includes: 

  • 12 credits required cognate courses
  • 12 elective credit hours
  • 4 credit hours of an internship
  • 3 credit hours of a capstone project

The program can be completed on either a full or part-time basis with most classes offered in the later afternoon and evening. All requirements must be met and the degree awarded within five years following the date of entrance into the program. 

Sample Full-Time Course Sequence (2 years without summer courses)

Fall Semester 1 (12 credits)
 

Course Name Credits
SPHL601 Core Concepts in Public Health 1
SPHL602 Foundations of Epidemiology and Biostatistics 4
SPHL603 Applied Data Laboratory 1
EPIB697 Public Health Data Management 3
Elective Selected with advisement 3

 

Spring Semester 1 (12 credits)

 

Course Title Credits
SPHL 610 Program Planning and Evaluation 5
SPHL 611 Public Health Ethics 1
EPIB 611 Intermediate Epidemiology 3
EPIB 651 Biostatistics II (Applied Regression Analysis) 3

 

Fall Semester II (11 Credits) 

 

Course Title Credits
SPHL 620 Leadership in Public Health 2
EPIB 612 Epidemiologic Study Design 3
Elective Selected with Advisement 3
Elective Selected with Advisement 3

 

Spring Semester II (10 Credits) 

 

Course Title Credits
Elective Selected with Advisement 3
EPIB 778 Internship in Public Health 4
EPIB 786 Capstone Project in Public Health 3

MPH graduates with a concentration in epidemiology will be able to:

  1. Investigate public health problems using epidemiological methods.
  2. Calculate epidemiology measures of disease frequency and measures of association between risk factors and disease.
  3. Design sound epidemiologic studies to collect unbiased data.
  4. Perform causal analyses of epidemiologic data.
  5. Identify, assess, and reduce threats to validity in epidemiologic studies.
  6. Manage public health data.
  7. Report findings of epidemiologic studies.