Epidemiology, M.S.

Admissions 

Admissions decisions are based on an evaluation of the applicant’s entire file in relation to the pool of applicants that year. We also evaluate whether the applicant’s needs and goals fit well with our department’s strengths and resources. We review applications once a year for fall matriculation.

Applicants for graduate degree programs in Epidemiology must meet all requirements of the Graduate School  for admission and the Arnold School of Public Health. All applications are submitted through SOPHAS, with the following required documents:

  • Resume or CV 
  • Three letters of recommendation from academic and/or professional sources 
  • Official transcripts from all schools or colleges previously attended
  • GPA 3.0 or higher (4.0 scale)
  • GRE scores are not required
  • Personal statement describing your academic and research interests and professional goals, including how you became interested in epidemiology as a career choice.  
  • Non-US institution transcripts must be verified by World Education Services (WES) or equivalent service. Submit course-by-course evaluation (WES ICAP). 
  • For those whose native language is not English, we require either a TOEFL (minimum 80) or IELTS (minimum 7.0) score.    

Admission requirements include a four-year baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution, preferably in the arts, sciences, or medicine, and one year of college math (beyond algebra) or statistics. Prior professional work experience is considered an asset but is not a requirement.

Admitted students who do not have academic or professional experience that provides a strong understanding of the biological basis of public health are strongly encouraged to select courses that will provide this understanding.

Degree Requirements (43 Hours)

School of Public Health Core (3 Hours)

Course Title Credits
PUBH 700Perspectives in Public Health3
Total Credit Hours3

Department Core (22 Hours)

Course Title Credits
BIOS 701Concepts and Methods of Biostatistics3
EPID 701Concepts and Methods of Epidemiology3
EPID 721Clinical and Population Research Protocol Development and Implementation2
EPID 722Scientific Writing and Appraisal of Epidemiologic Studies2
EPID 741Intermediate Epidemiologic Methods3
BIOS 757Intermediate Biostatistics3
BIOS 709Basic Software for Public Health1
BIOS 714Introduction to MS Access for Public Health1
BIOS 719Advanced SAS Methods for Public Health1
BIOS 754Discrete Data Analysis3
Total Credit Hours22

Major Courses (9 Hours)

Course Title Credits
EPID 788Practical Methods for Secondary Data Analysis3
Select two other epidemiology classes from the course listing6
Total Credit Hours9

Elective (3 Hours)

  • Electives may be chosen from courses in the University that support the overall educational goals of the student. Typically, the elective course is chosen from the list of EPID courses, in addition to the two major courses. The Faculty Advisor must approve all elective courses.

Thesis (6 Hours)

Course Title Credits
EPID 799Thesis Preparation6
Total Credit Hours6