MS

The MS in Epidemiology program provides concentrated training in epidemiological concepts, skills, and methodology with a research focus. It includes a flexible mix of courses in epidemiology and biostatistics. For those who hold a professional health degree or a related doctoral degree, the department offers a 30 credit condensed MS program.

Due to the wide range of ongoing faculty research within the department, students have the ability to select an area of emphasis to study and to conduct research under the mentorship of an epidemiology faculty member. A few of the areas include: aging, cancer, clinical trials, global health, lifestyle intervention, and women's health.

Careers

Recent graduates hold positions with the following:

• research assistant positions at state, county, and local health departments
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• National Institutes of Health, including National Cancer Institute and National Institute on Aging
• hospitals
• pharmaceutical companies
• medical and dental school
• PhD programs in epidemiology or biostatistics

Recent Thesis Titles

• Maternal Sources of Stress within Her Combined Individual and Neighborhood Environment and the Risk of Preeclampsia
• The Association of Selenium Levels with Markers of Cardiovascular Disease
• The Evaluation of an Integrated Risk Reduction Intervention’s Effects on Substance Use Spectrum Measures in Patients with Bipolar Disorders
• The Association Between Cognitive Reserve and Time to Conversion from Normal Cognition to Mild Cognitive Impairment
• Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Outcomes of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Identified by GeneXpert MTB/RIF Assay in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Browse additional titles in D-Scholarship | Institutional Repository at the University of Pittsburgh

Competencies

Graduates will be able to...

• Identify major health issues in the population, and describe these issues in terms of magnitude, person, place, time, and their associated risk factors
• Identify and locate key sources of data for epidemiologic purposes
• Calculate and interpret basic epidemiology measures
• Describe models of disease etiology and control
• Identify the principles and limitations of public health screening programs
• Describe research study designs and understand their application, strengths, and limitations
• Recognize basic ethical principles pertaining to the collection, maintenance, use and dissemination of epidemiologic data
• Create data files appropriate for data analysis
• Conduct basic epidemiologic analyses using descriptive and inferential statistical approaches
• Conduct epidemiologic analysis using linear, logistic, Cox, and Poisson regression models
• Interpret epidemiologic results in a causal framework
• Evaluate the strengths and limitations of the epidemiologic literature
• Communicate epidemiologic information to lay and professional audiences
• Demonstrate mastery of a substantive area, including knowledge and application of that knowledge in conducting original research related to the topic

Requirements

The epidemiology MS requires 45 credits, including coursework and research:

• 45 credits through coursework and research
• Coursework in epidemiology and statistics
• Coursework in public health foundations and research ethics
• Advanced coursework scientific studies and clinical trials
• Advanced thesis research in an area of specialization

A 30 credit condensed MS program is available for individuals who hold a health professional degree (medicine, dentistry, nursing, etc.) or a related doctoral degree (statistics, sociology, psychology, anthropology, etc.).

Full program information

Student Handbook
Program Requirements/Graduation Check Lists
Admissions