Programs
Epidemiology PhD
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Penn State College of Medicine is part of a select group of higher education institutions offering a PhD program in Epidemiology, the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events (including diseases) in specific human populations, and the application of this study to the prevention and control of health problems. Well-trained epidemiologists develop and evaluate hypotheses about the effects of various risk factors on human health, and develop the knowledge basis for disease prevention and control programs.
Program Overview
The Epidemiology PhD program trains students to master current quantitative methods, including study designs and appropriate analytic methods in epidemiological research; obtain broad knowledge of the epidemiology of various major human diseases; and become expert epidemiologists in a specific disease/health status topic.
The 28-credit (minimum) PhD in Epidemiology program is offered primarily as a full-time degree program, and can be completed in four years of full-time study. The required courses are offered by faculty of Penn State College of Medicine's Department of Public Health Sciences and taught at the College of Medicine in Hershey.
Curriculum and Tuition
Students will complete a core curriculum in applied and theoretical epidemiology.
Additionally, students are required to fulfill the following requirements:
Actively participate in epidemiology and biostatistics seminar series and each student is required to present at least one seminar each year.
Pass the candidacy examination. The decision to admit or not to admit a student to candidacy will be made by a committee of graduate faculty in the Epidemiology program.
Complete a comprehensive exam as a defense of a dissertation research proposal, administered by the entire doctoral committee around one year after the candidacy exam.
Complete a PhD dissertation.
All students enrolled in the PhD program will be required to successfully complete a minimum of 28 accumulated course credit hours.
Required Core Methodology Courses
(All of the following are required.)
PHS 500 Research Ethics (Required course)
PHS 554 Statistical Methods in Public Health (3 credits)
PHS 555 Statistical Methods in Public Health II (3 credits)
PHS 510 Grant Writing (3 credits)
Substantive Epidemiology Courses
(Four required, and one 3-credit elective.)
PHS 558 Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology (3 credits)
PHS 556 Cancer Epidemiology (3 credits)
PHS 583 Infectious Disease Epidemiology II (3 credits)
PHS 543 Environmental Epidemiology (3 credits)
PHS 559 Nutritional Epidemiology (3 credits)
Other Biostatistics Courses
(Elective.)
PHS 523 Multivariate Analysis (3 credits)
PHS 524 Longitudinal Data Analysis (3 credits)
PHS 526 Categorical Data Analysis (3 credits)
PHS 527 Survival Analysis (3 credits)
This is an example first-year course sequence for a full-time student.
Year 1 Fall
PHS 554 Statistical Methods in Public Health I (3 credits)
PHS 556 Cancer Epidemiology (3 credits)
PHS 558 Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology (3 credits)
Year 1 Spring
PHS 550 Research Ethics (1 credit)
PHS 555 Statistical Methods in Public Health II (3 credits)
PHS 562 Environmental Epidemiology (3 credits)
PHS 563 Infectious Disease Epidemiology I (3 credits)
Students in the PhD EPID Program pay the standard Penn State University graduate student tuition.
See details on graduate school tuition.
Other Funding Sources
Competitive Graduate Assistantships including stipend and tuition are available. Applicants are considered for these assistantships at the time of application. Other fellowships and research positions may be available.
More information regarding assistantships can be found on the Penn State Graduate School website.
In addition, most students apply for federal financial aid. See other external sources of funding.
To be considered for work-study opportunities, students should be sure to check the “work study” box on their FAFSA forms.
Contact Us
If you have questions about the Epidemiology PhD Program, please contact Program Manager Justine Shultz at jes5437@psu.edu.
Student Support
Dedicated offices support your health and well-being, while services such as a health sciences library assist in your learning journey. We are committed to enhancing students' experience and development.