| Graduate Program Head | Jessica Yingst |
|---|---|
| Program Code | EPID |
| Campus(es) | Hershey (Ph.D.) |
| Degrees Conferred | Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) |
| The Graduate Faculty |
Epidemiology is the discipline for the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events (including diseases) in specified human populations, and the application of this study to the prevention and control of health problems. Epidemiology is the primary source of the knowledge that underlies public health policy and practice. As such, well-trained epidemiologists develop and evaluate hypotheses about the effects of various factors (risk factors) on human health and develop the knowledge basis for disease prevention and control programs.
Admission Requirements
Applicants apply for admission to the program via the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School application for admission. Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-300 Admissions Policies.
Applicants must complete prior to admission:
- An M.S. or M.P.H. degree with a focus on epidemiology or biostatistics.
- A two-semester graduate level course in Epidemiology, comparable to PHS 550 and PHS 551.
- A two-semester graduate level course in Biostatistics, comparable to PHS 520 and PHS 521.
Prospective applicants must demonstrate:
- Completion of an undergraduate bachelor degree program at an accredited U.S. college or university, or its equivalent in another country, with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended are required.
- Completion of the Graduate School application, which includes three (3) letters of recommendation and a Curriculum Vita or resume.
- Payment of the nonrefundable application fee.
The language of instruction at Penn State is English. English proficiency test scores (TOEFL/IELTS) may be required for international applicants. See GCAC-305 Admission Requirements for International Students for more information.
Degree Requirements
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-600 Research Degree Policies.
Students enrolled in the Epidemiology Ph.D. program must successfully complete 20 credits of core required courses, 6 credits of elective substantive courses, and 3 credits of additional substantive epidemiology or other noted elective courses, including:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| PHS 500 | Research Ethics for Clinical Investigators | 1 |
| PHS 510 | Grant Writing for Clinical Research | 3 |
| PHS 518 | Scientific Communication | 3 |
| PHS 554 | Statistical Methods in Public Health I | 3 |
| PHS 555 | Statistical Methods for Public Health II | 3 |
| PHS 560 | Epidemiological Research Methods | 3 |
| PHS 564 | Causal Inference Methods in Epidemiologic Research | 3 |
| EPID 590 | Colloquium | 1 |
| Required/Elective Substantive Epidemiology Courses | 6 | |
| Required/Elective designation depending on research area, minimum 6 credits. Additional credits over six may be used as elective courses. | ||
| PHS 503 | Nutritional Epidemiology | 3 |
| or NUTR 503 | Nutritional Epidemiology | |
| PHS 516 | Statistical Genetics | 3 |
| PHS 552 | Molecular Epidemiology of Chronic Disease | 3 |
| PHS 556 | Cancer Epidemiology | 3 |
| PHS 558 | Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology | 3 |
| PHS 562 | Environmental Epidemiology | 3 |
| PHS 563 | Infectious Disease Epidemiology II | 3 |
| Elective Courses | ||
| At least 3 credits of electives should be chosen in coordination with the mentor/adviser from a list of approved courses maintained by the program office. Students may take more than six credits if preferred or deemed necessary by their mentor. Additional substantive epidemiology courses may be counted towards this 3 credit requirement. | ||
Additionally, Epidemiology Ph.D. students are required to fulfill the following requirements:
- Pass Milestone Examinations- Qualifying and Comprehensive exams.
- Complete an original dissertation that involves a specific research topic in an epidemiological area that is worthy of publications of at least two original research manuscripts in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
- Exceptions to any required courses will be reviewed on a case by case basis by the program director/s.
Minor
A graduate minor is available in any approved graduate major or dual-title program. The default requirements for a graduate minor are stated in Graduate Council policy GCAC-218 Minors.
Student Aid
Graduate assistantships available to students in this program and other forms of student aid are described in the Tuition & Funding section of the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School’s website. Students on graduate assistantships must adhere to the course load limits set by the Fox Graduate School.
Courses
Graduate courses carry numbers from 500 to 699 and 800 to 899. Advanced undergraduate courses numbered between 400 and 499 may be used to meet some graduate degree requirements when taken by graduate students. Courses below the 400 level may not. A graduate student may register for or audit these courses in order to make up deficiencies or to fill in gaps in previous education but not to meet requirements for an advanced degree.
Contact
| Campus | Hershey Med Ctr |
|---|---|
| Graduate Program Head | Jessica M Yingst |
| Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) or Professor-in-Charge (PIC) | Kathryn A Risher |
| Program Contact | Justine Shultz |
| Program Website | View |