Programs
Epidemiology
Since 2002, the PhD in epidemiology program in the Department of Public Health Sciences has trained innovative and productive epidemiologists in the study of the distribution and determinants of disease in human populations, both locally and nationally/internationally. Set within a large medical center with all its clinical research resources and collaborative faculty, our doctoral program prepares students for academic careers focused on research and education in the public health and medical fields, as well as careers in private industry, government, and nonprofit agencies. Our students come from around the world; while in Rochester, they learn and grow in an academic environment that nurtures individuality, scientific inquiry, intellectual discussion, and personal development.
Our MS in epidemiology program is designed to equip students with the methodologies and skills needed to carry out research and manage public health programs: identify correlates of disease that may be targets of primary prevention, evaluate the consequences of changes in health care delivery on populations, and accommodate the growing need to integrate and analyze large-scale information.
The advanced certificate in analytic epidemiology is designed to provide individuals with the knowledge and tools to assess and understand the health-related information they encounter in their professional or personal lives.
Our productive and collaborative faculty have specific research interests in environmental, cardiovascular, maternal and child health, HIV, cancer, infectious disease, aging, nutritional, and injury and emergency care epidemiology. Faculty mentor students in these specific areas, but students are also encouraged to develop research projects of their own interests, working with faculty from around the medical center and university. Current and former students have trained and conducted research with faculty and clinicians from the Wilmot Cancer Center, Institute for Human Health and the Environment, Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute, and numerous individual clinical departments at the University. Our students regularly present posters and give podium presentations at major conferences and publish in peer-reviewed journals. Our alumni have gone on to positions in academia, federal and state government, and the private sector.
Information about faculty and research can be found on the Epidemiology website.
AdmissionsLink to section
Applying to Advanced CertificatesLink to section
Applicants must have earned a U.S. baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from a college, university, or technical school of acceptable standing. Students in their final year of undergraduate study may be admitted on the condition that their bachelor’s degrees are awarded before they matriculate. Evidence of the earned degree is required prior to matriculation in the form of an official transcript noting degree conferral. We expect all application materials (exception official score reports) to be scanned and uploaded to your online application. Please note that the University of Rochester reserves the right to verify the accuracy of all transcripts and to require submission of official documentation at any point in the admissions review process.
Application deadlines are May 1 (fall admission) and November 1 (spring admission).
- Online application (not SOPHAS) should include:
- Statement of purpose
- Transcript(s)
- Official TOEFL (institution code: 2948) or IELTS score for applicants whose native language is not English
- CV or resume
- Research papers, publications and other original works (optional)
Applying to Advanced CertificatesLink to section
Applicants must have earned a U.S. baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from a college, university, or technical school of acceptable standing. Students in their final year of undergraduate study may be admitted on the condition that their bachelor’s degrees are awarded before they matriculate. Evidence of the earned degree is required before matriculation in the form of an official transcript noting degree conferral.
We expect all application materials (with the exception of official score reports) to be scanned and uploaded to your online application. Please note that the University of Rochester reserves the right to verify the accuracy of all transcripts and to require submission of official documentation at any point in the admissions review process.
To apply, create an online SOPHAS application account (SOPHAS), including the following:
- Statement of purpose
- Transcript(s) (please do not mail a hard copy)
- Three letters of recommendation
- Writing sample
- Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency by providing official scores within two years of the original test date. Acceptable test types: official TOEFL (SMD school code: 2948; SOPHAS application code: 5688), IELTS, and DuoLingo scores.
- CV or resume (optional)
- Research papers, publications and other original works (optional)
Application deadline is May 1 (for fall admission).
Applying to Advanced CertificatesLink to section
Applicants must have earned a U.S. baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from a college, university, or technical school of acceptable standing. Students in their final year of undergraduate study may be admitted on the condition that their bachelor’s degrees are awarded before they matriculate. Evidence of the earned degree is required prior to matriculation in the form of an official transcript noting degree conferral. We expect all application materials (exception official score reports) to be scanned and uploaded to your online application. Please note that the University of Rochester reserves the right to verify the accuracy of all transcripts and to require submission of official documentation at any point in the admissions review process.
Application deadlines are May 1 (fall admission) and November 1 (spring admission).
- Online application (not SOPHAS) should include:
- Statement of purpose
- Transcript(s)
- Official TOEFL (institution code: 2948) or IELTS score for applicants whose native language is not English
- CV or resume
- Research papers, publications and other original works (optional)
AcademicsLink to section
Advanced Certificates and RequirementsLink to section
The advanced certificate program is a post-baccalaureate course of academic study designed for students and practitioners who seek to enhance their professional development. Certificates consist of four or five courses (12 to 15 credits). Up to 10 credits can be applied to a subsequent master’s degree, if desired.
Required Courses
- PM 410: Introduction to Data Management and Analysis
- PM 415: Principles of Epidemiology
- PM 401: Quantitative Methods or BST 463: Introduction to Biostatistics
- PM 416: Epidemiology Methods or PM 464: Introduction to Regression Analysis
Master's Degrees and RequirementsLink to section
The MS in epidemiology includes 31 credits of required coursework. This comprises epidemiology (or biostatistics) core methods courses, ethics, elective courses, and thesis research (six credits). Students submit a written research proposal to their thesis committee for approval. They defend their thesis at completion in a public forum followed by a closed Q&A session with thesis committee members.
Core Requirements (25 credits)
- PM 401: Quantitative Methods in Public Health Research or BST 463. Introduction to Biostatistics
- PM 410: Introduction to Data Management and Analysis Using SAS
- PM 413: Field Methods in Epidemiology or BST 465. Design of Clinical Trials
- PM 415: Principles of Epidemiology
- PM 416: Epidemiology Methods
- PM 460: Master’s Essay
- PM 469: Multivariable Models for Epidemiology or PM 464: Introduction to Regression Analysis
- IND 501: Ethics and Professional Integrity in Research
Epidemiology Electives (select one)
- PM 413: Field Methods in Epidemiology
- PM 414: History of Epidemiology
- PM 418: Cardiovascular Epidemiology
- PM 424: Chronic Disease Epidemiology
- PM 442: Nutritional Epidemiology
- PM 451: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- PM 469: Multivariate Models for Epidemiology
- PM 470: Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology
- PM 489: Injury Epidemiology and Emergency Care Research Methods
- PM 510: Causal Inference in Epidemiology
General Electives (select one below or an Epidemiology Elective or another course with Program Director approval)
- PM 412: Survey Research
- PM 419: Recruitment and Retention of Human Subjects in Clinical Research
- PM 426: Social and Behavioral Medicine
- PM 445: Introduction to Health Services Research
- PM 485: Introduction to Biomedical Informatics
- BST 465: Design of Clinical Trials
Doctoral Degrees and RequirementsLink to section
In general, the requirements for the PhD degree follow the University of Rochester policies and procedures. The curriculum requires a minimum of 61 credits of formal coursework and 61 credits of dissertation research. This doctoral program has been designed to provide advanced training in epidemiologic principles and quantitative skills. The expected coursework also provides preparation in general epidemiologic topics with a number of electives in a concentration of interest within epidemiology, such as cardiovascular disease epidemiology, environmental and occupational epidemiology, cancer epidemiology, injury and emergency care epidemiology, nutritional epidemiology, infectious disease epidemiology, chronic disease epidemiology, and special populations, such as pregnant women, children, the elderly, and minorities. Specific course requirements and a sample layout are provided below.
Core Requirements
- PM 410: Intro to Data Management and Data Analysis Using SAS
- PM 412: Survey Research
- PM 413: Field Epidemiology
- PM 414: History of Epidemiology
- PM 415: Principles of Epidemiology
- PM 416: Epidemiological Methods
- PM 426: Social and Behavioral Medicine
- PM 469: Multivariate Models for Epidemiology
- PM 510: Causal Inference in Epidemiology
- PM 472: Measure and Evaluation of Research Instruments
- PM 438: Grantsmanship
- BST 463: Introduction to Biostatistics
- PM 464: Introduction to Regression Analysis
- BST 465: Design of Clinical Trials
- IND 503 or IND 501: Ethics
Epidemiology Electives (select three)
- PM 418: Cardiovascular Epidemiology
- PM 424: Chronic Disease Epidemiology
- PM 442: Nutritional Epidemiology
- PM 451: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- PM 460: Cancer Epidemiology
- PM 470: Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology
- PM 489: Injury Epidemiology and Emergency Care Research Methods
General Electives (select three)
- PM 410: Introduction to Data Management and Data Analysis Using SAS
- PM 412: Survey Research
- PM 413: Field Epidemiology
- PM 414: History of Epidemiology
- PM 415: Principles of Epidemiology
- PM 416: Epidemiological Methods
- PM 418: Cardiovascular Epidemiology
- PM 419: Recruitment and Retention of Human Subjects in Clinical Research
- PM 424: Chronic Disease Epidemiology
- PM 426: Social and Behavioral Medicine
- PM 442: Nutritional Epidemiology
- PM 445: Introduction to Health Services Research
- PM 451: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- PM 460: Cancer Epidemiology
- PM 469: Multivariate Models for Epidemiology
- PM 510: Causal Inference in Epidemiology
- PM 472: Measure and Evaluation of Research Instruments
- PM 438: Grantsmanship
- PM 464: Introduction to Regression Analysis
- PM 470: Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology
- PM 485: Introduction to Biomedical Informatics
- PM 489: Injury Epidemiology and Emergency Care Research Methods
- BST 463: Introduction to Biostatistics
- BST 465: Design of Clinical Trials
- IND 503 or IND 501: Ethics