Master of Public Health, Concentration in Epidemiology Print
The Master of Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology provides training in the principles and methodology of epidemiological research and practice. Students in this program explore the theories and methodologies underlying the science, and learn how to design, conduct, analyze, and interpret research studies in such areas as cancer epidemiology, reproductive epidemiology, and infectious disease epidemiology. Graduates pursue advanced degrees or research or management careers in the public, private, or academic sectors.

Epidemiology concentrators may choose to do a general course of study in Epidemiology or one of four emphasis areas:

Students also often combine two emphasis areas such as non-infectious diseases and research methods. Each emphasis is interdisciplinary and combines offerings in EP with other courses at BUSPH.

Summary of EP Concentration Requirements:

Course Credits Total Credits
Core Courses Biostatistics (BS701 or BS703) 3 or 4 16-24
Epidemiology (EP713) 3 or 4
Enviromental Health (EH708 or EH765) 2 or 4
Health Law (LW707 or LW751)* 2 or 4
Health policy and Management (PM702 or IH704) 3 or 4
Social and Behavioral Sciences (SB721 or IH720) 3 or 4
EP Required Courses Introduction to Statistical Computing (BS723) 4 16
Intermediate Epidemiology (EP813) 4
EP Approved Concentration Electives 8
SPH Electives Elective Courses from any department 0-16
Required Practicum Practicum varies varies
Culminating Experience Comprehensive Examination 0 0
Total Credits: 48

*EP Concentrators who are neither US citizens nor permanent residents are exempted from the Health Law requirement and may substitute IH720 for SB721 and IH704 for PM702

Interested in learning more?
Your advisor can help you decide if an emphasis is right for you and suggest which courses to take within that emphasis. Prospective students should contact the Epidemiology Department staff at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for additional information.


Clinical Trials Emphasis
The Master of Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology provides training in the principles and methodology of epidemiological research and practice. Students in this program explore the theories and methodologies underlying the science, and learn how to design, conduct, analyze, and interpret research studies in such areas as cancer epidemiology, reproductive epidemiology, and infectious disease epidemiology. Graduates pursue advanced degrees or research or management careers in the public, private, or academic sectors.

The Clinical Trials Emphasis provides training in all aspects of experimental studies including special aspects of their design, such as randomization; their conduct including ethical considerations; and analysis. Note that the Emphasis courses receive EP credit while the suggested electives do not receive EP credit.
Course Credits Total Credits
Core Courses Biostatistics (BS701 or BS703) 3 or 4 16-24
Epidemiology (EP713) 3 or 4
Enviromental Health (EH708 or EH765) 2 or 4
Health Law (LW707 or LW751)* 2 or 4
Health policy and Management (PM702 or IH704) 3 or 4
Social and Behavioral Sciences (SB721 or IH720) 3 or 4
EP Required Courses Introduction to Statistical Computing (BS723) 4 8
Intermediate Epidemiology (EP813) 4
Clinical Trials Emphasis Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials (BS722) 4 At least 8
Suggested Elective Courses Intermediate Statistical Computing and Applied Regression Analysis (BS805) 4 0-16
Applied Statistics in Clinical Trials I (BS851) 4
Applied Statistics in Clinical Trials II (BS861) 4
Elective Courses from any department 0
Required Practicum Practicum varies varies
Culminating Experience Comprehensive Examination 0 0
Total Credits: 48

*EP Concentrators who are neither US citizens nor permanent residents are exempted from the Health Law requirement and may substitute IH720 for SB721 and IH704 for PM702

Interested in learning more?
Your advisor can help you decide if an emphasis is right for you and suggest which courses to take within that emphasis. Prospective students should contact the Epidemiology Department staff at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for additional information.



Infectious Diseases Emphasis
The Master of Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology provides training in the principles and methodology of epidemiological research and practice. Students in this program explore the theories and methodologies underlying the science, and learn how to design, conduct, analyze, and interpret research studies in such areas as cancer epidemiology, reproductive epidemiology, and infectious disease epidemiology. Graduates pursue advanced degrees or research or management careers in the public, private, or academic sectors.

The Infectious Diseases Emphasis provides training in the epidemiology of common infectious diseases in populations, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and vaccine preventable diseases. The courses present the determinants of these diseases, their distributions within populations and their control. Implications for social policy and preventive approaches are discussed, and analyses of actual infectious disease outbreaks are included. Note that the Emphasis courses receive EP credit while the suggested electives do not receive EP credit.

Course Credits Total Credits
Core Courses Biostatistics (BS701 or BS703) 3 or 4 16-24
Epidemiology (EP713) 3 or 4
Enviromental Health (EH708 or EH765) 2 or 4
Health Law (LW707 or LW751)* 2 or 4
Health policy and Management (PM702 or IH704) 3 or 4
Social and Behavioral Sciences (SB721 or IH720) 3 or 4
EP Required Courses Introduction to Statistical Computing (BS723) 4 8
Intermediate Epidemiology (EP813) 4
Infectious Disease Emphasis Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (EP765) 4 At least 8
Infectious Disease Epidemiology (EP755) 4
Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS in the Developed and Developing World (EP764) 2
Epidemiology of Tuberculosis (EP788) 4
Controversies in Global Control and Eradication of Infectious Diseases (IH805) 4
The role of Human and Environmental Factors in Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Disease (PH825) 4
SPH Electives Elective Courses from any department 0-16
Required Practicum Practicum varies varies
Culminating Experience Comprehensive Examination 0 0
Total Credits: 48

*EP Concentrators who are neither US citizens nor permanent residents are exempted from the Health Law requirement and may substitute IH720 for SB721 and IH704 for PM702

Interested in learning more?
Your advisor can help you decide if an emphasis is right for you and suggest which courses to take within that emphasis. Prospective students should contact the Epidemiology Department staff at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for additional information.

Non-Infectious Diseases Emphasis
The Master of Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology provides training in the principles and methodology of epidemiological research and practice. Students in this program explore the theories and methodologies underlying the science, and learn how to design, conduct, analyze, and interpret research studies in such areas as cancer epidemiology, reproductive epidemiology, and infectious disease epidemiology. Graduates pursue advanced degrees or research or management careers in the public, private, or academic sectors.

The Non-Infectious Diseases Emphasis provides training in the epidemiology of common non-infectious diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity, and adverse reproductive and pregnancy outcomes. Certain courses in this emphasis area focus on particular 'exposures' such as nutrition, the environment, and pharmaceuticals rather than particular diseases. Most courses give students practice in critically reviewing published articles and in designing their own study. Note that the Emphasis courses receive EP credit while the suggested electives do not receive EP credit.

Course Credits Total Credits
Core Courses Biostatistics (BS701 or BS703) 3 or 4 16-24
Epidemiology (EP713) 3 or 4
Enviromental Health (EH708 or EH765) 2 or 4
Health Law (LW707 or LW751)* 2 or 4
Health policy and Management (PM702 or IH704) 3 or 4
Social and Behavioral Sciences (SB721 or IH720) 3 or 4
EP Required Courses Introduction to Statistical Computing (BS723) 4 8
Intermediate Epidemiology (EP813) 4
Non-Infectious Disease Emphasis Intro to Epidemiology of Aging (EP740) 2 At least 8
Cardiovascular Epidemiology (EP751) 4
Cancer Epidemiology (EP752) 4
Cancer Prevention as a Public Health Problem (EP753) 4
Nutritional Epidemiology (EP758) 4
Reproductive Epidemiology (EP759) 4
Clinical Epidemiology (EP762) 4
Social Epidemiology (EP775) 4
Environmental Epidemiology (EH757) 4
SPH Electives Elective Courses from any department 0-16
Required Practicum Practicum varies varies
Culminating Experience Comprehensive Examination 0 0
Total Credits: 48

*EP Concentrators who are neither US citizens nor permanent residents are exempted from the Health Law requirement and may substitute IH720 for SB721 and IH704 for PM702

Interested in learning more?
Your advisor can help you decide if an emphasis is right for you and suggest which courses to take within that emphasis. Prospective students should contact the Epidemiology Department staff at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for additional information.

Pharmaco-epidemiology Emphasis
The Master of Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology provides training in the principles and methodology of epidemiological research and practice. Students in this program explore the theories and methodologies underlying the science, and learn how to design, conduct, analyze, and interpret research studies in such areas as cancer epidemiology, reproductive epidemiology, and infectious disease epidemiology. Graduates pursue advanced degrees or research or management careers in the public, private, or academic sectors.

The Pharmaco-epidemiology Emphasis provides training in the roles of the FDA, drug industry and academia in drug development and regulation; the study of intended and unintended effects of drugs; and postmarketing surveillance. The goal is for students to be able to evaluate the epidemiologic evidence related to drug safety using historical and recent examples like thalidomide, hormone replacement therapy, and Vioxx. Note that the Emphasis courses receive EP credit while the suggested electives do not receive EP credit.
Course Credits Total Credits
Core Courses Biostatistics (BS701 or BS703) 3 or 4 16-24
Epidemiology (EP713) 3 or 4
Enviromental Health (EH708 or EH765) 2 or 4
Health Law (LW707 or LW751)* 2 or 4
Health policy and Management (PM702 or IH704) 3 or 4
Social and Behavioral Sciences (SB721 or IH720) 3 or 4
EP Required Courses Introduction to Statistical Computing (BS723) 4 8
Intermediate Epidemiology (EP813) 4
Pharmaco-epidemiology Emphasis Pharmacoepidemiology: Topics and Controversies (EP745) 4 At least 8
Drug Epidemiology (EP830) 4
Suggested Elective Courses Introduction to PAMP (PM742) 2 0-16
Introduction to Cost Effectiveness (PM807) 2
Cost Effectiveness Analysis (PM855) 4
Global Issues in Pharmaceutical Policy (IH820) 4
Health Services Research Methods (PM811) 4
Elective courses from Any Department 4
Required Practicum Practicum varies varies
Culminating Experience Comprehensive Examination 0 0
Total Credits: 48

*EP Concentrators who are neither US citizens nor permanent residents are exempted from the Health Law requirement and may substitute IH720 for SB721 and IH704 for PM702

Interested in learning more?
Your advisor can help you decide if an emphasis is right for you and suggest which courses to take within that emphasis. Prospective students should contact the Epidemiology Department staff at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for additional information.

Epidemiologic Research Methods Emphasis
The Master of Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology provides training in the principles and methodology of epidemiological research and practice. Students in this program explore the theories and methodologies underlying the science, and learn how to design, conduct, analyze, and interpret research studies in such areas as cancer epidemiology, reproductive epidemiology, and infectious disease epidemiology. Graduates pursue advanced degrees or research or management careers in the public, private, or academic sectors.

The Epidemiologic Research Methods Emphasis offers more extensive training in the methodological aspects of epidemiologic research, including detailed courses in all of the major epidemiological study designs, survey methods, and analytic methods. Both theoretical aspects and hands-on experience are highlighted. This area of emphasis may be combined with either infectious disease or non-infectious disease epidemiology. Note that the Emphasis courses receive EP credit while the suggested electives do not receive EP credit.
Course Credits Total Credits
Core Courses Biostatistics (BS701 or BS703) 3 or 4 16-24
Epidemiology (EP713) 3 or 4
Enviromental Health ([courseinline::EH708 or EH765) 2 or 4
Health Law (LW707 or LW751)* 2 or 4
Health policy and Management (PM702 or IH704) 3 or 4
Social and Behavioral Sciences (SB721 or IH720) 3 or 4
EP Required Courses Introduction to Statistical Computing (BS723) 4 8
Intermediate Epidemiology (EP813) 4
Epidemiologic Research Methods Emphasis Survey Methods for Public Health (EP721) 4 At least 8
From Conceptualization to Manuscript: Guided Epidemiologic Studies (EP817) 4
Modern Epidemiology (EP854) 4
Advanced Epidemiology Seminar: Issues in Study Design (EP855) 4
Selected Topics in Epidemiologic Methods (EP856) 4
Design & Conduct of Cohort Studies (EP857) 4
Design & Conduct of Case-Control Studies (EP858) 4
Research Methods and Medical Literature (EP915) 4
Quantitative Methods in Public Health Surveillance (BS735) 4
Surveillance Methods and Applications in Environmental Health (EH810) 4
Health Services Research Methods (PM811) 4
Quantitative Methods for Program Evaluation (SB822) 4
Suggested Elective Courses Intermediate Statistical Computing (BS805) 4 0-16
Statistical Methods in Epidemiology (BS852) 4
Elective courses from Any Department 4
Required Practicum Practicum varies varies
Culminating Experience Comprehensive Examination 0 0
Total Credits: 48

*EP Concentrators who are neither US citizens nor permanent residents are exempted from the Health Law requirement and may substitute IH720 for SB721 and IH704 for PM702

Interested in learning more?
Your advisor can help you decide if an emphasis is right for you and suggest which courses to take within that emphasis. Prospective students should contact the Epidemiology Department staff at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for additional information.