DEGREES
DEGREE
OPTIONS • CURRICULUM
• SPECIAL
PROGRAMS OF STUDY
Degree Options
The Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
awards the following professional and graduate
degrees through the School of Public Health
and the Graduate College:
- Master of Public Health (MPH)
- Master of Science (MS)
- Master of Science (MS) concentration in Cancer Epidemiology (Starting Fall 08)
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) concentration in Cancer Epidemiology (Starting Fall 08)
Epidemiology
The MPH degree in epidemiology provides
students with a broad base of public health
knowledge concentrating on epidemiology.
The MPH degree prepares the graduate to
provide epidemiology services within multidisciplinary
public health environments. For those with
previous clinical experience, this degree
is often a route to higher administrative
positions within public health and health
care settings. The MS and PhD degrees educate
students in the application of epidemiologic
research methods in preparation for research
careers. The MS graduate may participate
as a collaborator in epidemiologic research
studies, while the PhD graduate is prepared
to develop independent epidemiologic research.
MPH and PhD programs with a concentration
in maternal and child health epidemiology
and in cancer epidemiology are also offered. For additional information
about the Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology
Program, please review the special
programs of study section below.
Enrollment can be on a full- or part-time
basis. Part-time students should expect
to take some day classes to complete their
degrees. MPH students are admitted to the
Comprehensive Curriculum or to the Professional
Enhancement Program for experienced professionals
with at least three years of paid public
health or community health experience.
Biostatistics
The MPH degree in quantitative methods
is designed for health professionals who
require competency in the management, analysis,
and interpretation of public health data
and knowledge of data analysis issues as
applied to a particular area of public health.
This degree program does not require the
rigorous mathematics background that is
integral to the MS degree. The MS degree
introduces the student to fundamental techniques
of data analysis built upon a solid methodologic
base. This degree is appropriate for persons
interested in obtaining employment at an
intermediate level, either in the pharmaceutical
industry, in government, or in the academic
setting, or for persons interested in pursuing
a doctoral degree. The PhD degree prepares
the student to play an important role in
study design, data collection and processing,
and in statistical analysis and interpretation
in either the public or private sector.
Enrollment can be on a full- or part-time
basis. Part-time students should expect
to take some day classes to complete their
degrees.
^ Top of
Page ^
Curriculum
Epidemiology
MPH
MPH students are required to complete the
school’s core courses including biostatistics,
epidemiology, health policy and health administration,
behavioral science, environmental science,
and public health concepts and practice.
In addition, epidemiology majors are expected
to complete course work in epidemiology
methods (theoretical and applied), infectious
and chronic disease epidemiology, a second
course in biostatistics, and the critical
evaluation of epidemiologic literature.
Two final components of the MPH program,
the field experience and the capstone presentation,
provide students with an opportunity to
apply classroom knowledge in a non-academic
setting, and to communicate the results
in a synthesized, integrated presentation.
MS
MS students are required to complete course
work focused on epidemiology and at least
one course offering from another division
in the school, and to complete a thesis,
with direction from with a faculty member,
which will demonstrate an ability to interpret
current literature and conduct epidemiologic
analysis.
PhD
PhD students are required to complete advanced
substantive and quantitative methods classes
and to choose a substantive area of specialization.
Electives may be selected from aging, cancer,
cardiovascular disease, infectious disease,
nutritional, social, or occupational epidemiology,
or maternal and child health epidemiology.
Additionally, students choose a collateral
area outside of epidemiology. Dissertation
research is expected to make a scientific
contribution to the elected substantive
area of specialization and incorporate the
steps of epidemiologic research from hypothesis
generation to manuscript writing.
For more detailed information on program
curriculum, download:
Biostatistics
MPH
The course of study for the MPH in quantitative
methods covers a minimum of 49 semester
hours. Students take core public health
courses, specific quantitative methods courses,
and courses specific to their selected area
of concentration. Students choose one area
of concentration from environmental and
occupational health sciences, community
health sciences, or health policy and administration.
A field experience and a capstone presentation
are also required. The expected length of
the program is two years.
MS
The course of study for the MS degree covers
a minimum of 48 semester hours. Courses
include basic statistics, regression, analysis
of variance, probability and mathematical
statistics, categorical data analysis, multivariate
analysis, survival analysis, statistical
consulting, and epidemiologic methods. At
the end of the course work, students must
pass a comprehensive exam to complete their
degree work. The expected length of the
program is two years.
PhD
The course of study for the PhD degree
covers a minimum of 96 semester hours. Courses
include advanced mathematical statistics,
linear models, and epidemiological methods.
At the end of the course work, students
must pass a qualifying exam to attain candidacy.
The expected length of the program is about
four years.
For more detailed information on program
curriculum, download:
^ Top
of Page ^
Special Programs of Study
Joint Degrees
The Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
participates actively in the School of Public
Health’s joint
degree programs with the College of
Medicine (MPH/MD), the College of Business
Administration (MPH/MBA), the College of
Dentistry (MPH/DDS), and the Doctor of Veterinary
Medicine through the University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign and the Master of Public
Health (DVM/MPH). These combined degree
programs allow students to complete the
MPH portion with requirements comparable
to the MPH Professional Enhancement Program
(PEP).
In addition, MD/PhD training program in
epidemiology and/or biostatistics is available
through the division and provides an extended
period of study in the etiologic and methodologic
approaches of population-based health research
in concert with complete medical school
education. For more information on this
program visit: the MD/PhD
section in the student handbook.
Cancer Epidemiology (Program starting Fall 08)
Cancer epidemiologists play a critical role in the study of factors involved in the causes or development of cancers. They represent an important member of the multidisciplinary team of scientists who study behavioral, environmental, infectious, nutritional and/or genetic contributions to the disease. The concentration in Cancer Epidemiology provides curriculum guidance to those students who are interested in the field. The concentration will prepare students to identify and interpret data relevant to cancer. PhD students will be prepared to undertake research studies testing hypotheses relevant for cancer.
Maternal and Child Health
MPH and PhD programs with a concentration
in maternal and child health epidemiology
are also offered. For additional information
about the Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology
Program, visit the Maternal
and Child Health website.
Preventive Medicine Residency Program
The School of Public Health collaborates
with John Stroger Hospital (formerly Cook
County Hospital) in offering an accredited
program leading to board eligibility in
general preventive medicine. The program
emphasizes clinical skills, program development,
and research for physicians who have completed
a residency in internal medicine.
For further information, e-mail David Goldberg,
MD, John Stroger Hospital, at David_Goldberg@rush.edu
or visit http://www.uic.edu/sph/special_residency.htm#preventive.
^ Top of
Page ^
|
