PhD in Public Health (Epidemiology)

Program Overview
Curriculum

About the Program

The Rutgers School of Public Health and Rutgers School of Graduate Studies' rigorous PhD in Public Health degree is designed to support public health professionals seeking a research-based graduate program, offering advanced study across five concentration areas.

Biostatistics
Epidemiology (specialized pharmacoepidemiology courses available)
Environmental and Occupational Health
Social and Behavioral Health Sciences
Health Systems and Policy

This webpage provides details on the PhD in Public Health (Epidemiology). General PhD in Public Health information can be found here.

Competencies

Each concentration identifies competencies for each degree offered. These competencies reflect the full range of knowledge, skills, and other attributes that a student will acquire as a result of completing the requirements for a particular degree.

Upon graduation, a student completing the PhD in Public Health curriculum in Epidemiology will be able to:

Evaluate epidemiologic literature, assessing methodological approaches, strengths, weaknesses, and threats to validity;
Conduct independent epidemiologic literature reviews and summarize studies using qualitative or quantitative techniques;
Quantitatively analyze public health data sets using epidemiologic and biostatistical techniques;
Identify gaps in the epidemiologic literature and develop specific aims and hypotheses suitable for an epidemiologic research proposal;
Demonstrate understanding of epidemiological study designs and advanced epidemiological methods in order to develop an appropriate approach to address a specific study question
Conduct epidemiological studies using primary and/or secondary data and synthesize study findings;
Design reliable and valid measurement instruments;
Present and defend study findings from original research to professional audiences;
Demonstrate competency in teaching epidemiologic research methods at the graduate level; and
Demonstrate knowledge of the responsible conduct of research and conduct research following the rules and policies for ethical research.

Ready to take the next step?

Curriculum for Students Enrolled Fall 2020 and After

Students seeking the PhD in Public Health-Epidemiology degree must complete a minimum of 72 credits of academic work with a minimum GPA of least 3.2 overall and a 3.2 in the set of required courses specified by the concentration; earn no more than nine (9) credits bearing grades less than B; and complete the degree requirements within seven years. Courses are three credit hours unless otherwise noted and semester when each course is typically offered is noted parentheses. Students should review the Forward Schedule for long-term course planning and the Course Schedule for each semester to determine when, where, and how a course is offered.

PREREQUISITES

Prerequisites do not count toward the 72-credit PhD curriculum. MPH from an accredited school or program meets prerequisite PHCO coursework requirements (not BIST 0535). PHCO 0502 and PHCO 0504 must be completed before Year 1, Fall semester (e.g., online summer before) if student does not have graduate-level coursework in these two areas.

PHCO 0502 - Principles and Methods of Epidemiology (or equivalent)
PHCO 0504 - Introduction to Biostatistics [Prerequisite: Quantitative Skills Assessment] (or equivalent)
BIST 0535 - Biostatistical Computing (or equivalent)

PHD IN PUBLIC HEALTH CORE COURSES (9 credits)

PHCO 0512 - Public Health Foundations (Spring) If a student holds an MPH from a CEPH-accredited school or program of public health, course is waived, but not the credits.
ENOH 0701 - Public Health Research Ethics (Spring-Even Years)
HBSP 0700 - Advances in Public Health Theories (Fall-Odd Years)

REQUIRED CONCENTRATION COURSES (30 credits)

Students should review the Course Descriptions in the School Catalog for specific information about prerequisites required for required courses and recommended electives.

Biology of Disease (3 credits)

ENOH 0560 - Public Health Biology and Physiology (Spring) -OR- ENOH 0594 - Environmental & Occupational Toxicology (Spring) Can be waived by the Academic Advisor for students with a biology or clinical background, but not the credits

Methods (27 credits)

EPID 0656 - Intermediate Epidemiologic Research Methods (Fall/Spring)
EPID 0657 - Applied Methods in Epidemiologic Research (Fall/Spring)
EPID 0702 - Epidemiology Journal Club-PhD (0.5 credit; required 6 times) If a student took EPID 0700, this former course is accepted but the student should also discuss with their Academic Advisor
EPID 0753 - Advanced Epidemiologic Research Methods with Applications (Spring)
BIST 0551 - Applied Regression Analysis for Public Health Studies (Fall/Spring) -OR- BIST 0610 - Advanced Regression Methods for Public Health Studies (Spring)
BIST 0615 - Applied Categorical Data Analysis (Fall)
BIST 0627 - Applied Survival Data Analysis -OR- BIST 0727 - Survival Analysis (Spring)
BIST 0650 - Applied Longitudinal Data Analysis -OR- BIST 0750 - Longitudinal Data Analysis (Fall)
HBSP 0726 - Intermediate Survey Research Methods (Summer)

RECOMMENDED ELECTIVE COURSES (9 credits; 6 credits must be doctoral level)

EPID 0552 - Infectious Disease Epidemiology (Fall)
EPID 0563 - Introduction to Outcomes Research (Fall)
EPID 0591 - Topics in Comparative Effectiveness Research in Health Care
EPID 0601 - Cancer Epidemiology (Spring)
EPID 0607 - Reproductive and Perinatal Epidemiology (Fall)
EPID 0641 - GIS in Public Health (Spring)
EPID 0650 - Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology (Spring)
EPID 0672 - Pharmacoepidemiology & Therapeutic Risk Management (Spring)
EPID 0673 - Social Epidemiology (Spring)
EPID 0676 - Intermediate Pharmacoepidemiology (Fall)
EPID 0752 - Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases (Fall)
EPID 0770 - Advanced Seminar in Epidemiology I
EPID 0771 - Advanced Seminar in Epidemiology II
BIST 0655 - Biocomputing II
BIST 0660 - Clinical Trials: Design and Analysis of Medical Experiments (Spring)
BIST 0688 - Statistical Methods in Genetics
BIST 9688 - Data Mining
BIST 9655 - Nonparametric Statistics
ENOH 9627 - Advanced Multivariate Methods for Environmental Health Issues
UGPH 0605 - Qualitative Research Methods (Fall)
UGPH 0744 - Methods for Hard to Reach Populations (Fall)

REQUIRED RESEARCH (24 credits)

RESH 0701 - Doctoral Colloquium I (0 credit) Taken in Fall and Spring in Year 1
RESH 0702 - Doctoral Colloquium II (0 credit) Taken in Fall and Spring in Year 2
RESH 0760 - Doctoral Research (20 credits)
RESH 0761 - Doctoral Research: Dissertation Proposal Seminar (3 credits) Taken in Spring in Year 2
1611-5556 - Ethical Scientific Conduct (1 credit) [Offered through School of Graduate Studies] Taken in Spring in Year 1

OTHER REQUIREMENTS (0 credits)

Pass Qualifying Exam (written and oral) Typically completed at the end of Year 2
RESH 0730 – PhD Seminar (0 credit) Attend PhD seminar once per month for Fall and Spring semesters, every year
Earn a Teaching Certificate from Rutgers Teaching Assistant Program (TAP) [0 credits] or complete HBSP 0725 - Effectively Teaching and Training Adults (3 credits)
Complete Ethical Scientific Conduct Refresher (0 credit) Taken in Year 5
Complete Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) online training on Human Subject Research Protections (For Students Enrolled Fall 2024 and After)

All PhD students are expected to engage in research activities with their Faculty Advisor.

Curriculum for Students Enrolled Fall 2019

Students seeking the PhD in Public Health-Epidemiology degree must complete a minimum of 72 credits of academic work with a minimum GPA of least 3.2 overall and a 3.2 in the set of required courses specified by their department; earn no more than nine (9) credits bearing grades less than B; and complete the degree requirements within seven years. Courses are three credit hours unless otherwise noted and semester when each course is typically offered is noted parentheses. Students should review the Forward Schedule for long-term course planning and the Course Schedule for each semester to determine when, where, and how a course is offered.

PREREQUISITES (9 credits)

PHCO 0502 - Principles and Methods of Epidemiology or equivalent
PHCO 0504 - Introduction to Biostatistics (Prerequisite: Quantitative Skills Assessment) or equivalent
BIST 0535 - Biostatistical Computing or equivalent

REQUIRED COURSES (39 credits)

Content (12 credits)

PHCO 0512 - Public Health Foundations
EPID 0552 - Infectious Disease Epidemiology
EPID 0752 - Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases
ENOH 0560 - Public Health Biology and Physiology -OR- ENOH 0594 - Environmental & Occupational Toxicology (can be waived by your Academic Advisor for students with a biology or clinical background)

Methods (27 credits)

EPID 0656 - Intermediate Epidemiologic Research Methods
EPID 0657 - Applied Methods in Epidemiologic Research
EPID 0753 - Advanced Epidemiologic Research Methods with Applications
EPID 0700 - Critical Review of Epidemiologic Literature (1 credit; required 3 times)
BIST 0551 - Applied Regression Analysis for Public Health Studies -OR- BIST 0610 - Advanced Regression Methods for Public Health Studies
BIST 0615 - Categorical Data Analysis
BIST 0627 - Applied Survival Data Analysis -OR- BIST 0727 - Survival Analysis
BIST 0650 - Applied Longitudinal Data Analysis -OR- BIST 0750 - Longitudinal Data Analysis
HBSP 0726 - Intermediate Survey Research Methods

RECOMMENDED ELECTIVE COURSES (9 credits; 6 credits must be doctoral level)

EPID 0563 - Introduction to Outcomes Research
EPID 0591 - Topics in Comparative Effectiveness Research in Health Care
EPID 0601 - Cancer Epidemiology
EPID 0607 - Reproductive and Perinatal Epidemiology
EPID 0641 - GIS in Public Health
EPID 0650 - Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology
EPID 0672 - Pharmacoepidemiology & Therapeutic Risk Management
EPID 0673 - Social Epidemiology
EPID 0676 - Intermediate Pharmacoepidemiology
EPID 0770 - Advanced Seminar in Epidemiology I
EPID 0771 - Advanced Seminar in Epidemiology II
BIST 0655 - Biocomputing II
BIST 0660 - Clinical Trials: Design and Analysis of Medical Experiments
BIST 0688 - Statistical Methods in Genetics
BIST 9688 - Data Mining
BIST 9655 - Nonparametric Statistics
ENOH 9627 - Advanced Multivariate Methods for Environmental Health Issues
UGPH 0605 - Qualitative Research Methods
UGPH 0744 - Methods for Hard to Reach Populations

REQUIRED RESEARCH (24 credits)

RESH 0760 (Section 000) - Doctoral Research: Dissertation Proposal Seminar (3 credits)
RESH 0760 - Doctoral Research (21 credits)

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT (0 credits)

RESH 0730 – PhD Seminar (formerly RESH 0700 Doctoral Colloquium) PhD students should register for RESH 0730 each Fall and Spring semester they are enrolled at the School of Public Health.

All PhD students are expected to engage in research activities with their Faculty Advisor.

Curriculum for Students Enrolled Prior to Fall 2019

PREREQUISITES

BIST 0535 - Biometrics Computing (or equivalent)

CORE COURSES (9 credits)

PHCO 0502 - Principles and Methods of Epidemiology
PHCO 0504 - Introduction to Biostatistics (Prerequisite: Quantitative Skills Assessment)
PHCO 0508 - Issues in Environmental and Occupational Health (1 credit)
PHCO 0510 - Issues in Health Education and Behavioral Science (1 credit)
PHCO 0511 - Issues in Health Care Systems and Policy (1 credit)

REQUIRED COURSES (33 credits)

Semesters when the required courses will be offered are noted for your course planning.

EPID 0552 - Infectious Disease Epidemiology
EPID 0652 - Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases
EPID 0656 - Intermediate Epidemiologic Research Methods
EPID 0657 - Applied Methods in Epidemiologic Research
EPID 0753 - Advanced Epidemiologic Research Methods with Applications
BIST 0551 - Applied Regression Analysis for Public Health Studies
BIST 0615 - Categorical Data Analysis (Fall)
BIST 0627 – Applied Survival Data Analysis
BIST 0650 - Applied Longitudinal Data Analysis
ENOH 0594 - Environmental & Occupational Toxicology or other toxicology/biology course

-also-

Choose one of the following two:

HBSP 0726 - Intermediate Survey Research Methods
EPID 0621 - Survey Research in Epidemiology

RECOMMENDED ELECTIVE COURSES (6 credits)

EPID 0563 - Introduction to Outcomes Research
EPID 0607 - Perinatal Epidemiology
EPID 0650 - Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology
EPID 0670 - Advanced Seminar in Epidemiology I
EPID 0671 - Advanced Seminar in Epidemiology II
EPID 0673 - Social Epidemiology
BIST 0655 - Biocomputing II
BIST 0660 - Clinical Trials: Design and Analysis of Medical Experiments
BIST 9655 - Nonparametric Statistics
PHCO 0503 - Introduction to Environmental Heath

REQUIRED RESEARCH (24 credits)

RESH 0760 - Doctoral Research