Competencies for the PhD in Public Health-Epidemiology (72 credits)
Each Department 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:
- Critique epidemiologic literature, assess its strengths and weaknesses and determine if conclusions(s) are supported;
- Conduct independent epidemiologic literature reviews and summarize studies using qualitative and quantitative techniques;
- Quantitatively assess patterns and changes in disease occurrence using epidemiologic techniques;
- Formulate specific hypotheses and determine an appropriate study design and analysis plan using quantitative data analysis techniques;
- Analyze and interpret epidemiologic data appropriately, including data from large national and state level datasets;
- Design and implement studies to investigate causes of disease;
- Design and implement clinical trials as applied to public health research and interventions;
- Design reliable and valid measurement instruments;
- Design, implement and assess ordinary data collection systems for public health research, including quality control for data entry;
- Apply principles of intervention and prevention in public health settings;
- Develop skills to effectively work on multidisciplinary teams, including scientists and non-scientists;
- Communicate and present study findings to professional audiences;
- Originate. design and implement new studies in the field that are worthy of publication and grant support;
- Demonstrate competency in teaching epidemiologic research methods at the graduate level;
- Maintain high public health ethical standards; and
- Anticipate and follow Institutional Review Board expectations and requirements.
