This program provides students with an advanced level of academic preparation to conduct research, teach, and mentor students. This includes concentrated training in epidemiological concepts and methodology and the completion of a research-based dissertation. Due to the wide range of ongoing faculty research within the department, students have the ability to select an area of emphasis on which to focus and to conduct research under the mentorship of an epidemiology faculty member.
Please note that the Epidemiology PhD program can be adapted to have an applied focus. Through elective coursework, internship opportunities, and the dissertation, PhD candidates can obtain the essential skills required for public health practice.
Requirements
- 72 credits, about half coursework and half research
- Coursework in epidemiology, statistics, and statistical packages
- Coursework in public health foundations and research ethics
- Advanced coursework in clinical trials and grant writing
- Teaching assistant experience
- Advanced dissertation research and coursework in an area of specialization
Find full program information within the Student Handbook and Forms.
Recent Dissertation Titles
Browse titles in D-Scholarship, the institutional repository for research output at the University of Pittsburgh.
Competencies
Graduates will be able to...
- Identify, evaluate and synthesize key studies in the scientific literature for a given topic area
- Develop a research proposal suitable for funding
- Apply quantitative and critical thinking skills to analyze longitudinal data in epidemiologic studies
- Conduct epidemiological data analysis in a relevant topic area