BARNETT COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Learn more about the Master of Science in Epidemiology.

About the Program

This program is not open for direct admission. The Master of Science in Epidemiology is awarded to students enrolled in the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program in Epidemiology who successfully complete a thesis instead of preliminary exams and a dissertation. Students must successfully complete 36 credits of required coursework.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 4 years

Campus Location: Main

Full-Time/Part-Time Status: The program is designed to accommodate both full- and part-time students. Full-time students can earn their degree within 2 years, while part-time students typically complete the degree in 3 years.

Interdisciplinary Study: Students are encouraged to develop programs of study that are interdisciplinary in nature, involving coursework across departments, schools and colleges. Research in affiliated units is encouraged.

Affiliation(s): Locally, the program has long-standing research affiliations with Fox Chase Cancer Center, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC), Temple University Health System. The program also has numerous other health systems and community health agencies and organizations inside and outside of Philadelphia. These partnerships allow us to offer students a wide range of opportunities to translate skills learned in the classroom to actual practice in the community.

Study Abroad: Temple University has campuses in Tokyo and Rome where independent research can be pursued under advisement.

Accreditation: The program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).

Areas of Specialization: Areas of specialization can be dictated through the area of concentration pursued by the student in their thesis research.

Job Prospects: Graduates of the MS in Epidemiology program are prepared to be researchers in colleges and universities or to hold research-related positions in a wide range of organizations. Graduates are employed in health systems, hospitals and clinics, public health departments, and public health and other healthcare and human service agencies. Some graduates are employed by schools at the local, state and federal levels. Graduates also work in pharmaceutical companies, nonprofit and for-profit corporations, foundations and consulting firms.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 36

Required Courses:

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Courses
ENVH 5004	Environmental Health	1.5
EPBI 5002	Biostatistics	3
EPBI 5005	Applied Analysis of Health	1.5
EPBI 5201	Epidemiological Research Methods I	3
EPBI 8012	Multivariable Biostatistics	3
EPBI 8202	Epidemiological Research Methods II	3
HRPR 5001	Current and Emerging Issues in Public Health and Health Professions 1	0
Advanced Quantitative Methods Courses
Select two from the following:		6
EPBI 5003	Spatial Analysis in Public Health
EPBI 8201	Structural Equation Modeling
EPBI 8204	Multilevel Modeling in Interdisciplinary Research
EPBI 8302	Behavioral Measurement
EPBI 8307	Systematic Reviews
EPBI 8402	Intermediate Concepts and Methods in Health Research
EPBI 8403	Applied Concepts and Methods in Health Research
GUS 5062	Fundamentals of Geographical Information Systems
GUS 5068	Census Analysis with Geographical Information Systems
GUS 5069	GIS for Health Data Analysis
Cognate Epidemiology Electives
Select three from the following: 2		9
ENVH 8207	Environmental Epidemiology
EPBI 5204	Mental Health Epidemiology
EPBI 5500	Seminar in Current Issues in Public Health 3
EPBI 8011	Social Epidemiology
EPBI 8206	Infectious Disease Epidemiology
or EPBI 8205	Chronic Disease Epidemiology
EPBI 8207	Reproductive and Perinatal Epidemiology
EPBI 8209	Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS
EPBI 8213	Cancer Epidemiology
EPBI 8301	Clinical Research Methods in Public Health
EPBI 8303	Behavioral Epidemiology
EPBI 8401	Concepts and Methods in Health Research
Research Course
EPBI 9996	Masters Res in Pub Hlth (2 terms)	6
Total Credit Hours		36

¹

This common College Core course is required of all incoming graduate students in the College of Public Health. It is available completely online and designed such that students can complete the modules at their own pace over the course of their degree program.

²

With approval, students may select alternate electives.

³

EPBI 5500 requires prior approval.

Repeating a course in the curriculum may result in delayed progression and/or delayed graduation. Students who are out of sequence due to unsuccessful completion or withdrawal must consult with their academic advisor or program director to develop a remediation plan, including a revised plan of study.  

Minimum Grade to be Earned for All Required Courses: B-

Culminating Event:
Thesis:  
The master's thesis documents the student's independent research and demonstrates mastery of epidemiologic concepts and methods as well as their primary area of interest. Thesis research is conducted under the direct supervision of a faculty advisor. The specific topic for research should be of current interest in the professional community. After a research topic is selected, the student performs preliminary background research. A thesis proposal is then submitted to their thesis committee describing the plan for further steps toward completion of the proposed research. The student may continue the research only after the proposal is approved by the thesis committee. Presentation of methods and study results is performed upon completion of the thesis. 

Contacts

Department Contacts: