PhD Epidemiology at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Programme overview

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) provides students with research and teaching skills in epidemiology through coursework, doctoral research, practice opportunities, and preliminary doctoral examinations. Must take a minimum of 2 Epidemiology courses consisting of at least 2 credits in the student’s epidemiology program area of study and 2 credits in an area of epidemiology outside the student’s program area of study. See list of Elective Options below.4

Faculty: Gillings School of Global Public Health | Department: Epidemiology | Study mode: full-time | Location: Chapel Hill, NC, United States

What you will study

Core courses include SPHG 600 Foundations of Public Health; EPID 700 Foundations of Scientific Reasoning in Epidemiology; EPID 704 Responsible Epidemiology; EPID 710 Fundamentals of Epidemiology; EPID 712 Readings in Fundamentals of Epidemiology; BIOS 600 Principles of Statistical Inference.

Career pathways

The program is designed for physician-scientists and others who want to develop the skills necessary for a successful career as a principal investigator and collaborator in clinical and translational research. The doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) in epidemiology prepares students for careers in research and teaching, often at a university, federal, or state agency, or private research institution.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Graduate School minimum (applies to all graduate programmes): a four-year bachelor's degree (or international equivalent) from an accredited institution completed before graduate study begins and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B) or better; application via the Graduate School online application with transcripts, three recommendation letters, statement of purpose and CV, plus any programme-specific tests/materials; international applicants add a TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test score; admission decisions are made by each programme.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Graduate applicants apply for a start term; fall is the main start term. Very few programmes admit new students for spring or summer terms.

Graduate applications and payment must be received by the deadline of the academic programme applied to, which varies by programme; the application closes at 11:59pm Eastern Time on the deadline date. The Graduate School recommends complete applications by December 15, 2026 for full fellowship consideration.

Apply through the official page: https://gradschool.unc.edu/admissions/instructions/

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