Epidemiology (PhD) at University of Southern California

Programme overview

The PhD in Epidemiology produces epidemiologists with in-depth statistical skills and is aimed especially at people with a strong medical background, including Keck School of Medicine MD students who interrupt their studies for a PhD. It requires a core in statistical methods and epidemiological methods, a track, a practicum and a dissertation.

Faculty: Keck School of Medicine of USC | Department: Department of Population and Public Health Sciences | Duration: 60 units | Study mode: full-time | Location: Los Angeles, CA, United States

What you will study

Year one covers 14 units of screening-exam core (Data Analysis, Research Methods in Epidemiology, Statistical Methods for Epidemiological Studies). Students then choose a track: Cancer Epidemiology, Genetic Epidemiology, Environmental Epidemiology, Clinical Trials, or General Epidemiology and Methods, and complete electives, graduate seminar and 60 units in total.

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Application information

Entry requirements

A master's degree in a related discipline (for example mathematics, statistics, epidemiology or public health) and a completed master's thesis; students with a non-thesis master's such as an MPH are assigned a mentor to evaluate quantitative and writing skills. At least one epidemiology class and one biostatistics class are preferred. Students must pass the screening examination to be fully admitted. Some applicants may be admitted without the master's if they have strong research background or enter via PIBBS, and must then complete PM 510L and PM 512.

Duration: 60 units

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