Online PhD in Epidemiology: Comparing Doctorate Programs
If you’re interested in taking a leading role in the study and prevention of diseases, a PhD in epidemiology can help you get to the top of the field. A PhD program teaches students how to advance research in the field and develop life-saving breakthroughs for the health and well-being of the general public.
There are no fully online epidemiology PhD programs; however, several programs offer online components. This STEPS guide will detail epidemiology PhD programs with online elements and help you understand the degree process.
Spotlighting Online Epidemiology PhD Programs
An epidemiology PhD is an excellent option for current public health professionals who want to advance their career in the scientific aspects of the field. A PhD program primarily prepares graduates for research-focused positions in postsecondary academia and roles as consultants.
All online epidemiology PhD programs include some in-person components, so students can’t complete a program entirely online. Some programs require a background and education in public health, such as a master’s degree in epidemiology. But, some programs help students in other fields move into public health. In addition to making sure that they can fulfill in-person requirements, students should look for a program that features an epidemiological focus.
Walden University
Walden University offers a PhD in Public Health – Epidemiology program. It offers didactic coursework in an online format. However, students must attend a minimum of two short-term (approximately four days each) in-person residencies at alternating locations throughout the U.S.
This program has two tracks. The Track 1 option was designed for applicants with a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree or a Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) degree. The Track 2 option was designed for students who hold at least a bachelor’s degree but enter the program without an MPH degree or a MSPH degree. This track includes substantial foundational coursework in lieu of an MPH background.
Duration: Approximately three to eight years
Mode: Hybrid
Cost: $630 per quarter hour for coursework credits and dissertation credits (tuition only)
Curriculum:
- Advanced Epidemiological Methods (Track 1)
- Epidemiological Investigations (Track 1)
- Communicable Disease Epidemiology (Track 1)
- Lifestyle and Chronic Disease (Track 1)
- Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology (Track 1)
- SPSS Revealed (Track 2)
- Fundamentals of Biostatistics (Track 2)
- Environmental Health (Track 2)
- Decoding the Science of Public Health (Track 2)
- Health Behavior Theory (Track 2)
University of Wisconsin – Madison
The University of Wisconsin – Madison offers a PhD in Epidemiology program. The research-oriented program synthesizes knowledge and skills for addressing health problems. It’s based on a sequence of courses, but students have flexibility to design advanced study and research to prepare them for their fields of interest.
Among other outcomes, students develop mastery of scholarship in epidemiology to inform research and affect policies for patient care. They also learn to communicate complex ideas in clear and understandable ways. The school offers funding to make the program more affordable. It also provides professional development to help students thrive academically and professionally.
Duration: Four to five years
Mode: Hybrid
Cost: $3,460 per academic year (tuition and fees for in-state students)/$4,660 per academic year (tuition and fees for out-of-state students)
Curriculum:
- Introduction to SAS Programming for Population Health
- Introduction to Biostatistics for Population Health
- Regression Methods for Population Health
- Advanced Regression Methods for Population Health
- Introduction to Epidemiology
- Epidemiologic Methods
- Causal Inference in Epidemiological Studies
- Practice of Epidemiology
Georgia State University
Georgia State University offers a PhD in Public Health – Epidemiology program. It prepares graduates to become public health leaders who can conduct independent research. These leaders can work with the government, health care organizations, and/or the private sector.
The program prepares students for careers as consultants for health agencies and schools of public health and medicine. Some classes are offered in an online or hybrid format, but the program is not offered fully online.
Public health students can participate in practicums throughout Atlanta at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), local government agencies, and international government organizations.
Duration: Four years (for full-time students)
Mode: Hybrid
Cost: $436 per credit hour (tuition for in-state students)
Curriculum:
- Epidemiologic Methods
- Advanced Statistical Topics
- Spatial Population Health
- Structural Equation Modeling
- Multilevel Models in Public Health
- Fundamentals of Clinical Trials
- Special Topics in Biostatistics
- Advanced Statistical Modeling
- Epidemiology and the Prevention of Violence
- Chronic Disease Epidemiology
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- Case Studies and Special Topics in Epidemiology
- Epidemiology of Adolescent and Young Adult Health Risk Behaviors
- Social Determinants of Health
- Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology
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Frequently Asked Questions from Online Epidemiology PhD Students
What kind of accreditation should an online epidemiology PhD program have?
Colleges and universities and the programs they offer receive accreditation when they are vetted and meet important academic standards. The accreditation process assures the quality of any degree program under consideration. It’s crucial that students consider only epidemiology PhD programs with proper accreditation.
There are two basic types of postsecondary accreditation: institutional and programmatic. Institutional accreditation concerns the academic quality of postsecondary institutions as a whole. Colleges and universities in the U.S. are institutionally accredited by several independent regional and national accrediting organizations recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Programmatic accreditation deals with the accreditation of individual degree programs. It is administered by private professional agencies and associations that are concerned with specific fields of study. Epidemiology PhD programs in the U.S. are programmatically accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
What are the standard admissions requirements for online epidemiology PhD programs?
Admissions requirements vary from program to program. But, common requirements include a bachelor’s degree in public health and a master’s degree in public health plus GRE test scores and transcripts from previously attended schools. A resume or CV is usually required, as well.
Other possible requirements include personal statements and letters of recommendation. International students typically must provide proof of English language proficiency. The admissions requirements at Georgia State University provide an example of what most online epidemiology PhD programs require.
How long does it take to complete an online epidemiology PhD program?
Full-time students typically can complete didactic (pre-dissertation) coursework during the first two years of their studies, while part-time students usually need three years to complete it. Time for completing a dissertation is also required.
It can take up to eight years to complete an epidemiology PhD program. Completion times vary somewhat by school but more so by the program’s focus, as the difference between Walden University’s two PhD epidemiology tracks shows.
Is a dissertation required for online epidemiology PhD programs?
A PhD is an “earned research” degree because students are expected to produce original, high-level research that contributes to the academic field’s knowledge base, which is presented as a dissertation. This requirement is applicable to all current online epidemiology PhD programs and to most on-campus programs.
The PhD in Epidemiology Academic Guide from the University of Wisconsin – Madison provides details on the school’s dissertation process and is indicative of what to expect in similar programs.
What kinds of careers are epidemiology PhD graduates qualified for?
An epidemiology PhD program prepares graduates for careers in postsecondary academic education and research. People with this degree often work as medical scientists in offices and laboratories. Some move into senior level epidemiologist positions in areas like pharmaceutical epidemiology. Director of epidemiology is another possible role.
Common Courses in Online Epidemiology PhD Programs
As the highlighted profiles above show, epidemiology curriculums offer courses that might have different titles but cover much of the same subject matter. Listed below are descriptions of five courses with content that students will likely encounter in an online epidemiology PhD curriculum.
Advanced Biostatistics
This course provides a comprehensive survey of advanced biostatistics methods employed in designing, conducting, and analyzing statistical data in public health research. It also provides a critical review of statistical methods used in public health literature. Topics covered include variance and covariance analysis, longitudinal data analysis, linear regression models, and survival analysis.
Advanced Epidemiological Methods
This course examines advanced methods of epidemiologic research and how these methods improve upon and complement other more commonly used methods. Emphasis is placed on the development of practical skills necessary for contemporary epidemiological research.
Topics covered include individual-level exposure-disease associations, causal inference techniques, and the use of data-generating models vs. data-driven agnostic approaches.
Public Health Informatics and Surveillance
This course provides students with advanced competency in the principles and applications of informatics and surveillance as they relate to epidemiology and public health. Topics covered include surveillance systems; health information technologies; database design; electronic medical and health records; data standards, integration, and transmission protocols; and security and privacy challenges.
Public Health Management and Leadership
This course offers a survey of the basic structures of public health service systems and health care delivery in the U.S. It also covers fundamental theories and principles of public health leadership. Students learn how to identify challenges in public health systems and create and implement effective strategies and solutions to overcome them.
Quantitative and Qualitative Research Theory, Design, and Methods
This course is an examination of the quantitative and qualitative theories, principles, methods, and measurements used in public health research. Topics covered include methods of research design and data collection, and the ethical implications of their use; systems science thinking and models; and the identification and application of software and programming for data analysis and interpretation.
Career Outlook for Epidemiology PhD Graduates
Epidemiology Director
Epidemiology directors oversee agencies, organizations, and individual research projects related to public health. Specific job responsibilities include identifying and assessing public health challenges and developing and conducting research studies to address those challenges; hiring, training, and supervising support staff; creating and managing program budgets; and coordinating local, state, regional, national, and global public health efforts.
Epidemiology directors need solid leadership skills and must be good communicators since they manage teams, collaborate with other health professionals, and advise policymakers.
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Postdoctoral research associates work primarily with senior researchers and tenured professors to design, conduct, and evaluate epidemiological research, most commonly in laboratory settings. They also write and publish their research findings and often assist or lead the preparation of grant proposals to secure funding for research projects.
Working as a postdoctoral research associate is a great way for a recent epidemiology PhD graduate to launch a successful professional career in epidemiology and the broader public health field.
Professor, Postsecondary Education
Professors at colleges and universities are responsible for several teaching-related tasks, including preparing lectures, experiments, exercises, and other activities; preparing and grading assignments and exams; and advising graduate students on their dissertations and theses.
Additionally, professors conduct advanced research and produce peer-reviewed articles that describe and summarize their research findings for scholarly journals and other professional publications. They develop curriculum and collaborate with other faculty members, public health professionals, and government health agencies.
Research and Development Director
Research and development directors oversee the operations of a company’s R&D department. R&D directors in the public health field are responsible for the development of new drugs and the improvement of existing drugs (like vaccines) and other epidemiology and public health-related products.
Other common tasks include creating and managing department budgets, supervising staff personnel, developing marketing strategies, streamlining production methods to improve efficiency, and designing equipment that is necessary for the production of new products.
Senior Biostatistician
Senior epidemiology biostatisticians develop and conduct public health biostatistical research and analysis for government public health agencies and public and private organizations. Tasks include designing and implementing statistical research projects, developing statistical methodologies for testing and evaluating research results, and preparing and presenting statistical reports.
Senior biostatisticians need a solid foundation in the use of computers and statistical software. They often guide junior biostatisticians and need excellent communication skills for presenting findings to stakeholders.
