Epidemiology
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Introduction
Degree Programs
Admissions
Financial Support
Opportunities for Graduates
Further Information
Epidemiology is concerned with the study of factors that determine the distribution of health and disease in human populations. The purposes of epidemiological research are to discover the causes of disease, to advance and evaluate methods of disease prevention, and to aid in planning and evaluating the effectiveness of public health programs.
Epidemiologists are interested in the study of infectious and noninfectious diseases. In recent years that have turned their attention increasingly toward the study of conditions affected by forces in the social and physical environment.
M.P.H. Program
The master's degree in public health is offered through two intensive programs:
The one-year program prepares M.P.H. professionals (physicians, dentists, veterinarians, postdocs) for teaching and research careers in schools of public health and medical and health sciences. Required courses include a two-semester sequence in biostatistics, two semester of epidemiologic methods courses, two semesters of the epidemiology seminar, breadth courses in public health, and a comprehensive oral examination.
The two-year program in epidemiology and biostatistics is designed for students who have relatively little specific background in the health field but a strong desire for training. Many of the graduates go on to the Ph.D. program at Berkeley and other universities. Others take positions in government agencies such as the California State Health Department and the Birth Defects Monitoring Program. Students enrolled in this curriculum track take about one-third of their course work in biostatistics and one-third in epidemiology, leaving about one-third for breadth requirements and electives. A comprehensive oral exam is required.
MS Program
Applicants for the M.S. program should have as a minimum a bachelor's degree and a strong background in biological, social, or mathematical science that will provide a basis for the application of epidemiological methods and principles to the study of diseases. The M.S. program differs from the M.P.H. rogram in that students emphasize depth of course work in one or more basic science areas complementary to epidemiologic research and are not required to take the breadth courses in public health. Because M.S. applicants compete with Ph.D. applicants for a very limited quota in the academic track, it is sometimes advisable for postbaccalaureate students who are interested in pursuing doctoral studies to apply for the two-year M.P.H. program in epidemiology/biostatistics. The M.S. program usually takes two years and requires at least 24 credits in courses in epidemiology and biostatistics, and a minimum of three months of epidemiological research; a thesis is not required.
Ph.D. Program
The Ph.D. program is administered by the Group in Epidemiology, which is appointed by the Graduate Division and includes faculty members from a number of other disciplines and departments at Berkeley, as well as faculty from the UC San Francisco campus. In addition to the courses required for the master's degree, Ph.D. students identify a third area of scientific knowledge in which they will develop competence. Normally, a minimum of one additional year of study is required following receipt of the master's degree before taking the written and oral qualifying examination and being advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. After advancement to candidacy, students must conceive, conduct, and complete an original research project culminating in a dissertation. The normative time in the Ph.D. program is four years.
In order to be admitted to candidacy, the student must pass a written examination and a three-hour oral examination which is conducted by a four-member faculty committee. The four-member committee must be approved by the Graduate Division. After being admitted to candidacy, a three-member Dissertation Committee (approved by the Graduate Division) monitors the progress of the student. The Dissertation Committee is responsible for guiding and supervising the student's research and for assuring that the thesis meets the highest standards of excellence.
Students who apply for admission to the one year M.P.H. program must have an M.D., D.V.M., D.D.S., or a Ph.D. degree in a biological or social science and find a one-year program of training in epidemiology and public health sufficient to enter into a career in the practice of public health. Applicants who have a bachelor's or master's degree in one of the above sciences but no doctoral degree should apply for the two-year M.P.H. program in epidemiology/biostatistics.
Applicants must also meet the School's admissions requirements to be admitted to the program.
Possible sources of financial support include graduate fellowships from the University of California; scholarships from the Wellness Fund and other School of Public Health funds; various Graduate Opportunity Program Fellowships; Public Health Service Traineeships; and various training grants administered at the School of Public Health and at UC San Francisco. In addition, a number of students in epidemiology currently are supported by fellowships from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, National Science Foundation, and other off-campus sources. Many students help support themselves by working as graduate student instructors or as graduate student researchers.
Training in epidemiology at Berkeley provides a sound basis for careers in several areas. Persons with a prior doctoral degree who complete the M.P.H. degree and those who complete the Ph.D. degree are in demand for teaching and research careers in schools of public health, medical schools and other academic institutions. There also are diverse opportunities for careers in international, federal, state, and local health agencies. The positions in the latter category usually focus on the use of epidemiological approaches and knowledge to carry out research or program evaluation directed at control of infectious or noninfectious diseases. Epidemiologists are also increasingly in demand in major health care provider organizations. Graduates who terminate at the M.S. or M.P.H. degree find positions in many of the same agencies, working in multidisciplinary groups and applying their epidemiological and statistical training to studies of various health problems.
For further information about the degree programs in epidemiology, contact Ron Jeremicz, Program Coordinaor, at (510) 643-9912 or rtj@berkeley.edu.