Epidemiology - Program Learning Objectives

The learning objectives of the Department of Epidemiology focus on the study of the distribution and determinants of disease, injury, and health in human populations, and the application of this study to disease control programs. The learning objectives are specific to the degree, with the MS and PhD requiring original research of an academic nature, and the MPH and DrPH requiring a field practicum and research of an applied nature, specific to public health. The outcomes of the educational experience are determined by grades in courses; interactions between students, their academic advisors, guidance committee and mentors in the field; and written documentation of field or research experience.

The MPH Program

MPH graduates should be able to:

• formulate a coherent hypothesis or objective, and create the study aims necessary to fulfill the objective;
• determine the appropriate study design to fulfill the objective;
• measure the disease or health outcome specific to the hypothesis or objective;
• identify factors that contribute to or determine the outcome, including behavioral, environmental, and health services related variables;
• review the existing literature of past studies related to the problem;
• write a protocol that details how to approach the problem, including the introduction, background, objectives, aims, methods and expected findings;
• locate and access existing sources of data including vital statistics records, disease registries, and clinic and hospital records, that might bring light to the problem;
• use data management and statistical software to analyze the basic relationships between risk factors and outcome data;
• know who to contact when needing additional biomedical, statistical, and computing assistance;
• interpret the results and have some understanding of the policy implications;
• understand potential or real biases that alter the study findings; and
• write the results in a coherent report that can be used to guide public policy.

The DrPH Program

In addition to the objectives of MPH degree, DrPH graduates should be able to:

• conduct and guide independent research on applied epidemiologic problems of immediate relevance to the health of the public.
• train and supervise field personnel in doing field studies or maintaining epidemiologic data sets.
• communicate the results both orally and in writing to the media, political groups, and members of the general public.

The MS Program

MS graduates should be able to:

• formulate a research hypothesis, and create the study aims necessary to address the hypothesis;
• determine the appropriate study design to address the hypothesis;
• have sufficient understanding of the disease or health outcome to measure it in a population setting;
• identify risk or preventive factors that contribute to or determine the outcome;
• review the existing research literature;
• write a research protocol that addresses how to approach the problem;
• use existing data sets including vital statistics records, disease registries, and clinic and hospital records;
• use data management and statistical software to analyze the basic relationships between risk factors and outcome data;
• interpret the results; and
• write the results in for publication in a report or professional journal.

The PhD Program

In addition to the objectives of the MS degree, PhD graduates should be able to:

• contribute new knowledge of a research nature to the field of epidemiology;
• conduct and guide independent research on both theoretical and applied epidemiologic problems of either immediate or long-term public health relevance;
• review the research literature, conceptualize and understand theoretical models of disease origin and transmission, and develop hypotheses that build on the research findings of others;
• manage and analyze complex research data sets;
• guide field personnel in doing research studies or maintain epidemiologic data sets; and
• explain the results in writing and in oral communication, either in research journals or at professional meetings.