General Epidemiology
The General Epidemiology (GE) track emphasizes training in the principles and methods of epidemiology and biostatistics and their application to the study of health and disease in human populations and prepares students to practice epidemiology in diverse settings and positions of employment. Students are exposed to innovative research projects of faculty that include cancer, social determinants of health, infectious diseases (e.g., tuberculosis, influenza, waterborne infectious disease), chronic diseases (e.g., stroke, cardiovascular disease, metabolic diseases), reproductive health (e.g., birth outcomes, mid-life health among women), aging and age-related diseases (e.g., Alzheimer's disease and dementia), mental health, nutrition and obesity, environmental and occupational exposures, climate change and health, omics (genome, epigenome, microbiome), mathematical modeling, and health among diverse populations, including Native Americans and Arab Americans. Many students explore career interests through their summer internship in hospitals and healthcare systems, consulting, government at the local, state, and federal levels, and other private sector opportunities.
Curriculum and Program Requirements
The General Epidemiology concentration is offered in 60- or 42-credit hours, depending on previous training and degrees. The 42-credit program is intended for students already holding a doctoral degree (e.g., MD, DDS, DVM, PhD), international medical degree (e.g., MBBS), or advanced clinical degree (e.g., PT, RN). The 60-credit program typically requires four terms (two years) of study, while the 42-credit program is typically completed in three terms (one academic year plus the following summer).
Watch our webinar on the student experience for the General Epidemiology program.
VIEW COMPETENCIES AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES
General Epidemiology Program Requirements
| Courses | Credit | Term |
|---|---|---|
| Biostats 521 Applied Biostatistics | 3 | Fall |
| Biostats 522 Biostatistical Analysis for Health-Related Studies | 3 | Winter |
| Biostat 523 Statistical Methods in Epidemiology | 4 | Fall |
| EPID 512 The Biologic Basis of Disease | 2 | Fall |
| EPID 530 Scientific Writing for Epidemiologists | 1 | Fall |
| EPID 600 Epid Methods I, Introduction to Epidemiology | 4 | Fall |
| EPID 602 Epid Methods II, Data Analysis for Epid Study Design | 4 | Winter |
| EPID 603 Professional Development Seminar | 1 | Winter |
| EPID 604 Applications of Epid (Capstone) | 4 | Winter |
| EPID 640 SAS for Epidemiological Research | 3 | Fall |
| EPID 641 Measurement Theory & Instrument Design | 1 | Winter |
| EPID 642 Sampling & Power | 1 | Winter |
| EPID 643 Surveillance & Publicly Available Datasets | 1 | Fall |
| EPID 644 Contemporary Methods | 1 | Fall |
| Summer Internship (1 credit for every 84 hours worked) | 2-6 | Summer |
| Elective graduate level courses taken to achieve 60 credits |
In addition to coursework relevant to their chosen concentration, all students in the epidemiology masters program must complete the School of Public Health’s Core Curriculum. Please see concentration pages, linked above, for additional information on concentration-specific prerequisites and curriculum.
| Courses | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|
| PUBHLTH 507 - Social Determinants of Health & Health Communication | 2 | Fall |
| PUBHLTH 511 - Nutrition and Public Health | 2 | Winter |
| PUBHLTH 513 - Public Health Systems, Policy and Management | 3 | Winter |
| PUBHLTH 514 - Public Health Sciences and the Environment | 2 | Winter |
| PUBHLTH 516 - Leadership Skills for Interprofessional Practice | 1 | Winter |
Internship Opportunities
The overall goal of the internship is to provide General Epidemiology students with an opportunity to apply basic epidemiological methods in a public health or health care setting. General Epidemiology internships are either research- or practice-oriented and normally take place during the summer semester after the first year of training. They are typically 8-12 weeks long.
Students are responsible for arranging their own internships. Support and resources are provided through the Department (internship coordinator, track leaders, faculty members) and the Michigan Public Health Career Development Office. EPID 603 (Professional Development Seminar) will offer strategies and instruction on how to locate an internship.
There are various funding opportunities for internships GE students can seek, such as:
- Grants/scholarships from the School of Public Health
- Faculty research grants
- Public Health agencies
- Research grants from faculty at other units on campus (e.g. medical school) or other institutions
- Support from private companies (e.g. pharmaceutical companies).
If you are unable to secure sufficient funding for your internship from these other sources, you may apply to the department of Epidemiology for financial support. Please ask our internship coordinator, Dominique Person (dominiqp@umich.edu).
Ready to Apply?
Start with our Applications & Deadlines to learn about specific degree application deadlines and requirements. International applicants will find additional information on our International Students page.
Questions?
For more information about the admissions process, contact our admissions team at sph-inquiries@umich.edu or 734-764-5425
If you would like to receive more information about a specific department or program, please join our interest list. You can also request a phone, zoom or in-person appointment.
Get to Know More About GE
Our Faculty
The Social Side of Disease and Disease Prevention
Belinda Needham
Serving, Leading, and Healing: Odysseys through the Desert and Beyond
Matthew L. Boulton
Our Students/Alumni
Essential "I Do's": Epidemiology Alums Marry in Hospital During Pandemic
Jen Andonian, MPH ‘15 and Matt Shearer, MPH ‘14
Helping Communities Make Effective Change
Marcus McKay Jr.
Inspired by Adversity to Create Better Health through Food
Brooke Callaghan