University General Course Catalog 2023-2024

Sep 18, 2024

University General Course Catalog 2023-2024 ARCHIVED CATALOG: LINKS AND CONTENT ARE OUT OF DATE. CHECK WITH YOUR ADVISOR.

Ph.D. in Epidemiology

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The PhD in Epidemiology is a STEM-designated program designed to prepare students for careers in which advanced analytical skills are required in academia, government, industry, and research institutions. Students apply epidemiologic methods to understand complex public health problems. The program trains students to become independent investigators through two years of required coursework in epidemiology and biostatistics methods followed by two years (or more) of research. Students must pass a written qualifying exam and complete and defend a research dissertation.

Contact Information

Keying Wen, Administrative Assistant
Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Environmental Health Department
School of Public Health
(775) 682-6738
kwen@unr.edu

Dr. Kristen Clements-Nolle, Graduate Director of Epidemiology
School of Public Health
(775) 682-7097
clements@unr.edu

Program Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes

By completing this program, students will be able to develop original research hypotheses and research questions that will advance public health knowledge and effectively defend research methodology and findings through concise scientific writing and oral presentations. In addition, they will be able to:

Construct and evaluate models for causal inference and demonstrate their practical application to epidemiologic data
Demonstrate theoretical knowledge of systematic error through the use and application of directed acyclic graphs
Develop and apply statistical methods appropriate for time-to-event data
Judge and design statistical models to investigate mediation, confounding, interaction, and effect modification in the context of epidemiologic research
Critique individual published epidemiologic research studies

Admission Requirements

Master of Public Health (MPH) degree or relevant master’s or doctoral degrees from accredited institutions, with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4-point scale preferred. Occasionally, students can be admitted with a health-related Bachelor’s degree with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 that is confirmed before beginning classes.
Graduate record exam (GRE) scores. The exam must have been taken within the last five (5) years.
Duolingo, TOEFL, or IELTS Test Scores (required if education history is from a non-English Speaking Country).
Three letters of recommendation from individuals who can evaluate your motivation, academic capability, scholarship potential, and personal goals for doctoral study.
A written statement of personal career, educational and scholarship goals including identification of research interests.
A current curriculum vitae (CV).
An academic health-related writing sample (for example, a first-author publication or class paper).
An interview with the admissions committee (if invited).

The application deadline is June 1st. However, to receive full consideration for graduate scholarship funding, applicants are encouraged to submit their application by February 1st. PhD applications are accepted once per year for fall admission. Only full-time students (e.g., 9-10 credits per semester) will be accepted. Details on application components and processes can be found on the School of Public Health PhD admissions process webpage.

Prerequisite Coursework

Prerequisite Coursework

Students will typically enter the PhD in Epidemiology after having completed a relevant Master’s degree, such as the Master of Public Health (MPH) or Master of Science (MS) in Epidemiology or Biostatistics. All students must have documentation that they have completed the following MPH courses (or their equivalent). Students missing any of the required prerequisites may be admitted, contingent on successful completion of specified courses within a period of time (typically the first year).

CHS 712 : Epidemiology in Public Health
CHS 780 : Biostatistics in Public Health
Students who do not have an undergraduate or graduate degree from an accredited public health program must take the Basics of Public Health course (offered online by the School of Public Health, 0 credits).

Application Process

There are two separate applications necessary for admission to the PhD in Epidemiology program: one application and set of materials is to be filled out and submitted directly to SOPHAS and the other application is to be filled out and submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Nevada, Reno. Applicants will not be reviewed for admission until both applications are submitted. Before applying for admission, please note the admission requirements.

Application 1:

The following materials are required for consideration for admission to the Ph.D. program. These materials should be submitted directly to SOPHAS at:

http://sophas.org/

One official copy of transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended.
GRE scores on verbal, quantitative and analytic measures. The exam must have been taken within the last five (5) years. Submit official GRE scores by using the University of Nevada, Reno SOPHAS code 7828.
Three letters of recommendation from individuals who can evaluate the applicant’s motivation, academic capability, scholarship potential, and personal goals for doctoral study.
A written statement of personal career, educational and scholarship goals including identification of research interests and name(s) of faculty with whom you want to work.
A current curriculum vitae (CV).
An academic health-related writing sample. (for example, a first-author publication or a class paper)
For applicants from non-English speaking nations, one official copy of Duolingo, TOEFL, or IELTS scores. TOEFL scores can be submitted using the University of Nevada, Reno SOPHAS code 7828.

Application 2:

The following materials should be submitted directly to the Graduate School of the University of Nevada, Reno at:

https://unr.force.com

Completed Graduate School online application.

I. Program Requirements

All Ph.D. in Public Health students pursuing the epidemiology specialization must complete a minimum of 63 graduate-level units to graduate. All Ph.D. in Public Health students pursuing the social and behavioral health specialization must complete a minimum of 66 graduate-level units to graduate.The Ph.D. program requires passing a written qualifying exam after the first year of coursework is completed, a written and oral dissertation prospectus, and a written and oral dissertation defense.

A. PhD in Epidemiology

Students will complete 29 units in the Epidemiology PhD core that include 2 doctoral seminar units. In addition to the core courses, students will work closely with their academic advisor to select 9 units of Epidemiology electives (may be prescribed). Students will also take the comprehensive exam (1 unit) and will complete, on average, 24 dissertation units.