Epidemiology, M.S.

About the Program

The conduct of epidemiological research involves the study of the distribution of disease and/or injury in human populations. The M.S. in Epidemiology degree is designed specifically for students interested in in-depth training and knowledge of the research techniques appropriate to conducting epidemiological studies in a particular concentration of health research. Master's-level epidemiologists work in applied settings conducting disease surveillance and outbreak investigations or in research settings developing and evaluating research hypotheses generated to understand the effects of behavioral, biological, environmental, and social factors on human health. Since epidemiology is the principal science underlying disease prevention and control programs, this training is also a basic component for other degree and training programs in public health and preventative medicine.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 4 years

Campus Location: Main

Full-Time/Part-Time Status: The program is designed to accommodate both full-time and part-time students. Full-time students can earn their degree within 2 years, while part-time students typically complete the degree in 3 years.

Interdisciplinary Study: Students are encouraged to develop programs of study that are interdisciplinary in nature, involving coursework across departments, schools, and colleges. Research in affiliated units is encouraged.

Affiliation(s): Locally, the program has long-standing research affiliations with The Food Trust, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Health Federation of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC), School District of Philadelphia, Temple University Health System, and numerous other community health agencies. These partnerships allow us to offer students a wide range of fieldwork opportunities to translate skills learned in the classroom to actual practice in the community.

Study Abroad: Temple University has campuses in Tokyo, London, and Rome where independent research can be pursued under advisement.

Accreditation: The program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).

Areas of Specialization: Areas of specialization can be dictated through the area of concentration pursued by the student in her/his thesis research.

Job Prospects: Graduates of the M.S in Epidemiology program are prepared to be faculty members or researchers in colleges and universities or to hold research-related positions in a wide range of organizations. Graduates are employed in health systems, hospitals and clinics, public health departments, and public health and other healthcare and human service agencies. Some graduates are employed by schools at the local, state, and federal levels. Graduates also work in pharmaceutical companies, non-profit and for-profit corporations, foundations, and consulting firms.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy: Students are permitted to take up to 9 credits of coursework before matriculation. If a student is accepted into the program, those courses may be applied toward the degree requirements. Course selection should be made in consultation with an advisor, and students should be aware that completion of coursework does not ensure admission into the program.

Financing Opportunities: Limited Teaching and Research Assistantships are available in the College of Public Health. The Graduate School website details the types of graduate student support. Assistantships are awarded on a term or annual basis. Teaching Assistants (TAs) and Research Assistants (RAs) provide 20 hours of service per week. TAs may be assigned to assist in the teaching of courses, including grading examinations and papers or teaching laboratory sections. Some TAs independently teach undergraduate courses. RAs perform supervised research activities. Both assistantships carry a minimum stipend and full tuition remission for up to 9 credits per term. Applications for assistantships are available from the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and must be submitted by January 15 for the following Fall term. The application requires a statement of previous teaching and/or research experience, areas of interest, and future goals; unofficial copies of transcripts; and a curriculum vitae. The department makes offers of assistantships following admission to the program.

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall: March 1

All applicants to the M.S. in Epidemiology program must apply via the Centralized Application Service for Public Health (SOPHAS). The system can be accessed at https://sophas.liaisoncas.com/.

Applicants should check their application status on the SOPHAS portal often and inquire directly of SOPHAS about receipt of materials. For other questions, please contact the CPH Office of Admissions at cph@temple.edu or 215-204-5200.

Letters of Reference:
Number Required: 3

From Whom: Letters of recommendation, which are completed electronically through the SOPHAS system, should be obtained from college/university faculty members familiar with the applicant's academic competence and, if appropriate, research supervisors or mentors.

Coursework Required for Admission Consideration: Proficiency in statistical programming and a minimum of 6 credits of undergraduate quantitative and/or analytical methods (statistics, research design, etc.) are required.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: All applicants must present credentials that are the equivalent of an accredited baccalaureate degree. The minimum acceptable undergraduate GPA is 3.0.

A WES evaluation is required for applicants who completed their bachelor's degree outside of the United States. This can be requested at https://www.wes.org/ and submitted through SOPHAS.

Statement of Goals: Write a well-considered 500- to 1,000-word statement of purpose that articulates your interests in public health and our program in particular. Craft your statement to specifically address the following questions:

Why are you pursuing this master’s degree program, and what are your particular areas of interest in public health?
How does the M.S. in Epidemiology within Temple's Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics best fit your public health interests?
What are your career goals, and how will this degree help you to achieve these goals?
What are your plans in the first few years after graduation?

Standardized Test Scores:
GRE: Required. While the program takes a portfolio approach to admissions, standardized tests provide important insight into quantitative and verbal abilities. Scores above the 75th percentile on both the verbal and quantitative sections of the test are desired. Official GRE scores should be sent to SOPHAS using code 0151.

Standardized tests considered in lieu of the GRE include DAT, GMAT, MCAT, OAT, and PCAT.

Applicants who earned their baccalaureate degree from an institution where the language of instruction was other than English, with the exception of those who subsequently earned a master’s degree at a U.S. institution, must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:

TOEFL iBT: 79 (send officially to SOPHAS using the SOPHAS-specific TOEFL code 5688)
IELTS Academic: 6.5
PTE Academic: 53
Duolingo: 110

Resume: Current resume or CV required.

Interview: An interview may be required.

Transfer Credit: Graduate credits from an accredited institution are considered for transfer into the M.S. in Epidemiology degree program. Such courses are reviewed by the M.S. Graduate Program Director to determine whether they are equivalent to coursework offered at Temple and fulfill any degree requirements. The grade must be a "B" or better in order to transfer and have been earned within five years of applying to the program. The maximum number of credits that may be transferred into the M.S. program is 6.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate: 36

Required Courses:

Course List
Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Courses
ENVH 5004	Environmental Health	1.5
EPBI 5002	Biostatistics	3
EPBI 5005	Applied Analysis of Health	1.5
EPBI 5201	Epidemiological Research Methods I	3
EPBI 8012	Multivariable Biostatistics	3
EPBI 8202	Epidemiological Research Methods II	3
HRPR 5001	Current and Emerging Issues in Public Health and Health Professions	0
Advanced Quantitative Methods Courses
Select two from the following:		6
EPBI 5003	Spatial Analysis in Public Health
EPBI 8201	Structural Equation Modeling
EPBI 8204	Multilev Mod in Int Res
EPBI 8302	Behavioral Measurement
EPBI 8307	Systematic Reviews
EPBI 8402	Intermediate Concepts and Methods in Health Research
EPBI 8403	Applied Concepts and Methods in Health Research
GUS 5062	Fundamentals of Geographical Information Systems
GUS 5068	Census Analysis with Geographical Information Systems
GUS 5069	GIS for Health Data Analysis
Cognate Epidemiology Electives
Select three from the following: ¹		9
ENVH 8207	Environmental Epidemiology
EPBI 5204	Mental Health Epidemiology
EPBI 5500	Seminar in Current Issues in Public Health ²
EPBI 8011	Social Epidemiology
EPBI 8206	Infectious Disease Epidemiology
or EPBI 8205	Chronic Disease Epidemiology
EPBI 8207	Reproductive and Perinatal Epidemiology
EPBI 8209	Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS
EPBI 8213	Cancer Epidemiology
EPBI 8301	Clinical Research Methods in Public Health
EPBI 8303	Behavioral Epidemiology
EPBI 8401	Concepts and Methods in Epidemiologic Research
Research Course
EPBI 9996	Masters Res in Pub Hlth (2 terms)	6
Total Credit Hours		36

With approval, students may select alternate electives.

EPBI 5500 requires prior approval.

Minimum Grade to be Earned for All Required Courses: B-

Culminating Event:
Thesis:
The master's thesis documents the student's independent research and demonstrates mastery of her/his primary area of interest. Thesis research is conducted under the direct supervision of an academic advisor. The specific topic for research should be of current interest in the professional community. After a research topic is selected, the student performs preliminary background research. A thesis proposal is then submitted describing the plan for further steps toward completion of the proposed research. The student may continue the research only after the proposal is approved by the committee. Presentation of methods and study results is performed upon completion of the thesis.