M.P.H. in Epidemiology
What causes disease? How is it distributed in the population? What are the determinants of disease and what makes certain individuals more susceptible to disease than others? And what can we do to protect more people and more communities from disease and death?
Epidemiology studies and analyzes patterns of disease distribution and determinants of health in large groups. Epidemiologists look at the causes and effects of disease, injury, substance abuse, reproductive health, environmental health, and more in large populations The community is the patient rather than any one individual. If pathology is about discovering the root of disease in individual human bodies, epidemiology analyzes disease on a community level. It is a cornerstone of public health, shaping policy, identifying risk, and determining preventive healthcare. This fast-growing, data-driven public health field is more critical now than ever as we reckon with a shifting environment and an interconnected global community. This program gives you the tools to gather, understand, and apply data in ways that contribute to addressing current large-scale disease threats and defending against new ones that may come in the future.
M.S. vs M.P.H. in Epidemiology?
Both an M.S. in Epidemiology and an M.P.H. in Epidemiology will train you to study patterns of health and disease in communities. In addition, both require a prior familiarity with or interest in math and quantitative science. The difference largely lies in the way you’ll apply that knowledge.
The M.S. is a more research-focused and traditionally academic degree. Often these programs cover research methods in-depth, to prepare you to design, run, and publish epidemiology studies. It may require you to gain a deeper knowledge of biostatistics and several different types of programming. If you are interested in getting a doctorate or pursuing an academic career in the study of epidemiology, an M.S. in Epidemiology is a good start.
An M.P.H. in Epidemiology conveys a broad knowledge of the field and may focus more on interpreting and communicating data for a wide audience and applying data-driven solutions to combat public health problems. With an M.P.H. you may find yourself evaluating ethical concerns at a pharmaceutical company and finding new ways to translate data into policy for a state health agency, or in the field, working with communities to help them find the specific interventions they need in areas like nutrition or sanitation.
What will you learn in the M.P.H. in Epidemiology program?
The M.P.H. in Epidemiology is centered on understanding trends, patterns, and causes of disease in large populations, and the effective application and communication of that data. This includes:
- Fundamental biostatistics skills, including common distribution, probability, multiple and logistic regression, and more
- Programming for management, analysis, and presentation of health data
- How to design productive public health studies
- How to create and interpret your own analytic models
- Major environmental factors in human health, such as airborne pollution, contaminated water and food, and solid and hazardous waste.
- Behavioral influences on public health
- Specifics of the American healthcare system
- Methods of monitoring health on a community level
M.P.H. in Epidemiology Careers
Epidemiology is a fast-growing career field. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 26% growth between 2021 and 2031. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of epidemiology as a whole. Many of these jobs are in state and local government right now, but demand for epidemiologists in hospitals is projected to increase as they recognize the importance of infection control programs.
According to Salary.com, the average yearly salary for an epidemiologist in the United States is $105,732 as of July 2023. New York is a top-paying state for epidemiologists, with an average salary of $124,235.
Epidemiologists find work in state and local health departments, as well as federal agencies ranging from the Department of Health and Human Services to the Department of Agriculture. The public sector employs epidemiologists to study disease and injury on a wide scale, to devise solutions, interventions, and policy to combat public health problems, and to engage in public education efforts. In the private sector, pharmaceutical companies employ epidemiologists to oversee prescription drug trials and insurance companies employ them to advise on emerging injury and disease risks.
Accreditation
Our public health programs are accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
