EDUCATION & TRAINING » Degree Programs in Epidemiology

Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology (MSCE)

The Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology (MSCE) degree program provides comprehensive clinical research training. The goal of the program is to train individuals for successful careers as independent investigators. This program is directed by the faculty of the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics. The School of Medicine's Office of Research and Research Training has oversight responsibilities for the program and the MSCE degree is awarded by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Admissions

Admissions requirements for the Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology (MSCE) degree reflect the emphasis on integrating epidemiology and clinical practice. Individuals admitted into either program must have an advanced degree in medicine, nursing, or another health-related field, from an accredited college or university. The Admissions page includes details about requirements and procedures for applying to the epidemiology degree programs.

Faculty Mentor

Students enrolled in the MSCE degree program are assigned to a faculty mentor based on the student's research interest. The mentor will act in an advisory capacity throughout that student's course of study, particularly regarding the development of the required research project.

Core Courses

All students are required to complete a required core of courses, generally taken in the first year of study: Students may place out of any of the following courses upon passing an oral or written examination administered by the course instructor: Exemption from any of these three courses is not exemption from the credit requirement. An elective would be taken to replace any exempted courses.

Additional courses are required, some of which may be electives, depending on the Track in which the student is enrolled.

Non-credit Requirements

Students also are required to participate in a series of programs for which credits are not awarded. These requirements include: participation for at least one year in the weekly CCEB Research Seminar, which runs from September through June annually; completion of an online seminar on the ethics of biomedical research; and completion of the School of Medicine's online Patient Oriented Certification Program.

Tracks

Upon enrollment, students will choose one of five Tracks, based on research interests: Epidemiology, Health Services Research, Human Genetics, Bioethics, or Clinical Trials. The required core of courses is the same for each Track. Additional elective or Track-specific required courses are taken in addition to the core courses to provide the proper foundation for each Track.

Electives

Students may choose electives from advanced courses in epidemiology, biostatistics, computer sciences, or other related fields. See Epidemiology Course Descriptions for descriptions of all epidemiology courses offered by the CCEB. They also may arrange to take one or more independent study courses taught by members of the CCEB faculty or one or more courses taught elsewhere in the University.

All electives will be chosen in consultation with the student's faculty advisor and must be approved by the advisor and, as needed, by the Academic Director of the MSCE Degree Program.

It also is possible to take courses at other institutions, pending approval of the Academic Director and the student's advisor. Official transcripts are required for all courses taken elsewhere. Course units will be assigned to those courses based on University guidelines. No work done as an undergraduate will be counted as credit toward this degree.

Comprehensive Examination

After all core requirements have been successfully completed, students are required to sit for the MSCE Program Comprehensive Examination. It is given at the end of May each year and is typically taken after the first year of coursework.

The Examination is administered in an eight-hour examination. It is designed to assess the following: the student's understanding of epidemiologic concepts; elements of research methods; ability to design studies to address specific research questions; analysis of straightforward statistical problems using a small data set; facility with reading and interpreting computer printouts of statistical analyses; and ability to review critically the medical literature.

Thesis

A student is expected to design a research project, write a formal research protocol, perform the study described in it, and prepare a comprehensive scholarly scientific paper reporting the results. Students present their thesis protocols at a special session of the CCEB Research Seminar.

It is anticipated that the thesis will be relevant to the student's Track and will address a question of importance in the student's clinical field. The thesis should be written in the format of a journal article and should be acceptable for submission to a journal. The thesis must be accepted by the student's thesis committee, consisting of his or her advisor and two other faculty.

Graduation

Upon completion of degree requirements, candidates are expected to complete a "graduation application" approximately three months prior to the expected graduation date. Submission of the graduation application will be coordinated with the MSCE Educational Programs Office. The application initiates an academic audit conducted by the MSCE Educational Programs Office. The MSCE degree is conferred by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Graduation occurs in May and December annually.

By graduation, students will have obtained the following skills:

Penn Medicine CCEB Home