PhD Degree Program in Epidemiology
Admissions
Applicants to the PhD Program in Epidemiology at Penn are evaluated on the basis of undergraduate and graduate academic records, Graduate Record Examination scores, letters of recommendation, and commitment to a career in epidemiology research.
Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.
The deadline for applying is December 1.
Pre-requisites
A health sciences doctorate (such as MD, VMD, DMD, PharmD) or masters (such as MPH, MSN) is required to be considered for admission to the program.
Application Process
The PhD application process ranges from 2 to 5 months depending on completeness of documentation, timeliness of interviews, and the timing of Admissions Committee meetings. Submitting an application by the deadline and responding promptly to queries from program staff, when needed, is necessary for a timely decision.
The application process includes four steps.
- Step 1 – Preliminary Review: Upon receipt of the complete application and application fee, the Admissions Committee will review the application. A decision will be made whether to advance the application to Step 2 – the mentor identification stage. Typically, a notice regarding the result of Step 1 is sent within three weeks of receipt of the application.
- Step 2 – Mentor identification: The application will be sent to faculty to identify or confirm mentorship for the PhD Program, based on the applicant’s stated interests in the personal statement. The applicant will not be accepted into the PhD program if an appropriate mentor cannot be identified.
- Step 3 – Interview Stage: If a mentor has been identified, the student will be contacted for interviews with members of the Graduate Group in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Interviews should be completed within a month of advancing to Step 3. When all interviews are complete, the Admissions Committee will review the application and interview results to make an admissions decision and present the applicant to the School of Medicine Biomedical Graduate Studies Admissions Committee for the final stage in the process (Step 4).
- Step 4 – Biomedical Graduate Studies Admissions Review: The Graduate Group in Epidemiology and Biostatistics will present any applicants supported for admission to the School of Medicine Biomedical Graduate Studies Admissions Committee for final review and approval of admission. The student will be notified of the results of the Admission Committee’s decision within four weeks of their review.
Application Materials
An application will be considered complete when all of the following items are received:
- A completed application form
- Personal statement
- Curriculum Vitae
- Official transcripts for any degree granting institutions
- GRE or MCAT score no more than 5 years old
- TOEFL score (if not a US Citizen or permanent resident and not a graduate of an English-speaking institution)
- Three letters of recommendation
Please note: a $70.00 application fee is due at time of application.
MD-PhD and VMD-PhD Combined Degree Applicants
Applicants to the MD-PhD or VMD-PhD programs with an interest in epidemiology are encouraged to indicate this on their application to the respective programs.
