PhD Degree Program in Epidemiology
Program Overview
The mission of the PhD Program in Epidemiology is to train independent researchers in the development and application of epidemiologic methods and to prepare them for positions as scientific leaders in academia and industry. The PhD is a research degree; it indicates the highest attainable level of scholarship, and a commitment to a research career. The PhD does not represent merely the accumulation of course credits, but rather, the development and completion of a well-designed and conscientious program of scientific investigation that makes a unique contribution to the field of epidemiology.
The PhD program in Epidemiology requires a total of 20 course units including basic and advanced courses in epidemiology, statistical methods, as well as electives drawn from other departments and schools that serve the student's research interests. The program also requires written qualifications and oral candidacy examinations, and the successful defense of a doctoral dissertation, in accordance with University of Pennsylvania policy.
The PhD program typically requires the equivalent of at least four years of full-time study, in three defined phases: coursework, pre-candidacy, and candidacy. The coursework phase typically takes two years of full time study, and is intended to provide the student with the knowledge needed to pursue advanced, independent study and investigation in epidemiologic research. This phase culminates in the written Qualifications Examination, normally taken after most or all of the student's coursework has been completed. The pre-candidacy phase focuses on the preparation of a scientifically unique, methodologically sound, and feasible dissertation proposal. This phase ends with passing the oral Candidacy Examination, at which time the student is recognized as a Candidate for the PhD and focuses his or her effort on performing the research for and writing the dissertation. A successful public defense of the dissertation then completes the academic requirements for the PhD.
The PhD Program in Epidemiology is administered by the Graduate Group in Epidemiology and Biostatistics (GGEB) and is led by the Director of the Doctoral Program in Epidemiology, working with the PhD Program Executive Committee. The Office of Biomedical Graduate Studies (BGS) provides oversight and coordination for the CCEB and six other graduate groups offering PhD degrees in the biomedical sciences. BGS provides centralized support to the graduate groups for admissions, student fellowships, curricular oversight, record-keeping, and other operations.
