phd in epidemiology
About the program
The PhD in Epidemiology at the University of Delaware provides students with advanced training in epidemiological methods and prepares them for careers in research, teaching, and applied public health. The program is designed to support students with some experience in public health who seek additional training related to research methods and their application to population health. Areas of focus are driven by faculty research interests, and admission to the PhD program requires matching an applicant’s research interests with a faculty member.
The PhD program in epidemiology at the University of Delaware emphasizes a balance across applied, descriptive, and causal lines of epidemiologic inquiry and public health response, and our Department is dedicated to the translation of research into public health policy, response, and clinical practice.
Applicants from diverse backgrounds who have a strong interest in developing advanced quantitative and methodological skills in epidemiology are encouraged to apply.
Each applicant will be evaluated by a PhD admissions committee of approximately faculty reviewers according to five key areas:
- Academic record and achievement, with a particular emphasis on prior quantitative coursework at the bachelor’s and master’s levels.
- Research publications, such as conference presentations and scientific manuscripts.
- Professional work and community service experience relevant to public health, medicine, and research.
- Commitment to, and interest in, working to improve the public’s health.
- Alignment with active research in the department led by core and affiliated faculty.
Students are generally offered competitive funding packages that are eligible for renewal each academic year, conditional on satisfactory completion of the program’s milestones and availability of funding. Teaching assistantships, research assistantships, grant funding from faculty, and doctoral research awards (e.g., NIH F31) are common sources of funding for students.
Program Prerequisites
- The program requires that applicants have a minimum of 3.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) in prior degrees, including bachelor’s and master’s degree, from an accredited institution in public health or a related field.
- A (B+) 3.2 or greater in master’s level quantitative coursework is a minimum requirement for admission (e.g., MPH-level biostatistics 1 and 2).
- Two letters of recommendation with satisfactory characterization of the applicant are required; the letters must address academic skills and research potential.
- The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is required of all international applicants (unless your country of residency has English as an official language or you already have been issued a higher education degree earned from an institution in a country with English as an official language). Please refer to the Graduate College regarding requirements for any and all updates such as accepted test scores and accepted measures of language proficiency. A primary advisor must be identified, a satisfactory interview with the advisor must be completed, and the advisor must be willing to mentor the applicant.
- All applications need to include a personal statement. In addition to discussing areas of interest, career goals, and how this program will help the applicant to reach goals, the following information should be included in the statement:
- Research experience, when applicable: please indicate length and type of experience;
- Practice experience, when applicable: please indicate the length and type of agency;
- Advisor preference: please designate primary faculty advisor, and secondary advisors in order of preference.
- GRE scores are not required for admission, but can be submitted by applicants to demonstrate strength in a particular area (e.g., quantitative skills).
- To receive priority in admissions and funding decisions, applications must be completed by December 15. Applications submitted after this date and before March 30 may be reviewed pending available space in the cohort. Any applications received after March 30 will not be considered. Applicants will typically be notified of an invitation to interview in January with an admissions decision by the end of February. All decisions will be shared with applicants on or before April 15 at the latest.
Application
To submit an application, please follow the instructions on the Graduate College website.
Admissions Review
The admissions process takes place in two (2) stages: Preliminary review and virtual interview. Preliminary review consists of the PhD admissions committee reviewing all applicants’ materials, including academic transcripts, personal statement, curriculum vitae (CV), letters of recommendation, and other optional materials submitted on behalf of the applicant (e.g., GRE scores are optional). Based upon the preliminary review, selected applicants will be invited to participate in a 30-minute virtual interview. Following the completion of the preliminary review and interview stages, admissions decisions will be made and shared with the selected applicants.
Admission to our PhD program is based on a holistic evaluation of the student’s profile, available funding, and identification of a willing mentor who is a good fit for the student’s interests. While an appropriate advisor and willing mentor must be identified as part of this process, admission is competitive and meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission nor does failure to meet all of these requirements necessarily constitute preclusion from admission if applicants offer other appropriate strengths.
Most accepted students enroll in the following course sequence:
- Year 1, Fall
- Epidemiology Methods III
- Biostatistics III
- Seminar in Epidemiology
- Year 1, Spring
- Grant Writing in Epidemiology and the Public Health Sciences
- Advanced Quantitative Methods in Epidemiology
- Seminar in Epidemiology
- Year 2, Fall
- Methodological elective in epidemiology/biostatistics
- Analytical elective in epidemiology/biostatistcs
- Seminar in Epidemiology
- Year 2, Winter
- Written qualifying exam in epidemiology
- Year 2, Spring
- Methodological or analytical elective in epidemiology/biostatistics
- Seminar in Epidemiology
- Year 2, Summer
- Oral thesis proposal defense
- Achieve candidacy
- Years 3-4
- Dissertation and final oral exam
- Dr. Sarah Elizabeth Scales (Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center)
- Dr. Zackery White (Principal Research Analyst, Unite Us)
- Dr. Abby Storm (Manager, Research Data and Analytics, Nemours)
Epidemiology Faculty Advisor Directory | Research Interests |
Jennifer Horney, PhD, MPH, CPH Professor and Founding Director | Disaster epidemiology Health impacts of disasters |
Daniel Harris, PhD, MPH Assistant Professor | Pharmacoepidemiology Aging Dementia Care |
Jee Won Park, PhD, MPH Assistant Professor | Cardiovascular health HIV epidemiology Social determinants of health Psychosocial factors |
Tarang Parekh, PhD, MBBS Assistant Professor | Cardiovascular disease Disability Social determinants of health Substance use |
ADDITIONAL LINKS
Connect
Tower at STAR: 100 Discovery Blvd, Newark, DE 19713 | Health Sciences Complex: 540 S. College Ave, Newark, DE 19713 chs-info@udel.edu Phone: 302-831-1060