Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Epidemiologic Science

Welcome to the University of Michigan PhD program in Epidemiologic Science, where we prepare students to become leaders in academia, government, industry, and other fields. Our program combines rigorous training in epidemiologic theory and methods with opportunities for hands-on research, mentorship, and professional development.

What to Expect

Students enter the program as pre-candidates and typically spend their first year completing coursework in advanced epidemiology, causal inference, and biostatistics. This coursework provides a strong foundation for the research and training that follow. Just as importantly, the first year gives students the opportunity to build lasting relationships with their cohort, other PhD students, mentors, and faculty.

After completing the comprehensive written exam, typically at the end of the first year, students advance to candidacy and begin developing their dissertation proposal, known as the “prospectus,” during their second year. Students typically complete the PhD in four years, although the time to degree varies depending on each student’s research and individual circumstances.

For more information about our students and graduates, please see our doctoral program statistics. For a detailed description of program requirements, please review the PhD guidelines.

Why Choose Michigan?

Students come from diverse backgrounds.
We welcome students from a wide range of academic, professional, and personal backgrounds who have the theoretical and quantitative preparation needed for advanced study in epidemiology. We are committed to building a community that values different backgrounds, cultures, perspectives, and experiences, and we strive to create an environment where every student feels supported and included.

Our faculty are leaders in the field.
Our 70+ faculty members are internationally recognized for their research and contributions to epidemiology and public health. Their expertise spans infectious and chronic diseases, disease modeling, public health practice, policy, causal inference, and many other areas. Students have the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with faculty who are helping shape the field.

We provide full funding.
We are committed to supporting our PhD students financially throughout their training. Admission offers include funding for tuition and a stipend, with our students receiving up to five years of funding through fellowships, scholarships, graduate student research assistantships, and graduate student instructor positions.

Students become part of research teams.
From the beginning of the program, students are connected with mentors and research teams. This provides opportunities to gain hands-on research experience, apply classroom knowledge to real-world questions, and develop the skills needed to become independent researchers.

We provide rigorous, up-to-date training.
Our curriculum is continuously reviewed and updated to ensure that students receive the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in a rapidly evolving field. Students develop expertise in epidemiologic theory and methods, causal inference, study design, biostatistics, and the management and analysis of health data using statistical programming tools.

Mentorship is central to the doctoral experience.
Students join a collaborative and intellectually engaged community where faculty are invested in their growth. Each student works with a dedicated mentor and has access to a broader network of faculty advisors who provide guidance on research, teaching, and career development. Many of our graduates identify these mentoring relationships as one of the most rewarding parts of their Michigan experience.

Travel and research funding are available.
In addition to funding provided through the department, PhD students can access opportunities through the University of Michigan Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies. These include funding to present research at national and international conferences and grants to support dissertation research.

Our students are exceptional.
Our PhD students are accomplished researchers and scholars who contribute to the field throughout their time at Michigan. Students have received university-wide scholarships, scholar-in-training awards from international organizations, and other competitive honors. They publish in leading journals and present their research at major national and international conferences. You can learn more about our students through our current doctoral student profiles.

Preparing Students for Careers in Epidemiology

Our goal is to provide doctoral students with the knowledge, skills, and experience they need to become independent epidemiologic researchers. Students develop a strong understanding of causal inference, learn how to design rigorous studies, and gain proficiency in managing and analyzing complex health data using statistical software and programming languages.

Our graduates pursue careers in academia, government, industry, nonprofit organizations, and other settings where epidemiologic research can improve health and inform policy.

Our Admissions Process

Our admissions process is holistic—there is no single recipe for success.

We consider each applicant's academic background, letters of recommendation, research and professional experiences, and commitment to a career in epidemiology. We seek students who have the potential to succeed in our rigorous program and who will contribute to our diverse and collaborative community.

Because epidemiology is a quantitative field, we pay particular attention to applicants' preparation in quantitative methods. This preparation can be demonstrated in many ways, including strong performance in graduate-level epidemiology or biostatistics courses, independent research projects, internships or other experiences outside the classroom, and publications or other work that demonstrates the ability to approach quantitative questions and communicate results clearly.

If you are unsure whether you meet the minimum requirements or have questions about your preparation, please contact the Epidemiology Admissions team at EpidAdmissions@umich.edu before submitting an application.

Admissions Requirements and Preparation

Specific Minimum Requirements

Applicants to the PhD program should meet the following minimum requirements:

A relevant master's degree. Applicants should have an MPH in Epidemiology or another relevant master's degree, such as a Master of Public Health, Master of Science in Biostatistics, or a related field.
Prior coursework in public health or research methods. Applicants should have completed at least one course in public health or research methods, preferably in epidemiology and/or biostatistics. If the course was completed at an international institution, applicants should provide information about the topics covered and the quantitative methods included in the course.
Strong academic preparation. Competitive applicants typically have demonstrated strong academic performance (B+ or better) in epidemiology, biostatistics, or related coursework.
English proficiency for international applicants. Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency. The University of Michigan Institution Code for the TOEFL is 1839. The minimum scores required for admission are a TOEFL Internet-based Test (iBT) score of 100 or higher or an IELTS score of 7.0 or higher. Applicants who have earned a degree from an institution where the language of instruction is exclusively English are exempt from submitting an official English proficiency score.

Recommended Coursework and Experience

Our doctoral curriculum is designed to build on the preparation students receive at the master's level in public health or a related field. Before entering the program, we recommend that students have prior training in:

Basic regression methods
Major elements of epidemiologic study design
Programming in at least one of the major languages used in epidemiology, such as SAS, R, or Stata

Our departmental courses are taught in R. Students who are not yet comfortable with R are encouraged to gain some familiarity with the language before beginning their doctoral coursework. Prior programming experience is helpful, but students do not need to be expert programmers when they enter the program.

For more information about the advanced knowledge and skills developed through our doctoral curriculum, please see the PhD program competencies.

Mentorship and Faculty Research

Mentorship is at the center of our doctoral training model. Students work closely with a primary mentor as well as a network of faculty advisors who support their academic, research, and professional development.

Faculty research programs provide the foundation for many students' dissertation work. We therefore strongly encourage prospective applicants to explore our department faculty profiles and identify faculty whose research interests, areas of expertise, and methodological approaches align with their own interests.

Applicants are encouraged to identify faculty members with whom they share research interests in their application. However, identifying a particular faculty member does not guarantee that the faculty member will serve as the student's mentor. Please note that only core faculty members may serve as the primary mentors for PhD students. Applications may be shared more broadly within the department to identify potential mentors and appropriate research matches. There will also be opportunities for applicants to learn more about potential faculty mentors during the admissions process.

Prospective applicants are not required or expected to contact faculty members before submitting an application. We encourage applicants to focus on clearly describing their research interests, preparation, and goals in their application. There will be opportunities for competitive students to interview with faculty members in their area of interest after the review of applications has begun.

View Current Doctoral Student Profiles

Doctoral Program Details

Admission Procedure

Applicants for the Epidemiologic Science PhD program should complete the Rackham School of Graduate Studies application. The Epidemiology PhD program is listed as "Public Health Epidemiologic Science".

Application Information

Through the online application (Rackham School of Graduate Studies), applicants must submit the following:

Statement of Purpose
- A concise (2 pages or less), well-written essay about:
  - Why you want to pursue a PhD in Epidemiology and why you are qualified to do so;
  - Your academic and career goals; and
  - How our graduate program will help you meet your goals.
- Please indicate the area(s) of faculty research in our department that are of interest to you.
  - Refer to our list of departmental faculty to view research programs and interest areas. (Please note that only core faculty should be listed as potential mentors of interest.)
  - This statement is an important part of the application to help us see how your interests and strengths align with our department. Consider getting feedback from mentors, peers, and a writing center if you have access to one. There are also many online resources to help you write outstanding personal statements.
Personal Statement
- This statement should be a brief (500-word limit) description of your background.
- How have your background and life experiences, including cultural, geographical, financial, educational, or other opportunities or challenges, motivated your decision to pursue a PhD in epidemiology and the specific area that you would like to focus on. Please be sure to highlight your experiences that make you a strong candidate for the program.
- If you would like to provide context on any aspect of your application, such as a few poor grades on your transcript, please do so here.
Quantitative Experiences Statement
- In an effort to gain an understanding of your quantitative skills, we require a statement as part of the application process.
- This short essay (limited to 500 words) asks you to summarize the strength of your analytical and quantitative skills by addressing the following (if applicable):
  - Discuss specific details and examples of relevant research, work, volunteer, or professional experiences that involved analytical and/or quantitative skills and tasks. You may also incorporate instances where you worked with data.
  - If you have experience working with quantitative data, describe how you used it to solve a complex problem and include how you communicated your findings.
Transcripts
- Applicants who attended or are attending a U.S. Institution:
  - Upload an electronic version of your official transcript(s) for each Bachelor’s, Master’s, Professional, or Doctoral degree earned or in progress through your ApplyWeb application account.
- Applicants who attended or are attending a Non-U.S. Institution:
  - Review Required Academic Credentials from Non-U.S.Institutions for transcript/academic record requirements by country or region. Submitting transcript/academic records is a two-step process.
  - Upload an electronic version of your official transcript/academic record for each institution attended through your ApplyWeb application account.
  - See Rackham’s detailed instructions on how to submit transcripts/academic records to the Rackham Graduate School.
Three Letters of Recommendation - academic and professional recommendations are desired; personal recommendations are not accepted.

Standardized Tests

Michigan Public Health does not require and does not review GRE or other standardized test scores for admission to any master's or doctoral programs. Applications will be reviewed holistically based on required application components. Please contact our admissions staff at sph-inquiries@umich.edu if you have questions.

Fee Waivers

In certain circumstances, you may be eligible for an application fee waiver administered by Rackham Graduate School. Visit the Rackham Graduate School website to determine whether you qualify for any available fee waivers. Please note that because the number of fee waivers available from Rackham are limited, we are not able to guarantee waivers for all qualified applicants.

At the end of doctoral training, we expect the students to:

Critically evaluate and synthesize the scientific literature and develop new hypotheses to address gaps in our knowledge.
Have a mastery of epidemiology study designs and select a design that is appropriate to address a specific study question.
Demonstrate a thorough understanding of causal inference, sources of bias, and methods to improve the validity of epidemiologic studies.
Design a research project that addresses an important population health or clinical question, using appropriate epidemiologic methods under constraints confronted in practice.
Understand the principles and methods of data collection and data processing procedures in the design and conduct of epidemiologic research, with sound knowledge of measurement validity and reliability, data quality control, data management, documentation, and security.
Employ state-of-the-art statistical and other quantitative methods in the analysis of epidemiologic data.
Demonstrate mastery in a substantive area of population health, and in this area integrate relevant biological, behavioral, and social mechanisms that operate at multiple levels of causation.
Demonstrate excellent skills in the writing of scientific papers and grant applications.
Provide clear and effective oral communications of epidemiologic concepts, methods, results, and implications to scientists, students, policy-makers, and the public.
Understand and demonstrate in practice the ethical responsibilities of an epidemiologist to behave with scientific integrity.

After admission to the doctoral program, there are two major stages in the program to be completed before receiving your PhD degree. These stages are the pre-candidacy stage and the candidacy stage.

Pre-Candidacy

The major tasks of a pre-candidate are to acquire 18 in-residence course credits (with three cognate credits of non-epidemiology coursework); complete the epidemiology course requirements; and successfully pass the written competency examination.

Candidacy

The major tasks of a candidate are to develop a dissertation research plan; write a prospectus of the proposed dissertation research plan; present the research plan to the entire dissertation committee during the oral preliminary examination and receive approval of the proposed dissertation research; complete the proposed dissertation research with the ongoing guidance of the dissertation committee; and present the dissertation research in a final oral examination, the dissertation defense.

In general, the entire (matriculation to degree earned) Epidemiologic Science Doctoral Program takes a total of 3 to 5 years to complete (median time to degree completion is 4 years). The actual duration depends on the time it takes to: a) prepare for and pass the competency exam (1 or 2 years); b) develop a dissertation research plan and pass the oral preliminary examination (about 1 year); and c) complete the dissertation research and successfully defend it during the final oral examination (1-3 years).

The Department of Epidemiology has an excellent track record of fully funding all of our students for the duration of their degree. There are four main types of financial support that we offer our students: Graduate Student Research Assistant (GSRA), Graduate Student Instructor (GSI), Training Grants positions, and Fellowships. All Epidemiologic Science doctoral students have a funding plan and initial mentoring plan included in their admission letter.

Funding for Doctoral Students

All students admitted to one of our doctoral programs are considered for financial support. There are four types of financial support that we offer our students: Graduate Student Instructor (GSI), Graduate Student Research Assistant (GSRA), Training Grants and Fellowships.

Graduate Student Instructor (GSI)

Graduate Student Instructors are appointed at 50% effort, which involves working approximately 20 hours per week. This appointment includes full payment of tuition, health insurance coverage, registration fees, and a monthly stipend. The duties of a GSI can include preparing materials for labs, teaching labs, holding office hours, grading homework and exams, and tutoring.

Graduate Student Research Assistant (GSRA)

Graduate Student Research Assistants are appointed at 50% effort, which involves working approximately 20 hours per week on a research project. This appointment includes full payment of tuition, health insurance coverage, registration fees, and a monthly stipend. GSRAs generally work closely with a faculty member who is a principal or co-investigator on the research project. The duties of the GSRA can involve analysis of biomedical research data or statistical research. Currently, GSRAs are working on projects involving statistical methods development and application to bioinformatics, cancer, clinical trials, dentistry, diabetes, environmental health, epidemiology, genetics, health education, kidney disease, and survival analysis.

Training Grants

Some students are supported through involvement in training grants which provide support similar to the GSRA or GSI appointments. Check with your department for specific training grants available.

Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards

Awards for tuition assistance are available and are granted without a work obligation. These awards are generally made on the basis of academic merit, expected contribution to the field, and to students with underrepresented backgrounds. Some examples of awards our students have received include:

Other award/scholarship opportunities exist for continuing students. They include:

Financial Aid for Doctoral Students

Many of our students are offered funding as GSIs, GSRAs or graduate fellows. If you do not receive such an offer, you may apply for financial aid through the University of Michigan’s Office of Financial Aid. This office requires applicants for any and all types of financial aid to complete the Free Application for Federal Student AID (FAFSA) provided by the American College Testing Center (ACTC).

A FAFSA will be sent to you directly if you indicate your interest in financial assistance on the admission application form. FAFSAs are available from most high school or college libraries and financial aid officers, as well as from the School of Public Health Office of Student Affairs.