Public Health, MPH: Epidemiology

The Epidemiology track provides an integrated multidisciplinary curriculum that bridges epidemiologic theory, research, and practice to prepare students to engage in rigorous, collaborative, evidence-informed and reflexive public health practice. Through both didactic and experiential learning, students acquire foundations of applied epidemiological methods, epidemiologic data analysis, public health data science/biostatistics, theories of social inequality, social epidemiology, and community partnership building. Students are also able to acquire expertise in chronic disease, nutritional and environmental epidemiology. The curriculum emphasizes the application of epidemiologic theory and methods to promote social justice and health equity. Graduates are able to collect, analyze, and interpret epidemiological information, generate theory-driven hypotheses and research questions, and work in true collaboration with diverse community partners across a variety of public health settings to create social change to improve the public’s health and reduce health inequities. 

Related Certificates

• Interprofessional Graduate Certificate in Public and Population Health
• Graduate Certificate in Maternal and Child Health
• Graduate Certificate in Non-Profit Management
  
   

The Zilber College of Public Health (ZCPH) offers a Master of Public Health (MPH) with concentration in six tracks of study, a PhD in Public Health with a Concentration in Community and Behavioral Health Promotion, a PhD in Public Health with a Concentration in Biostatistics, a PhD in Environmental Health Sciences, and a PhD in Epidemiology.

Master of Public Health

Admission Requirements 

Application Deadlines

Application deadlines vary by program, please review the application deadline chart for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.

Admission

An applicant must meet Graduate School requirements as well as the desired track of study requirements. The following steps must be met to be considered for admission to the MPH Program. These materials will be considered in a holistic admissions process with special attention to ensure a diverse student body.

1. Three letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant’s academic experience and potential for graduate work in public health.
2. CV or Resume.
3. Address the following two short essay questions*, limiting responses to no more than 500 words (approximately 250 words per question):
   • Describe how your professional, volunteer, and educational background has led you to seek a degree in public health.
   • How will your desired track of study help you reach your personal and professional goals in public health?
4. International applicants must also meet admission standards set and monitored by UWM's Center for International Education.
5. MPH applicants (except those applying to the Nutrition and Dietetics track) must use SOPHAS to apply. Applicants must select the track to which they are applying: Biostatistics, Community Health Equity Promotion, Environmental Health Sciences, Epidemiology, or Public Health Policy and Management.
6. MPH Nutrition and Dietetics track applicants must use DICAS to apply rather than SOPHAS.

*Students applying to the fully online MPH in Public Health Policy and Management must also respond to the following question: How will an online MPH in Public Health Policy and Management align with your current professional obligations and goals? 

*Students applying to the MPH in Nutrition and Dietetics must also respond to the following question: Based on your personal background and life experiences, discuss how you can make a unique contribution to the field of public health, nutrition, and dietetics. 

Credits and Courses

¹

Required for students in the Biostatistics, Environmental Health Science, Epidemiology, and Nutrition and Dietetics Tracks. Community Health Equity Promotion Track students who take a qualitative methods course and Public Health Policy and Management Track students would be exempt.

²

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory; may be taken for 1, 2, or 3 credits in a given semester. A total of 3 credits is required.

³

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory; completed in the final semester of study.

Field Experience

The Field Experience enables students to apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to public health problems in a community context. Students work with their Faculty Advisor and college staff to identify a placement that matches their public health interests and career goals. Possible placement settings include a local health department, state health department, non-profit agency, hospital system, or research institute. Students in the Nutrition and Dietetics track will be provided with specific placement(s) by the program. The experience is a mentored placement engaging both a faculty advisor and a site preceptor. Students complete at least two products as agreed upon with the site preceptor. This course is offered in the summer, fall, and spring semesters.

Students complete three credits (80 contact hours per one credit, 240 hours total) with the organization. The specified competencies, scope of work, and final products for the organization are defined in a learning agreement, which is signed by the student, preceptor, faculty advisor and course instructor. Students must demonstrate attainment of at least five competencies, three of which must be Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) MPH Foundational Competencies (see Field Experience Handbook), and two of which are identified from the track competency sets.

The following two CEPH MPH Foundational Competencies are required of all students:

#16. Apply leadership and/or management principles to address a relevant issue (may include creating a vision, empowering others, fostering collaboration, and guiding decision making).

#19. Communicate audience-appropriate (i.e., non-academic, non-peer audience) public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation.

Students choose their third Foundational Competency.

Students enrolled in the Nutritional and Dietetics track will be required to demonstrate attainment of select competencies from the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) during Field Experience in Public Health. Nutrition and Dietetics students will be required to meet the 3-credit requirement for Field Experience in Public Health in one semester and complete additional field experience program requirements in food systems management and medical nutrition therapy.

In addition, students take the one-credit Leadership Public Health course. This course is designed to give students the opportunity to apply three specific CEPH MPH Foundational Competencies related to the Field Experience. The Field Experience setting provides students with opportunities to integrate these competencies through their projects, observe professionals in their organizations and the community, and learn important skills in these three areas. The required competencies are:

#16. Apply leadership and/or management principles to address a relevant issue (may include creating a vision, empowering others, fostering collaboration, and guiding decision making).

#17. Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges (among parties with conflicting interests and/or different desired outcomes).

#21. Integrate perspectives from other sectors and/or professions to promote and advance population health (direct engagement between student[s] and individual[s] in a sector or profession other than public health to complete a task or solve a problem).

Students fulfill these competencies with readings and through a series of activities including case studies or scenarios/role playing exercises. Assessments for the leadership, negotiation and interprofessional team competencies include participation in the sessions and written papers. The Leadership in Public Health course is offered in the summer and fall semesters. All four Field Experience and Leadership course credits may be taken in one semester or spread out over two semesters.

Capstone

The capstone requires students to integrate the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom, Field Experience, and/or lab into some aspect of professional public health practice. The capstone project is an opportunity for students to synthesize and demonstrate public health competencies. Capstone projects can vary by track and usually include analysis of information and data. The projects also include a comprehensive literature review as required by track.

Students work with their Faculty Advisor to write a project proposal the semester prior to the capstone reflecting the student's interests and career goals. Students then implement the project during their final semester of the program. The project has both written paper and oral presentation components. 

Epidemiology Concentration

 Electives

Additional Requirements

Faculty Advisor

Each student will be assigned a track-specific Faculty Advisor during Orientation week preceding the first semester. Faculty Advisors assist the student in the development of an individual Plan of Study designed to advance the career goals of the student and be consistent with the track curriculum. The Advisor plays an important role in connecting the Field Experience, Capstone, and career goals for each student. If deemed necessary, any student can petition to the Zilber Office of Academic and Student Affairs for a reassignment of Faculty Advisor. Program track faculty will make every effort to accommodate requests to give all students opportunities for success in the MPH Program.

Thesis

Not required. See capstone for similar culminating experience.

Comprehensive Examination

Not required. See capstone for similar culminating experience.

Time Limit

The student must complete all degree requirements within seven years of initial enrollment.

Public Health MPH: Epidemiology Learning Outcomes

Master of Public Health students in the Epidemiology Track can expect to:  

1. Identify critical social science, social epidemiology, and health equity theories that shape the framing, methods and interpretation of epidemiologic research and practice.  
2. Identify and describe socio-structural, environmental, behavioral and biological determinants of health and heath equity.  
3. Systematically gather, critically evaluate and synthesize epidemiological literature and other relevant information to advance population health and health equity.  
4. Apply appropriate field and surveillance methods to investigate disease outbreaks and assess patterns of exposures and health outcomes in the population.  
5. Develop self-reflexive and other practical skills for ethical engagement with study participants, communities, and colleagues, in the performance of research and practice activities.  
6. Select epidemiologic methods and conduct statistical analyses to describe patterns of health and determinants of health, assess associations between exposures and health outcomes while minimizing threats to causal inference.  
7. Critically evaluate epidemiologic literature with attention to strengths and limitations of the study design, methods, analytic approach, and policy and practice implications.  

Public Health MPH Learning Outcomes   

All MPH students in UWM’s Zilber College of Public Health can expect to:  

1. Explain the foundational principles and historical perspectives that shape the field of public health.  
2. Describe how multiple determinants, including socioeconomic, biological, behavioral, and environmental, and the interrelations among these determinants shape population health and health inequities.  
3. Integrate principles of social and environmental justice within public health practice and research.  
4. Employ ethical principles and protocols in public health practice and research.  
5. Implement approaches to public health practice and research that recognize the social, cultural and environmental circumstances of individuals, communities and populations.  
6. Utilize appropriate quantitative and/or qualitative methods in public health practice and research.  
7. Apply interdisciplinary theories, research methods and best practices to address public health issues and promote population health.  
8. Collect, synthesize and critically analyze information and data to identify and address public health issues and inform interventions.  
9. Practice professionalism; demonstrated by integrity, respect, transparency, sound judgment, and constructive interactions with colleagues, community members, stakeholders and the public at large.  
10. Demonstrate leadership and partnership skills that foster and support collaborations across diverse communities, settings and sectors.  
11. Communicate effectively about public health issues with diverse audiences using a variety of strategies and modalities.  
12. Advocate for the public’s health and health equity. 

Accelerated Program Option

This program is offered as part of an accelerated graduate program. For more information, see Accelerated Graduate Degrees.

Public Health, BS/Public Health, MPH: Epidemiology

This accelerated graduate degree involves the following bachelor’s and master’s degrees: Public Health, BS and Public Health, MPH: Epidemiology. There are up to 9 forward-shared credits and up to 21 backward-shared credits for a total up to 30 shared credits.

Eligible Forward-Shared Courses

Nine (9) graduate-level credits taken in undergraduate status may count towards the MPH. These credits may include any of the required or elective course options for the MPH degree except PH 800. PH 708 fulfills the BSPH requirement for PH 408.

Eligible Backward-Shared Courses

All courses that count toward the MPH degree may be shared backward toward the BSPH except PH 800. PH 790 fulfills the PH 600 requirement for the BSPH.

Undergraduate Requirements

Application to the Public Health, BS/Public Health, MPH: Epidemiology program consists of two steps:

1. Internal application to the Zilber College for acceptance into the accelerated MPH.
2. After internally accepted, students will formally apply to the UWM Graduate School in fall year 4.

Before students can enroll in any forward-shared graduate MPH courses, students must apply to the Zilber College for acceptance into the accelerated MPH. Applications will usually be due by February 1 of their junior year. All students must demonstrate that they have completed sufficient coursework to apply. Working with their Zilber College academic advisor, students must demonstrate that they will complete the following before entering graduate status at the beginning of the spring semester of their senior year (or equivalent year for transfer students):

1. all public health major coursework except those to be backward shared (e.g., PH 600);
2. all GER and BSPH Foundations coursework; and
3. at least 99 credits towards the BSPH degree.

Students who meet the coursework minimums and have earned a minimum cumulative GPA of  3.700 in their undergraduate coursework at the time of their application to the accelerated MPH will be guaranteed admission to the Public Health, BS/Public Health, MPH: Epidemiology. To apply, they simply need to complete an application form (including a statement of purpose) that indicates their MPH concentration of choice and declares their intent to pursue the accelerated MPH. Zilber College program staff will obtain unofficial transcripts to support the application. 

Students who meet the coursework minimums and have earned a cumulative GPA between 3.000 and 3.699 can apply for selective admission. The application will consist of:

• Application form (including statement of purpose) that indicates their first and second ranked choice of MPH concentrations, and intent to pursue the accelerated MPH; 
• Two letters of recommendation consisting of one from a BSPH course instructor and one from someone other than a BSPH course instructor (e.g., an instructor of a course outside the public health major or a work or volunteer supervisor). The letters will assess the students' academic and intellectual strengths and weaknesses, and their maturity and suitability for an accelerated MPH program; and
• Unofficial transcripts obtained by Zilber College program staff.

Students will usually be informed by March 15 if they have been accepted into the accelerated MPH program. If they are not accepted into the program, they can continue their BSPH studies and then apply to the standard MPH Program. 

All students admitted to the program will be considered for any available Zilber College scholarships to cover tuition and other fees while in graduate student status. 

While in undergraduate status and taking forward-shared graduate coursework, students must complete the same academic work and follow the same performance standards as graduate students in the MPH program. 

Graduate School Admissions Requirements

Application to UWM Graduate School: Once students have been internally accepted into the accelerated MPH program, they must formally apply via the UWM Graduate School Admission Application. The Zilber College graduate advisor will email students with instructions on how to apply in early fall of their first semester in the accelerated MPH program.

Approved admission to the accelerated MPH program allows the student to enroll in 9 graduate credits of coursework during the fall of their senior year while they remain in undergraduate student status. Students must meet minimum grade standards in their forward-shared graduate courses to begin graduate student status in the spring of their senior year. These graduate courses can fulfill requirements for the BSPH degree even if students do not meet these Graduate School minimums. 

Maintaining Admission to the Graduate School and Starting Graduate Student Status

Admission to this program and to the Graduate School is described above. Students will begin their graduate career at the beginning of the spring semester of their senior (4th or equivalent for transfer students) year. To maintain admission to the Graduate School and begin graduate student status prior to completing their bachelor's degree, students must meet the following minimum Graduate School standards:

• Each graduate course that will be forward shared toward the MPH degree must follow the Graduate School Policy on Transfer Credit; and
• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale for all undergraduate coursework complete to date.

Maintaining Graduate Status 

• Consistent with UWM Graduate School and Zilber College policy, the cumulative graduate credit GPA must remain ≥ 3.0, including the forward-shared graduate credits that were taken during undergraduate status   

Once students begin graduate student status, they will complete the remaining up to 21 credits for their BSPH through backward-shared graduate coursework. Students who do not satisfactorily meet minimum Graduate Student standards in their last semester of undergraduate status (through Winterim session of their senior year), may continue with their BSPH and graduate in spring of their senior year. 

Sample Plan of Study

The sample plan below illustrates how students can progress through their undergraduate degree and transition into an Accelerated Graduate Degree (AGD). It provides an example of when undergraduate and graduate-level coursework may be completed and how shared credits can be applied toward both degrees. This is a sample plan, not a required course sequence, and your plan may vary. Work with your undergraduate advisor to develop an individualized plan and confirm all Accelerated Graduate Degree requirements.

^*

Many BSPH Justice and Equity Foundations courses also fulfil GER HA or GER CP Options. If those courses are selected, undergraduate students would have additional elective credits. Course Options for BSPH Foundations.

^**

Many BSPH Interdisciplinary Health Foundations courses also fulfil GER SBS. If selected, undergraduate students would have additional elective credits. Course Options for BSPH Foundations.

^***

Course options for Epi.

¹

Shares credit forward to graduate career. PH 708 fulfills the PH 408 requirement.

²

Shares credit backwards to undergraduate career. PH 790 fulfills the PH 600 requirement.