Epidemiology

Overview

The Epidemiology program offered by Tulane University appeals to professionals currently employed in the health field and as well as those without previous training or experience in public health.

The MPH in epidemiology is highly analytical and methods-based. Students learn to apply conceptual methodology to the study of public health problems and health disparities as a means of understanding how to prevent or address them.  As an MPH student in epidemiology, the knowledge base and research skills are applied within a chosen content area of current importance in the field, such as chronic or infectious disease; environmental, reproductive, molecular/cancer, or genetic epidemiology. Through coursework and other learning experiences, students gain a thorough knowledge of the sources of health data, how to collect data from original sources, how to process, analyze and effectively report findings from epidemiologic studies.

Graduates can design and carry out studies in which epidemiologic information is needed for making sound health policy decisions or for the management of research projects in both public and private agencies and institutions. 

Program Competencies

• Identify characteristics of major study designs used in epidemiologic research, including assessment of the threats to validity for each design.

• Evaluate readings from the epidemiologic literature for methodologic strengths and weaknesses, including appropriateness of the study design relative to the research question, and potential threats to the validity of study findings.

• Analyze and interpret public health and epidemiologic data, using appropriate statistical software and statistical techniques.

• Write a study protocol for a specific research question, incorporating scientific rationale, study design, and details of research methods.