The Department of Epidemiology of the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health is leading research and prevention activities that impact public health by training students to evaluate and respond to important public health issues in aging and chronic disease prevention, reproductive health, environmental health and infectious diseases.
The program provides a strong foundation in epidemiology, which is a core discipline in public health. Our epidemiology graduate programs incorporate into the teaching program activites that provide a practical and clinically relevant educational experience that is based on a foundation of research excellence.. Students take a series of core courses in epidemiology and public health, and may choose to focus on one of several Areas of Emphasis. Faculty in each of these areas direct major research programs and training grants that provide excellent opportunities for student research and field training.
Find a research program for your interests
Pitt Public Health faculty members conduct small and large observational studies and clinical trials of problems that have major impact on the health of populations, such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, premature birth, and injury. Faculty members may also lead field centers or coordinating centers for multicenter national and international observational studies and clinical trials.
Major Areas of Emphasis include:
- Aging Epidemiology
- Applied Public Health Epidemiology
- Cancer Epidemiology
- Cardiovascular & Diabetes Epidemiology
- Clinical Trials & Methods
- Environmental Epidemiology
- Global Health Epidemiology
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- Injury Prevention Epidemiology
- Molecular & Genetic Epidemiology
- Neuroepidemiology
- Obesity & Nutritional Epidemiology
- Prevention, Lifestyle & Physical Activity Epidemiology
- Psychiatric Epidemiology
- Reproductive, Perinatal & Pediatric Epidemiology
- Women’s Health Epidemiology
Pursue a career in epidemiology
Graduates of Pitt Public Health pursue epidemiology careers in three main areas:
- Academic epidemiologists work in universities or other research institutes, such as RAND Corporation. They design research studies to answer important questions about risk factors and outcomes. In the university setting, faculty epidemiologists teach courses in epidemiologic methods and mentor master’s and doctoral students working on research projects.
- Public health practice epidemiologists may conduct surveys, monitor the rise or fall in health outcomes through epidemiologic surveillance and designing and executing interventions to impact public health.
- Health care epidemiologists work in the health care setting to track medical treatments and outcomes and design interventions to improve outcomes.
Degrees
Five graduate epidemiology programs are available at Pitt Public Health: