College of Public Health

Courses

Epidemiology

The Department of Epidemiology focuses on surveillance for disease, risk factors for disease in the general population, behavioral factors in disease, use and outcome of health interventions and care, and the establishment and evaluation of disease control measures in the community. Students are guided by faculty members whose research interests include epidemiology of communication disorders, pharmacoepidemiology, cancer epidemiology, infectious disease epidemiology, adverse reproductive outcome epidemiology, anatomic pathology, genetics, cardiovascular disease, nutrition, smoking cessation, epidemiology of reproduction, dental epidemiology, clinical epidemiology, neuroepidemiology, meta-analysis, intervention trials, international health, and effects of aging.

Graduate Programs

Master of Science in Epidemiology

The M.S. in epidemiology requires 38 s.h. of graduate credit and is offered with or without thesis. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 3.00. Those who receive a grade of C on 7 s.h. or more of course work may be dismissed from the program. Students who choose to complete the degree without thesis are required to pass a comprehensive examination.

Students are required to attend departmental seminars and journal club. They also must present one scientific poster at an international, national, regional, state, university, or department poster session.

The following courses are required.

REQUIRED COURSES

One of these:

069:133 Introduction to Human Pathology

4 s.h.

069:270 Pathogenesis of Major Human Diseases

3 s.h.

One of these:

173:255 Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases

3 s.h.

173:260 Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases

3 s.h.

One of these:

172:150 Health Behavior and Health Education

3 s.h.

173:280 Introduction to Health Care Organization and Policy

3 s.h.

175:197 Environmental Health

3 s.h.

One of these:

173:195 Preceptorship in Epidemiology (for nonthesis students)

3 s.h.

173:300 Thesis/Dissertation (for thesis students, may be taken twice)

3 s.h.

ELECTIVES

Students also must earn at least 2 s.h. in course work pertinent to their educational goals and background. Students may choose an epidemiology course or another graduate course, with their advisor's approval. The following courses are recommended.

171:164 Research Data Management

3 s.h.

171:174 Introductory Longitudinal Data Analysis

3 s.h.

171:242 Applied Survival and Cohort Data Analysis

3 s.h.

Master of Science in Clinical Investigation

The M.S. in clinical investigation requires 30 s.h. of graduate credit. It includes in-depth training in biostatistics, epidemiology, research ethics, and academic survival skills as well as didactic training applicable to clinical research careers.

Graduates of the program are able to critically evaluate clinical literature, write competitive grant proposals, design and conduct clinical research projects, work effectively with other researchers and support staff, and disseminate research results through manuscripts and presentations.

Applicants to the program must have completed at least 6 s.h. of pathology, physiology, and/or pharmacology. Those lacking this preparation are required to take courses that fill this requirement during their enrollment in the program.

The M.S. in clinical investigation requires the following course work.

REQUIRED COURSES

All of these:

173:150 Introduction to Clinical Epidemiology

2 s.h.

173:152 Clinical Research Career Development

1 s.h.

173:163 Seminar in Clinical Research (four semesters, 1 s.h. each)

4 s.h.

173:211 Grant Writing for Clinical Investigators

1 s.h.

173:295 Clinical Research Ethics

2 s.h.

One of these:

173:160 Introduction to Epidemiologic Data Analysis With Computers

2 s.h.

173:161 Patient-Oriented Research-Data Analysis

3 s.h.

One of these:

173:195 Preceptorship in Epidemiology

3-6 s.h.

173:300 Thesis

3-6 s.h.

EPIDEMIOLOGY CORE

Both of these:

171:241 Applied Categorical Data Analysis or approved substitute

3 s.h.

173:140 Epidemiology I: Principles

3 s.h.

One of these:

171:161 Introduction to Biostatistics

3 s.h.

171:201 Biostatistical Methods I

4 s.h.

One of these:

171:162 Design and Analysis of Biomedical Studies

3 s.h.

171:202 Biostatistical Methods II

4 s.h.

FOCUS AREA ELECTIVES

General (Applicable to More Than One Focus Area)

Patient-Oriented Research

Epidemiology and Behavioral Research

Outcomes and Health Services Research

Doctor of Philosophy in Epidemiology

The Ph.D. requires a minimum of 75 s.h. of graduate credit. Doctoral students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 3.00. Those who receive a grade of C on 7 s.h. or more of course work may be dismissed from the program.

All doctoral students must successfully complete a qualifying examination, a comprehensive examination, and a dissertation--a substantial scholarly treatise. The research topic and content, which vary depending on the program of study, must be approved by the student's dissertation committee. Other degree requirements include approved electives chosen from Department of Epidemiology courses and other University of Iowa courses.

Students are required to attend departmental seminars and journal club. They also must present one scientific poster at an international, national, regional, state, university, or department poster session.

The following courses are required.

REQUIRED COURSES

One of these:

069:133 Introduction to Human Pathology

4 s.h.

069:270 Pathogenesis of Major Human Diseases

3 s.h.

One of these:

027:130 Human Physiology

3 s.h.

072:153 Graduate Physiology

6 s.h.

Ph.D. students also must earn 3 s.h. in epidemiology courses outside their emphasis area.

ELECTIVES

DISSERTATION

173:300 Thesis

10-18 s.h.

Admission

M.S. and Ph.D. in Epidemiology

All M.S. program applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree and have a cumulative g.p.a. of at least 3.00. Undergraduate preparation must include two semesters of biological sciences, and mathematics through algebra.

Ph.D. program applicants must hold a baccalaureate degree (an M.S. or M.P.H. usually is required), and must have a cumulative g.p.a. of at least 3.00. Courses in the biological, physical and mathematical sciences provide important background; one semester of calculus and two semesters of biological sciences are highly recommended. Computing skills also are desirable.

All applicants to the M.S. or Ph.D. program must have taken the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test.

International applicants who do not hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada (except Quebec), Australia, or New Zealand must score at least 600 (paper-based), 250 (computer-based), or 100 (Internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). International applicants who score 550-599 (paper-based), 213-249 (computer-based), or 81-99 (Internet-based) are required to take English fluency courses. Applicants who score below those ranges are not considered for admission. The department accepts International English Testing System (IELTS) scores of 7.0 or higher, with no subscore below 6.0, in place of TOEFL scores.

All M.S. and Ph.D. applicants and students are required to have strong written and oral communication skills.

Application deadlines for fall entrance to the M.S. in epidemiology are July 1 for U.S. citizens, April 15 for international applicants. Application deadlines for spring entrance are April 15 for U.S. citizens, March 1 for international applicants.

Application deadline for fall entrance to the Ph.D. in epidemiology is April 1. Application deadline for spring entrance (not encouraged) is October 1.

M.S. in Clinical Investigation

All applicants must have taken the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), or Dental Admissions Test (DAT). International applicants who do not hold a degree from an accredited English-speaking college or university must have taken the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Applicants are considered based on their credentials, prior training, and research training plans. An applicant with deficiencies in one area may be admitted if all other components of his or her application are strong.

The M.S. in clinical investigation accepts students only for summer entrance. Application deadlines are April 15 for U.S. citizens, March 1 for international applicants.

Financial Support

Opportunities for funded predoctoral fellowships are available. Funded positions sponsored by federal agencies are available only to U.S. citizens.

Resources

The State Health Registries of Iowa, which encompasses the Iowa Cancer Registry and the Iowa Registry for Congenital and Inherited Disorders, works in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Public Health to collect medical data on Iowans. It is one of 10 registries nationwide that report data to the National Cancer Institute.

The Preventive Intervention Center conducts population-based intervention trials to prevent occurrence and recurrence of disease and to promote wellness, with a focus on the elderly. The Lipid Research Clinic specializes in research promoting prevention of cardiovascular disease and provides an interdisciplinary approach to risk factor interventions. The Health Effectiveness Research Center is a collaborative research enterprise with the College of Pharmacy that studies whether particular health care treatments or services are over- or underutilized. The Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases employs epidemiological methods, laboratory technologies, and clinical evaluations to achieve a better understanding of emerging infectious diseases. The Nutrition Center provides expertise in nutrition and dietary assessment, dietary interventions, and nutrition lifestyle change strategies.

Courses