Requirements and Curriculum

The master’s degree in epidemiology requires a minimum of 33 credit hours of coursework.

The UB Graduate School requires a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and a minimum grade of B in every required course.

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Thesis Research

Through the mandatory thesis, you will raise theoretical questions or hypotheses and test them through conducting independent, epidemiologic research. This research provides opportunities to identify a problem, develop a research design, and analyze and interpret data. You will conduct your thesis research under the supervision of your major professor and a thesis committee.

Your research culminates in a written thesis which must be formally defended.

Required Courses

Principles and Methods of Epidemiology Core Courses

  • EEH 501 Principles of Epidemiology (4 credits)
    Must be completed in the first semester.
  • EEH 502 Advanced Methodology (3 credits)

Statistical Methods Core Courses

  • EEH 505 Application of Biostatistics to Epidemiology I (3 credit)
    Must be completed in the first semester.
  • STA 527 Statistical Analysis I (4 credits)
    Must be completed in the first semester.
  • STA 528 Statistical Analysis II (4 credits)

Public Health Core Course

  • CHB 550 Public Health and Population Wellbeing (3 credits)

Professional Development

  • EEH 650 Research and Professional Development (0 - 1 credit)

MS students are required to sign up for 1 credit of EEH 650 in the fall and spring semesters of the second  year of their program of study. MS students are required to sign up for 0 credits in all other semesters in the program. (2 credits total)

MS Thesis Guidance

  • EEH 600 Thesis Guidance (1 credit required)

MS students are required to form a thesis committee, write and defend a thesis proposal, as well as write and defend their full thesis (see details in the EEH 2021-2022 Graduate Student Handbook).

Credit hours total 24 for required core courses.

Epidemiology Electives for MS
Choose three of the following courses:

Taught every year:

  • EEH 510 Principles of Measurement in Public Health (3 credits, spring semester)
  • EEH 570 Cancer Epidemiology (3 credits, spring semester)
  • EEH 571 Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Disease (3 credits, spring semester)
  • EEH 573 Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases (3 credits, fall semester)
  • EEH 575 Epidemiologic Applications to Environmental Health (3 credits, fall semester)
 
Taught in odd springs (2021, 2023, 2025, etc.):
  • EEH 572 Nutritional Epidemiology (3 credits)
  • EEH 574 Epidemics and Outbreaks (3 credits)
 
Taught in odd falls (2021, 2023, 2025, etc.):
  • EEH 577 Perinatal Epidemiology (3 credits)  

Credit hours total 9 for required epidemiology elective courses.

Graduate Seminar

  • EEH 591 Graduate Seminar (0 credits; taken every semester)

Electives

Epidemiology Electives for MS
Choose three of the following courses:

Taught every year:

  • EEH 510 Principles of Measurement in Public Health (3 credits, spring semester)
  • EEH 570 Cancer Epidemiology (3 credits, spring semester)
  • EEH 571 Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Disease (3 credits, spring semester)
  • EEH 573 Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases (3 credits, fall semester)
  • EEH 575 Epidemiologic Applications to Environmental Health (3 credits, fall semester)

Taught in odd springs (2021, 2023, 2025, etc.):

  • EEH 572 Nutritional Epidemiology (3 credits)
  • EEH 574 Epidemics and Outbreaks (3 credits)

Taught in odd falls (2021, 2023, 2025, etc.):

  • EEH 577 Perinatal Epidemiology (3 credits)  

Credit hours total 9 for required epidemiology elective courses.

Graduate Seminar

  • EEH 591 Graduate Seminar (0 credits; taken every semester)

Option to Take Courses Outside of the Listed Electives

Students can petition to take courses outside the listed electives or at the PhD level if the course is relevant to their future career plans, and they obtain permission of the course instructor and the MS/PhD graduate director.

Ethics Course/Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training

Masters students must receive formal training in the Responsible Conduct of Research.

  • All MS Students are to complete the CITI online Responsible Conduct of Research course with an average score of 80 percent or higher. 

Credit hours total 0 for required CITI course.

Questions? Contact Us

Program Contact

Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health
270 Farber Hall
Buffalo, NY 14214
Email: sphhp-eeh@buffalo.edu