Within the PhD program, we offer a specialized cancer epidemiology training track for students wishing to focus on interdisciplinary research in this critical area. The requirements for the specialized cancer epidemiology track training are the same as those for the PhD generally. Several of the electives are specified to focus on in-depth knowledge of cancer biology and epidemiology. Students should review the PhD requirements to be sure that they have all been met.
Completion of the specialized training in cancer epidemiology track prepares the student for a career in this rapidly changing field, providing advanced skills in epidemiologic methods integrated with an understanding of the biology of cancer. Partnering UB’s Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health with the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, the program provides tailored, hands-on opportunities to develop research skills in cancer epidemiology and control as well as in other related disciplines. Students also gain an understanding of and experience in interdisciplinary research.
The training in cancer epidemiology requirements follows those of the PhD in epidemiology degree. See the description of the PhD for more detail regarding these requirements:
All courses are 3 credit hours unless otherwise indicated.
* This course is designed for advanced doctoral students.
Principles and Methods of Epidemiology Core Courses
Statistical Methods Core Courses
Public Health Core Course
CHB 550 Public Health and Population Wellbeing (3 credits)
Professional Development
EEH 650 Research and Professional Development (0 - 1 credit)
PhD students are required to sign up for 1 credit of EEH 650 in the fall and spring semesters of the third year of their program of study. PhD students are required to sign up for 0 credits in all other semesters in the program. (2 credits total)
PhD Dissertation Guidance
EEH 700 Dissertation Guidance (a minimum of 1 credit required)
This course is designed for advanced doctoral students.
Additional Required Courses for Epidemiology PhD - Cancer Epidemiology
Epidemiology Electives Courses - Cancer Epidemiology
Take two additional advanced epidemiology course from list below (all courses are 3 credits). Some courses are taught every other year. Check with the Graduate Coordinator for course availability:
* This course is designed for advanced doctoral students.
Note: Check current class schedule for course offerings (frequency and semester).
Ethics Course/Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training
Doctoral students must receive formal training in the Responsible Conduct of Research. All PhD students are required to take and pass the following online course.
Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) online course with a score of 80% or higher (0 credits)
Students following the specialized cancer training curriculum are required to take one of the following courses in addition to CITI.
Students are required to document the successful completion of their training when they submit their Application to Candidacy (ATC).
Graduate Seminar
EEH 591 Graduate Seminar (0 credits)
All PhD students are required to present at a Graduate Seminar before scheduling their dissertation defense.
Additional Seminars
Doctoral students following the specialized training curriculum in cancer epidemiology are strongly encouraged to attend additional seminars and research discussions on cancer, schedule permitting. These include the following:
The remaining courses needed to reach 72 credits will be tailored to your interests and needs, and planned in consultation with your faculty advisor.
These may include:
* This course is designed for advanced doctoral students.
Courses taken outside of the following departments must first be approved by the MS/PhD graduate director: Epidemiology and Environmental Health; Biostatistics; Community Health and Health Behavior; Roswell Park’s Natural Sciences or Roswell Park’s Cancer Prevention and Control.
Primary Data Collection Requirement
All PhD students are required to engage in primary data collection at some point during their program.
Teaching Assistantship Requirement
PhD students are required to have a Teaching Assistant (TA) experience for a minimum of 10 hours/week for one semester during their program.
Scientific Communications Requirement
PhD students must demonstrate experience in both written and oral communication of scientific research.
Comprehensive Exam
PhD students are required to pass a written, in-class comprehensive exam designed to assess mastery of basic epidemiological concepts and the student’s ability to integrate those concepts. Students take this exam at the end of the first academic year following successful completion (‘B’ or better) of the core required courses or the equivalent: EEH 501, EEH 502, EEH 505, STA 527, and STA 528 .
General/Analytic Preliminary Exam
PhD students are required to pass a general/analytic preliminary exam designed to assess whether the student has sufficient knowledge essential for conducting advanced epidemiology research toward a doctoral degree; it focuses on general epidemiologic methods, including data analysis and interpretation. The examination includes both written and oral components. Students are expected to sit for this exam at the end of their second year in the doctoral program.
Specialty Exam/Dissertation Proposal Defense
PhD students are required to design and undertake significant hypothesis-driven original independent epidemiological research equivalent to three publishable manuscripts within one or more overarching content area(s). This research will be conducted under the supervision of your major professor and a dissertation committee. After the written dissertation proposal is approved by all committee members, the student sits for a written specialty exam to determine whether the student has sufficient breadth and depth of knowledge in their specialty area to successfully complete their proposed project. PhD students are required to pass the written component of the specialty exam, after which they will have an open oral proposal defense (inclusive of the written specialty exam). This should be completed within one year after completion of the general/analytic prelim exam.
Dissertation Defense
Through the dissertation, you will design, implement, complete and report on significant and original, independent epidemiologic research. You will conduct your research under the supervision of your major professor and a dissertation committee.
Your dissertation research culminates in a dissertation defense required to be passed by all PhD student. You will present and formally defend your thesis to your major professor, your dissertation committee and the MS/PhD graduate director.
Additional details on these requirements are provided in the View the Epidemiology and Environmental Health Graduate Student Handbook.
