PHD, Epidemiology & Biostatistics

Degree Program Summary:

The UGA College of Public Health promotes health in human populations through innovative research, exemplary education, and engaged service dedicated to preventing disease and injury within the state and around the world. The College offers graduate programs in epidemiology, biostatistics, disaster management, environmental health, gerontology, global health, health policy & management, health promotion & behavior, and toxicology. The Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics trains public health professionals to use epidemiological principles and biostatistical methods to conduct innovative research that addresses existing and emerging public health issues. Epidemiologic principles include study design, statistical analysis of epidemiologic data, and information management. The areas of research include both infectious disease and chronic disease epidemiology.

The College of Public Health at the University of Georgia was established in 2005 and fully accredited in 2009. After achieving this milestone, the College developed its doctoral degree in Epidemiology which was approved by the University and Board of Regents in 2011. The new doctoral degree in Epidemiology is designed to train future leaders in the field, which will fulfill the manpower needs at state, national and international levels. The proposed curricula will build expertise in research methodology so that graduates may create new knowledge that can be used to shape future interventions and health policy.

Epidemiology is considered to be the basic science of Public Health. It is the study of the distribution and determinants of health in human or animal populations. As it is currently practiced, Epidemiology has both descriptive and analytic elements. The descriptive aspects of Epidemiology provide information about the burden of disease or illness in a population and is determined through surveys and analysis of surveillance information. The analytic aspects of Epidemiology combine study design with powerful statistical methods to understand the causes of disease. Both areas of Epidemiology inform policy and evaluate effectiveness of policy decisions.