Overview
Improve Public Health Through Research and Analysis
Biostatistics centers on the research and application of methods for designing studies, analyzing data and interpreting and presenting findings in health sciences. Epidemiology examines the patterns, causes and controls of diseases and disabilities within human populations. Through USC’s rigorous coursework, students will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to enter this quickly growing field. This concentration offers students a comprehensive curriculum that explores diverse approaches to understanding the distribution and determinants of disease, equipping them with the knowledge to advance public health.
Why study Biostatistics and Epidemiology at USC?
By combining studies of biostatistics and epidemiology into one concentration, USC’s program prepares students to apply statistical methods and techniques to analyze and identify trends and their correlation to the spread and control of diseases. With the guidance of more than 50 faculty members specializing in biostatistics and epidemiology, students will gain high-level research skills, analytical skills and experience that can be applied to their future careers.
Curriculum at a glance
In addition to the MPH Core Requirements (22 units), students must take four courses from the Required Concentration Courses (16 units) and select one course from the Concentration Elective Courses (4 units). Students will complete 42 units in total.
Required Concentration Courses (16 Units)
PM 511aL Data Analysis (SAS) (4 units)
Major parametric and nonparametric statistical tools used in biomedical research, computer packages including SAS. Includes laboratory.
PM 511bL Data Analysis (STATA) (4 units)
Statistical methods for analysis of categorical data including dichotomous, ordinal, multinomial and count data, using Stata package. Includes laboratory.
PM 527 Epidemiology of Infectious Disease (4 units)
Survey of natural history of infectious disease, methods of disease control and outbreak investigation, and an overview of the epidemiology of injury.
PM 537 Chronic Disease Epidemiology (4 units)
Overview of causative factors and demographic distribution of major chronic diseases in the western world. Epidemiologic concepts, methods and research design as applied to chronic disease prevention will be emphasized.
Concentration Elective Courses (4 units)
Students select one of the following courses:
PM 529 Environmental Health: An Epidemiological Approach (4 units)
An overview of environmental health, identifying issues in assessing effects of exposure on health and potential interventions for reducing adverse health risks.
PM 536 Program Evaluation and Research (4 units)
Overview of concepts, tools, data collection, analysis methods and designs used to evaluate health promotion programs. Examples from substance abuse prevention, family planning and reproductive health programs.
MPH in Biostatistics-Epidemiology graduates are prepared to pursue roles such as:
- Clinical Data Science Researcher
- Infection Control Professional
- Pharmaceutical Epidemiologist
- Research Analyst
- Statistical Analyst
Typical work settings for MPH in Biostatistics-Epidemiology graduates:
- Hospital systems
- Insurance companies
- Local, state, or federal government agencies
- Nonprofits or non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
- Pharmaceutical and biotech companies
- Universities or research institutions
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