Program Admission

A master’s degree in related health field is required for admission. Applicants must show potential for further study by having maintained a GPA of at least a 3.0 average in their master’s-level coursework. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) completed within the past five years is required. Competitive scores on the GRE are considered in the admissions decision. Applicants already holding a doctoral degree or its professional equivalent may be exempted from the GRE requirement. Other professional school standardized test scores (MCAT, DAT, or LSAT,) may be substituted for the GRE by applicants who are working toward or who have already earned post-baccalaureate degrees for example, in medicine, dentistry, management, or law. 

All applicants who will be attending the University on a visa and who are not native speakers of English must supply a minimum score of 96 (80%) on the computer-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT), or an equivalent score on the paper-based test (TOEFL PBT).

Letters of recommendation from three individuals (at least one letter from a former professor or instructor) familiar with the applicant’s academic background or experience in public health related issues, specifying in detail the applicant’s capabilities for graduate study and for future performance as a public health scholar, are required. Applicants must also submit a personal statement of approximately 750 to 1000 words indicating his/her present interests and career goals, including how the PhD in Epidemiology will prepare the candidate to achieve these goals.

All doctoral students are expected to be active in research collaboratively with members of the Division faculty each semester they are enrolled. Students may receive credit for research involvement by enrolling in PUBH 8800 Guided Research in PUBH .

Retention Requirements:

Students must earn a grade of B (3. 0) or higher in all required courses. The PhD program will adhere to Graduate School policy regarding course grades and repetition of courses. All courses applied toward PhD degree program requirements must have the advisor’s written approval.

Residency Requirements:

The last 30 credit hours must be earned at The University of Memphis. Credit will be transferred to apply toward a doctoral program upon approval of the student’s advisory committee in accordance with Graduate School policy.

Comprehensive Examination:

Upon completion of required coursework and prior to enrolling in dissertation hours (PUBH 9000 ), the student must successfully complete a written and oral comprehensive exam. The exam will assess mastery of areas covered in the student’s program. The content of the examination will consist of core competencies in public health, epidemiology, and biostatistics. Epidemiology and biostatistics faculty will be responsible for organizing and evaluating the comprehensive examination.

Dissertation:

To fulfill the requirements for the PhD in Epidemiology, the student must write and defend a dissertation. The dissertation must adhere to the format outlined by the Graduate School. The dissertation topic will be determined by the student in consultation with the advisor and input from the advisory committee.

Epidemiology Research Methods Core: 9 credit hours

• PUBH 8141 - Epidemiologic Survey Method Credit Hours: (3)
• PUBH 8172 - Epidemiology PUBH II Credit Hours: (3)
• PUBH 8174 - Epidemiology PUBH III Credit Hours: (3)

Biostatistics Core: 15 credit hours

• PUBH 8152 - Biostatistical Methods II Credit Hours: (3)
• PUBH 8309 - Appl Surv Analys in Pub Hlth Credit Hours: (3)
• PUBH 8310 - Mixed Model Regression Analys Credit Hours: (3)
• PUBH 8311 - Appl Categorical Data Analys ** Credit Hours: (3)
• PUBH 8190 - Adv SAS for PUBH Prof 1 Credit Hours: (3)

Doctoral Seminar: 9 credit hours

• PUBH 8901 - Doctoral Professional Dev Sem Credit Hours: (3)
• PUBH 8192 - Intro to Human Disease for PH Credit Hours: (3)
• PUBH 8720 - Grant Writing in HealthScience ** Credit Hours: (3)

Epidemiology Electives: 15 credit hours

Dissertation: 6 credit hours

• PUBH 9000 - Dissertation Credit Hours: (1-9)

Epi PhD Program Requirements

Questions about the Epi PhD Program curriculum and degree requirements?

Xinhua Yu, MD, PhD, MS, Associate Professor and Coordinator
Epidemiology Doctoral Program
901.678.3433
xyu2@memphis.edu