Epidemiology, PhD

Requirements

Although applicants to this program are not required to have a master’s degree in epidemiology or a closely related field, all applicants are expected to have a strong background in the natural and/or social sciences. Because we look for applicants who are committed to epidemiologic research and practice, past research and related work experience are important factors in selecting candidates. We encourage applications from candidates who have well-focused research interests and career goals. The Graduate Record Examination (General Test) and three letters of recommendation are required for application. Applicants must also include a written statement with the application indicating why they want to pursue a doctoral degree in epidemiology and why they want to pursue this degree here at UH Mānoa.

A prospective applicant is expected to communicate with one of our graduate faculty members in his or her area of interest or with the program’s chair and to be accepted as an applicant by a faculty member prior to admission. The faculty member involved will serve as an interim advisor upon the individual’s admission into the PhD program. A listing of the PhD in epidemiology faculty is available at manoa.hawaii.edu/publichealth/faculty-and-staff. All candidates take a qualifying examination upon completion of all required courses in epidemiology and biostatistics and core courses in infectious diseases and chronic disease epidemiology (usually after their first year of enrollment). This is followed by elective courses in the candidate’s area(s) of interest, a teaching practicum, an oral comprehensive examination, and dissertation research. Candidates should refer to the Catalog for procedural and substantive details.

A few teaching and research assistantships are available for degree candidates. Qualified students may also apply for East-West Center fellowships. Contact Dr. Eric Hurwitz (Chair), at ehurwitz@hawaii.edu for additional details.