Programme Objective
Epidemiological research aims to discover the causes of disease by analyzing the populations and social and physical environments where they proliferate. The field of biostatistics focuses on the techniques of collecting and exploring data relevant to health, medical and biological sciences. Our division gathers the resources and faculty to train students to acquire proficiency in either one or both fields—depending upon each student’s interests.
An MPH in Epidemiology and Biostatistics prepares students to design and conduct population health studies and apply research findings to improve the health of urban populations. Students learn to understand the principles, methods, strengths and limitations of epidemiologic study designs; collaborate on applied population health research; interpret epidemiologic findings, effectively communicate research and finding to lay and professional audiences, and apply the findings to the development of evidence-based interventions to improve population health. Students gain an awareness and basic understanding of advanced statistical methods and learn to apply core and intermediate level statistical methods to public health endeavors, such as data management, statistical analysis, interpretation, and presentation of analytical results using computing technology. Graduates of are employed in government and private health agencies, industry, and research institutions.
Learning Outcome
- Recognize and give examples of different types of data arising in public health and clinical studies.
- Interpret differences in data distributions via visual displays.
- Calculate standard normal scores and resulting probabilities.
- Calculate and interpret confidence intervals for population means and proportions.
- Interpret and explain a p-value
- Perform a two-sample t-test and interpret the results; calculate a 95% confidence interval for the difference in population means
- Select an appropriate test for comparing two populations on a continuous measure, when the two sample t-test is not appropriate.
- Choose an appropriate method for comparing proportions between two groups; construct a 95% confidence interval for the difference in population proportions.
- Understand and interpret relative risks and odds ratios when comparing two populations.
- Describe different kinds of studies.
- Understand confounding and interaction in studies.
- Evaluate epidemiological characteristics such as Incubation period, Infectious period, modes of transmission and reservoir of the Major infectious diseases of Humans.
- Calculate and interpret measures of risk in infectious diseases
