Program Overview

Program Overview

The Master of Science degree in Epidemiology at Dartmouth produces leaders who are translating theory and research into actionable results that address the greatest challenges in public health and disease prevention.

Program Description

Epidemiology seeks to identify the underlying causes of human illness to inform clinical practice and preventive strategies, including policy and regulatory actions. The interdisciplinary program in epidemiology focuses on the rapidly advancing area of molecular epidemiology, which overcomes impediments to traditional epidemiologic approaches by discovering and incorporating molecular measures of susceptibility, exposures, biologic response, preclinical changes, and prognostic phenotypes over the life course. Students obtain rigorous training in formulating and testing hypotheses by planning and executing well-designed human epidemiologic studies combined with applying innovative molecular markers and complex statistical modeling of high-dimensional data. Topics span global, infectious, nutritional, environmental, cancer, and clinical epidemiology, and the goals of precision medicine and prevention.

Program Features

• Designed for All Backgrounds: The Epidemiology program welcomes students from diverse academic and professional backgrounds who are passionate about learning. There are no specific undergraduate degree requirements.
  • Foundational training is built into the program to provide essential quantitative and technical skills.
• Supportive Learning Environment: The program bridges the gap for those new to quantitative fields, ensuring students have the tools and confidence to thrive.
• Inclusive & Accessible: Whether students come from social sciences, humanities, or business, the curriculum is structured to help them excel in data-driven fields.

Program Requirements

Dartmouth’s Epidemiology degree challenges students to think critically across a wide range of courses that build an unparalleled knowledge base in Epidemiology. Students take a combination of core and elective courses, including a project-based capstone, completing their Master of Science degree in 12 months.

Program Structure

• Duration: 12 months
• Class size: 35 students per class
• Course load: 4 courses at a time

Career Opportunities

The Epidemiology degree provides a unique interdisciplinary education in the areas of epidemiology, statistical analysis, and bioinformatics for careers in biomedicine in academia and the emerging private sector, healthcare, government, and other non-profit agencies.

Alumni Testimonials

"As a physician and a research scientist, it is paramount that I understand population trends, how societal factors create epigenetic changes and contribute to overall health, and how to extrapolate data from scientific studies to different populations." - Despina Karalis D ’18, MS ’19, First “4+1 student” to receive a Master of Science in Epidemiology

Faculty

The program is led by distinguished faculty, including:

• Margaret Karagas, PhD, Professor & Chair of Epidemiology
• Monica Espinoza, PhD, Curriculum Director for Health Sciences MS Programs
• Jennifer A. Emond, MS, PhD, Assistant Dean of Health Sciences Masters Program

Research Areas

The program covers a wide range of research areas, including:

• Global epidemiology
• Infectious disease epidemiology
• Nutritional epidemiology
• Environmental epidemiology
• Cancer epidemiology
• Clinical epidemiology
• Precision medicine and prevention

Conclusion

The Master of Science in Epidemiology at Dartmouth is a comprehensive program designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and expertise needed to address the complex challenges in public health and disease prevention. With its interdisciplinary approach, supportive learning environment, and inclusive curriculum, the program is ideal for students from diverse backgrounds who are passionate about epidemiology and its applications in biomedicine, healthcare, and beyond.