When Courtney Coles was growing up in Austin, Texas, she sensed something was amiss with her family’s response to her great-grandmother’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. “They didn’t really understand what it meant,” Coles says.
The Department of Epidemiology is home to a number of exciting projects, including the UCLA/Fogarty International HIV/AIDS Training Program, the NCI-Cancer Training Program, and the Burroughs-Wellcome Fund Inter-school Training Program in Metabolic Diseases. The Department has active research programs in cancer, molecular/genetic, environmental and occupational epidemiology, neurodegeneration and aging-related diseases, diabetes, infectious diseases and research methodology.
Epidemiologists contribute to improving public health in a number of ways, including through the study of the variation of disease in relation to age, sex, race, occupational and social characteristics, place of residence, susceptibility, exposure to specific agents or other pertinent characteristics. The one-year MPH in Epidemiology is a professional degree in the field of public health for students with a prior US clinical doctorate degree or currently enrolled in a US medical school. Students obtain broad training in public health as well as in epidemiology. This degree includes courses in environmental health, behavioral sciences, biostatistics, and health services.
The degree consists of 56 quarter-credit units.
In addition, the student then needs to choose at least 16 units from the list of electives. Eight of these units can be taken outside of the Epidemiology department with approval. Epidemiology electives are selected from the following areas:
A written comprehensive examination covering the above course material is required. The exam is offered twice a year. Students enrolled in the one-year MPH program may take the MPH comprehensive examination while enrolled in Epidemiology 410 contingent upon successful completion of Epidemiology 200A and 200B.
All MPH degree enrolled students must submit a report demonstrating competence in epidemiologic methodology. The MPH report should demonstrate (1) understanding of an epidemiologic topic and (2) analytic competence of candidates in either infectious or general epidemiology. Students select one option as listed below:
Analyze and write up existing data:
The student can define a research problem and, using existing data, carry out the necessary data analysis to answer or illuminate the problem. The report based on a project of this type should follow usual research paper format.
Carry out an original research project:
The student can define a research problem and design and carry out the research necessary to answer or illuminate the problem posed. This can be a laboratory or other type of study (e.g., medical records, vital records, interview, etc.). The report based on a project of this type should follow the usual research paper format.
Literature review of a disease (health problem) and development of a proposal for relevant epidemiologic study:
This should consist of an in-depth analysis of existing literature leading to the development of a research proposal. The proposal should include objectives, rationale, methods (clearly and explicitly developed) and an appropriate discussion of projected analyses. The project should also be feasible, particularly with respect to human subjects review.
Some internships may give students a chance to develop an MPH report in one of the above formats.
The typical time to complete the degree is 1 year.
To apply to the 1-year MPH in Epidemiology, students must have a prior US clinical doctorate degree or be enrolled in the MD/MPH program. Admission requirements for the MD degree will be different – please consult the appropriate department for their admission requirements.
Applicants are only admitted to the MPH program in the Fall. Applicants who wish to be considered for all financial aid considerations should have their applications, letters, transcripts and official GRE scores here at the School of Public Health by December 1 of the year preceding the desired entrance year.
The application process has three steps. You must:
For complete application instructions and the list of required materials, review the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health Admission Application Check List and Submission Instructions.
All applicants must meet the University’s minimum requirements. However, as we receive many more qualified applicants for the program than there are available spaces, meeting the minimum requirements for admission does not ensure admission to the program.
For the most up to date fees and more information on fee breakdown, visit the registrar's office.
Please see FSPH Financial Opportunities page for information on awards, scholarships, training opportunities, employment, summer internship funding, and need-based aid. Please note that opportunities listed under 'Summer Internship Funding' are only applicable to MPH students.
An epidemiologist may work in a wide variety of settings, including international health agencies, state and local health departments, federal government agencies and health programs, health maintenance organizations, colleges and universities, and numerous research institutions, both privately and publicly sponsored.
For a list of faculty in this department, please click here.
To search all School of Public Health faculty members by name, department or area of expertise, click here.
For more information, contact Joy Miller at jdmiller@ph.ucla.edu or 310.206.3901.
*This information is intended as an overview, and should be used as a guide only. Requirements, course offerings and other elements may change, and this overview may not list all details of the program. For the most up-to-date information, please consult the registrar’s office.
* Admission requirements listed are departmental requirements, and are in addition to the University's minimum requirements. Many programs receive more applicants than can be admitted, so meeting the minimum requirements for admission does not ensure admission. Every effort is made to ensure minimum admissions requirements are up to date - for the most up-to-date information on the University's minimum requirements, please visit the UCLA Graduate Division.
** Fees are subject to change and should be used as a guide only. For the most up to date fees and more information on fee breakdown, visit the registrar's office.
The MPH Program in Epidemiology (1-Year) in Action
When Courtney Coles was growing up in Austin, Texas, she sensed something was amiss with her family’s response to her great-grandmother’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. “They didn’t really understand what it meant,” Coles says.
