As a PhD student at the Yale School of Public Health, you enjoy unparalleled access to funding opportunities to support your dissertation research activities under the supervision of top-notch, encouraging faculty mentors.
As a PhD student at the Yale School of Public Health, you enjoy unparalleled access to funding opportunities to support your dissertation research activities under the supervision of top-notch, encouraging faculty mentors.
The department is perhaps best known for its doctoral programs in the epidemiology of cancer, aging, lifecourse epidemiology (including perinatal and pediatric epidemiology), genomics, HIV/AIDS and social determinants of health. However, students in the department often work on projects with other departments within YSPH, other departments in the School of Medicine, and other schools within the University. Thus there are numerous opportunities for creating an experientially rich doctoral program. Graduates from the department's doctoral program are found on the faculties of universities throughout the world, at the highest levels of federal and international research programs, and in numerous private and public foundations, institutions, and industries.
Students in Chronic Disease Epidemiology use primarily quantitative research methods to identify the causes of chronic disease in populations, including lifestyle factors and genomics, and evaluate the impact of chronic disease at a population level including consideration of various treatment approaches to improve outcomes and reduce costs. In consultation with the faculty advisor, the student chooses among doctoral-level courses offered by the department as well as among courses offered by the medical school or by other Yale professional or graduate schools. Students often take an advanced seminar in their specialty area and present their work in this collegial forum. All candidates must become proficient in statistical analysis, research methods, and the application of epidemiology to the field in which they have special interest.
Applicants should have solid preparation at the college level in the biological or social sciences and one year of college-level mathematics.
Students entering the doctoral program typically have a strong background in undergraduate science and frequently have a master's degree in public health or a related field, or significant public health research experience. A master’s degree is not required to apply for this program, although the majority of students in the program come with prior master’s preparation.
This program requires General GRE test scores. Please send them to institution code 3987 (there is no department code).
PhD Electives in Biostatistics – 600 level courses (3 course units) **
PhD Electives (5 course units)
*Students entering the program with an MPH or relevant graduate degree may be exempt from this requirement
** CDE 634, Applied Analytic Methods in Epidemiology and Public Health and S&DS 563, Multivariate Statistical Methods for the Social Sciences are approved to fulfill the Biostatistics electives
rev. 9.8.2022
In a number of courses, students gain actual experience with various aspects of research including preparation of a research grant, questionnaire design, preparation of a database for analysis, and analysis and interpretation of real data. In addition, doctoral students can gain research experience by working with faculty members on ongoing research studies prior to initiating dissertation research.
Many dissertations are presented as three or more completed, submitted or published manuscripts based on the dissertation research.
Doctoral candidates with a concentration in CDE may specialize in the following areas: