Certificate in Epidemiology

Point of Contact
Dr. Kathryn H. Jacobsen
Phone: 703-993-9168
E-mail: kjacobse@gmu.edu

Epidemiology is the study of the factors that influence the occurrence, distribution, prevention, and control of disease.  This 18-credit graduate Certificate in Epidemiology prepares students to apply the principles and methods of epidemiology to health research.  The program emphasizes the development of skills such as study design, data collection and management, data analysis and interpretation, and communication of research findings.  All students in the certificate program must complete introductory courses in epidemiology and biostatistics and then choose four elective courses in areas such as infectious disease epidemiology, chronic disease epidemiology, social epidemiology, and advanced epidemiological methods.

Requirements for Admission to the Certificate

This is a graduate certificate program, so students applying to the certificate program must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education with a GPA of no less than 3.0 in the last 60 credits.  Coursework in statistics, health science, biological science, and the social sciences will be particularly helpful preparation for the certificate. Application is made through the College of Health and Human Services. To earn this certificate, students must complete all courses with a 3.00 GPA

Program of Study

• Required Courses (6 credits)
  • GCH 601 (3:3:0) or an approved graduate-level statistics course
    Introduction to Biostatistics
  • GCH 712 (3:3:0)
    Introduction to Epidemiology
    
• Elective Courses (12 credits) – Choose 4 courses from the following:
  • GCH 605 (3:3:0)
    Social Epidemiology
    
  • GCH 680 (3:3:0)
    International Research Ethics and Methods
    
  • GCH 722 (3:3:0)
    Infectious Disease Epidemiology
    
  • GCH 726 (3:3:0)
    Advanced Seminar in Epidemiology
    
  • GCH 732 (3:3:0)
    Chronic Disease Epidemiology
    
  • GCH 752 (3:3:0)
    Nutritional Epidemiology
  • Other epidemiology courses with approval of program director

Total = 18 Credits

Explanation of Credit Hours

Course titles are followed by numbers in parentheses (0:0:0), separated by colons.  The numbers have the following significance:

• First number: credits for the course
• Second number: hours of lecture or seminar per week for the course
• Third number: hours of laboratory for the course

For independent study, readings, topics, or similar courses, individual instructors set hours.