EPIDM-MS - Epidemiology and Clinical Research (MS)

See Graduate Degrees for the university requirements for a Master of Science (MS) degree.

The Graduate Program in Epidemiology offers instruction and interdisciplinary research opportunities leading to the MS degree in Epidemiology and Clinical Research. Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of illness and impairment in human populations. Epidemiologic methods are used by clinical investigators and by other scientists who conduct observational and experimental research on the identification, prevention, and treatment of human disorders.

Core and affiliated faculty come from the Department of Epidemiology & Population Health and other Stanford University departments. The program has particular strengths in cancer epidemiology, cardiovascular disease epidemiology, epidemiologic methods, genetic epidemiology, global health, infectious disease epidemiology, musculoskeletal disease epidemiology, neuroepidemiology, reproductive epidemiology, and women’s health. Students can select an optional concentration in global health or infectious diseases.

The mission of the Stanford University School of Medicine is to be a premier research-intensive medical school that improves health through leadership, diversity, and collaborative discoveries and innovation in patient care, education, and research. The Graduate Program in Epidemiology fosters this mission through the training of physician investigators in techniques of clinical research. The department also welcomes students from other disciplines who would benefit from formal training in epidemiologic methods. The master’s degree in Epidemiology and Clinical Research provides students with the skills essential to patient-oriented clinical research, including epidemiologic methods and statistical analysis.

Address inquiries to epiadmissions@stanford.edu.

Successful applicants for admission are expected to have a solid academic record, high Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores obtained within the past five years (optional), strong letters of recommendation, and an appropriate personal statement of purpose. Preference is accorded to applicants with research interests aligned with those of faculty available to serve as research mentors.

Required supporting documents (to be submitted in the Stanford Graduate Admissions Application):

• Statement of Purpose that includes area(s) of interest

• Three letters of recommendation

• Official GRE General Test scores (optional)

• Official TOEFL scores (if applicable)

• Unofficial transcripts for all college/university degrees

• CV with relevant work and research experience

See Epidemiology & Population Health for additional information on the MS Epidemiology & Clinical Research program and admission application deadline.

Mentors

Students are assigned a methodology mentor from the Department of Epidemiology & Population Health, and they also select a research mentor who may be from another department. For physicians, the research mentor is often a faculty member from the department of the student’s clinical specialty.

Coterminal Master’s Program

The program offers a coterminal MS in Epidemiology and Clinical Research for undergraduates at Stanford University. Coterms can pursue epidemiological research at the intersection of public health, disease treatment, and disease prevention. See Coterminal Master's Degrees or the department coterm webpage for admission and program details.

For a statement of University policy on graduate advising, see the "Graduate Advising" section of this bulletin.

Epidemiology is the study of factors that cause illness and impairment in human populations. It is the cornerstone of population health and clinical research, informing policy, prevention, disease treatment, and understanding disease mechanisms. A central focus of epidemiology is to go beyond simple prediction to identifying risk factors likely to be causal, upon which interventions and mechanistic understanding can be reliably based.

The Department of Epidemiology and Population Health (E&PH) is Stanford’s academic and organizational home for such activities, offering expertise, research, and training on study design, data collection, analysis, and proper interpretation of scientific evidence to improve human health in the clinic and the field.