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Master of Public Health in Epidemiology

Learn to collect and analyze data to identify trends that can inform disease prevention and intervention strategies with our online Masters in Epidemiology.

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Minu MohanMPH
Online MPH graduate Minu Mohan
Alarm Clock Next Start Date: January 21

Masters in Epidemiology Online MPH

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One of the Most Affordable Tuitions in the Nation

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No GRE Required

UMass Lowell's online Masters in Epidemiology will open doors to a wide range of career opportunities in public health management and research as the demand for professionals continues to rise. From tracking and investigating disease outbreaks to designing public health interventions, epidemiologists play a crucial role in safeguarding community well-being.

You'll conduct research identifying health hazards and solutions while learning how to evaluate health interventions and monitor systems data to protect public health. This 14-course online MPH is well suited for those with bachelor's degrees in public health, psychology, biology, clinical laboratory sciences, nutrition and physical therapy who have an interest in understanding and addressing public health challenges.

Career Outlook

8.22M
Jobs (2020)
+36%
% Change (10 Year Projection)
$83K/yr
Median Earnings
1,278,422
Annual Openings
Source: Lightcast, 2024

Top Employers

Top Massachusetts companies hiring for Epidemiologists, include:

  • State of Massachusetts
  • Bay Cove Human Services
  • Department Of Public Health
  • Ramboll
  • Om1
  • Boston Public Health Commission
  • Sanofi
  • Beth Israel Lahey Health
  • Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  • Ginkgo Bioworks
  • Guidehouse
  • Mass Agency
  • Mass General Brigham
  • Massachusetts Trial Court
  • Tufts Medical Center
"About 800 openings for epidemiologists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire."
— Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2023

Key Takeaways

  • Develop, implement and evaluate public health initiatives
  • Assume "hands-on" management of public health programs and organizations
  • Provide leadership as a thoughtful, analytical and ethical manager within the public health community
  • Pursue epidemiology and public health research
  • Support increased efficiency, effectiveness and accountability within the public health sector
CEPH Accredited
Accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health.

Are you interested in working in health care but unsure of career paths?

Learn the difference between an HIM and an MPH degree.

Success Story

"Earning my master's has been a personal goal for many years, one that I didn't think I could achieve working a full-time job and caring for three children. UMass Lowell's online MPH program is making it both possible, and affordable, and I love the opportunities the program affords to interact with faculty and my fellow students."

Anne Carey-Stone
Anne Carey-Stone

Anne Carey-Stone

One Success Leads to Another

Apply credits from lower credentials to higher ones. Our programs are designed to build upon themselves:

Curriculum Outline

- 14 Courses (42 Credits)

Course Descriptions

PUBH.5010 Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health (3cr)

This course introduces core concepts of social and behavioral determinants of health and provides a foundation for the analysis of social, political and economic influences on health and their role in contributing to health inequities. The core functions of public health and essential services are discussed as well as the history of public health, its philosophy and values. Upstream and downstream reforms to addressing fundamental determinants are evaluated. The influence of behavioral and psychological factors on health and disease are analyzed.

PUBH.5021 Public Health Policy (3cr)

The course focuses on expanding students' knowledge and skills for developing and evaluating contemporary public health policy in the United States and international settings. Students will gain information about the current US national health care system as it relates to emergent public health topics and priorities in the US and globally. This course will focus on competencies for designing, implementing, evaluating and advocating for evidence-based policy, program and practices.

PUBH.5061 Environmental Health (3cr)

This environmental health course explores the links between human activities and environmental systems and examines how these interactions can impact human health. The course is designed to provide knowledge and skills necessary to understand how human and industrial activities such as population growth, methods of food production, pollution of the air and water, waste, the built environment, toxic substances, pest control, and global climate change can result in human diseases and impact the environment. Understanding the links between human activities and environmental systems is essential to developing effective prevention strategies and building sustainable communities.

PUBH.5070 Leadership and Management in Public Health (3cr)

The purpose of this course is to enhance the students' ability to effectively build and lead high-performing Public Health organizations. This course will integrate fundamental principles from the behavioral and social sciences to provide students with a coherent set of strategies and techniques to effectively collaborate with internal external stakeholders as well as to influence meaningful, sustainable change. This course will also provide students opportunities to self-reflect on their own leadership styles and develop growth plans.

PUBH.5750 Epidemiology and Biostatistics (3cr)

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of disease in human populations, and the risk factors associated with diseases. This course provides an introduction to epidemiology and the associated biostatistical methods that constitute the principal quantitative methods for disease prevention. Topics include: measures of disease frequency, measures of central tendency and spread, rates and risks, precision and validity, bias, simple linear regression, and the important study designs (population surveys, cohort, case-control and cross-sectional studies).

Requirements:

CSCE Graduate Restrictions

PUBH.5760 Biostatistical Programming (3cr)

This course is designed to provide familiarity with several types of statistical software commonly used in public health research. The course covers topics including: reading raw data and existing data sets; modifying data; combining data sets; applying basic statistical procedures; and sorting, summarizing, and printing data.

PUBH.5770 Biostatistics for Health Data (3cr)

This is a practical course in biostatistical methods for health research. Emphasis is placed on developing an understanding of the use and interpretation of standard biostatistical methods. Topics include probability and sampling distributions, regression and ANOVA, methods for analyzing rates and proportions, power and sample size calculations. Students will gain experience in using a statistical software package to apply and expand their data analysis skills.

PUBH.6660 MPH Practicum (3cr)

This practicum is the first of two culminating experiences in the MPH program that requires a student to apply theories and principles from coursework in a public health setting. A work experience is a required component of this course. Work experiences must be directly related to the student's major field of study and an integral component of the curriculum. The practicum is a planned, supervised and evaluated practice experience under the supervision of a qualified preceptor. Students meet in a seminar with a faculty member who oversees the practicum experience. Students will finish work on their final applied practice project during the practicum and integrated practical learning courses.

PUBH.6670 Integrated Practical Learning (3cr)

This course is designed as the second of two applied learning courses following PUBH.6660 MPH Practicum. It is a culminating experience for students in the MPH program. Students in this course will demonstrate the mastery of a body of public health knowledge and achievement of the MPH competencies. They will do this through completing their practicum experience and developing a high-quality written product.

PUBH.6820 Applied Epidemiology Methods (3cr)

This course emphasizes the design and conduct of epidemiology studies. Major topics covered include: casual inference in epidemiology, point and interval estimation for cohort and case control studies, exposure assessment for epidemiology, control of confounding, the identification and interpretation of effect modification, as well as cross-sectional designs and meta-analysis.

Requirements:

PUBH.5750 pre-req

PUBH.6870 Quantitative Models for Public Health (3cr)

This course introduces quantitative models commonly used in public health research and practice. Emphasis is placed on understanding the logic and underlying assumptions of theses models. Students will gain knowledge and skills in properly selecting and applying these models in various practical settings. Topics include probability sample surveys, quantitative risk assessment, quasi experimental design, propensity matching, interrupted time series, epidemics of infectious diseases, Monte Carlo simulations, and predictive analytics.

PUBH.6890 Advanced Regression Modeling (3cr)

This course will introduce linear, generalized linear and time-to-event regression models that are commonly used in epidemiologic research, community needs assessment and public health program/policy evaluations. Topics include regression models for continuous, binary, ordinal, multinomial, count, time-to-event, and longitudinal data.

Requirements:

PUBH 5750 and PUBH 5770 Pre-re


Program Requirements

To be recommended for a University of Massachusetts Lowell master's degree, candidates must satisfy all of the general requirements below, plus any additional requirements that may be required by the department through which the program is offered. Any additional requirements for this program are either listed below or may be found in the University's Graduate Program Catalog.

General Requirements:

  • Students must complete the program of study designed by the Department in which they are enrolled and approved by the University.
  • Satisfactory grades in all subjects offered for the degree must be earned. See Academic Standing.
  • All financial obligations, including tuition, fees and expenses, must be satisfied as evidenced by completion.
  • Upon completion of all their courses, graduate degree candidates must submit a signed Declaration of Intent to Graduate (DIG) form to their coordinator. The coordinator will apply them in SIS, Graduation Tracking.

Graduate Program Policies

In applying for a degree program or registering for courses, each student assumes full responsibility for knowledge of and compliance with the definitions, regulations and procedures of UMass Lowell as set forth on our website. For additional information, please refer to the Graduate Program Policies found within the UMass Lowell Graduate Catalog.

Tuition & Fees

Tuition at UMass Lowell is typically half the cost of private colleges, and our online tuition is among the lowest in the nation. Tuition for online programs offered through the Division of Graduate, Online & Professional Studies is the same whether you live in-state, out-of-state or outside of the U.S.

Spring 2025 Tuition

Cost Per Credit Cost Per 3-Credit Course*

Graduate

Online $600 $1,800
All other On Campus courses1 View Here
*Tuition is priced on the listed credit hour unless the contact hour is different. Tuition is then based upon the listed contact hour.
1Applies to graduate on campus courses excluding select courses

Additional Costs

Cost
Term Registration Fee $30
Returned Check Fee $30
Graduate Degree and Certificate Application $50

Please note: Tuition and fees are subject to change.

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UMass Lowell offers a variety of financial aid and scholarship options.

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Applying into a Graduate Degree Program

You can apply anytime. There are no deadlines. Applications are accepted throughout the year.

All applicants must submit:
    • An application
    • An application fee ($50)
    • A statement of purpose
    • Two letters of recommendation
    • Official test scores
        • GRE not required
        • If English is NOT the national language in your home country, please submit one of the following English proficiency tests:
            • TOEFL: minimum acceptable score is 79
            • IELTS: minimum acceptable score is 6.5
            • Duolingo: minimum acceptable score is 115
            • ASC English: minimum acceptable level is 6
            • Pearson Test of English: minimum acceptable score is 53

Admission Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.000 GPA from an accredited institution
  • Prerequisites: Grades of C or better in required, prerequisite college-level courses. These include a minimum one semester of statistics and one semester of either biology or anatomy and physiology. Applicants who are missing prerequisites may be admitted with the provision that they meet with their advisor before or during their first semester and develop a plan of study to complete the prerequisites during the first year

Additional Information

F1 student visas may be available for full time on-campus students.

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Questions Regarding Your Graduate Application?

Email Graduate_Admissions@uml.edu or call 800-656-4723 (for U.S. students) or 978-934-2390 (for international students).

For General Assistance:

For general questions about registering for courses or to find out who the advisor is for your graduate program, call 800-480-3190. Our admissions and advising teams are here to help!

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