Epidemiology Minor

The 15-credit hour undergraduate minor in Epidemiology focuses on epidemiologic methods and two important content areas of the field: chronic disease epidemiology and infectious disease epidemiology. The minor in Epidemiology will augment and enhance many different undergraduate bachelor degree programs and expands learners' knowledge and comprehension of issues affecting humans domestically and internationally.

Learning outcomes

  • Apply the fundamental principles of biostatistics and epidemiology to domestic and international population issues.
  • Develop quantitative awareness of the multiple-scale, and multiple interactions that characterize public health problems.
  • Summarize major factors that contribute to human disease and compromised quality of life.
  • Analyze and interpret fundamental statistical and epidemiological data.
  • Summarize intervention and disease prevention strategies to sustain and improve quality of life.

Students who are interested in pursuing medical school after they complete their undergraduate degree are often interested in population-level research. This minor will provide students with the basic coursework on epidemiologic methods and biostatistics.

Other students who are majoring in a basic science program might find the infectious disease focus of this minor useful to their careers. The two infectious disease epidemiology courses teach students how to determine if an outbreak is present in a community, what to do with infectious disease outbreak information, and what are the important infectious diseases globally. Students who are majoring in a social science or nursing may find the chronic disease epidemiology coursework useful to their careers studying the social determinants of health or providing care for individuals with chronic diseases.

Requirements

  • Minimum credit hours: 15 credit hours
  • No more than 6 credit hours can overlap between the GE and a minor
  • The minor must be in a different subject than the major. Each minor completed must contain a minimum of 12 hours distinct from the major and/or additional minors.

Curriculum

Required courses (6 credits)
Course number Course name Credits
PUBHEPI 2410 Epidemiology in Public Health 3 credits
PUBHBIO 2210 or 2210H Biostatistics for Public Health Research 3 credits
 
Infectious disease epidemiology courses (Select one, 3 credits)
Course number Course name Credits
PUBHEPI 3411 (formerly 5411) Public Health Field Investigation 3 credits
PUBHEPI 5412 Global Epidemiology of Infectious Disease 3 credits
 
Chronic disease epidemiology courses (Select one, 3 credits)
Course number Course name Credits
PUBHEPI 5438 Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology 3 credits
PUBHEPI 4410 Social Epidemiology 3 credits
 
Elective courses (Select one, 3 credits) 
Course number Course name Credits
PUBHEPI 4432 Injury: A Public Health Problem 3 credits
PUBHEPI 3411 (formerly 5411) Public Health Field Investigation 3 credits
PUBHEPI 5412 Global Epi of Infectious Disease 3 credits
PUBHEPI 5438 Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology 3 credits
PUBHEPI 4410 Social Epidemiology 3 credits
 

Students may also choose to take another epidemiology course to fulfill the elective course requirement. Students who choose an alternative should consult an academic advisor in the College of Public Health to determine the approved course.

Epidemiology minor requirements

Declaring the epidemiology minor

The minor may be approved by the student's College/School Advising Office in the Student Information System which will then appear on the student's Degree Audit Report. The minor should be declared as soon as possible; however it must be declared by the time the student applies for graduation.