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
| Course number | Course name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PUBHEPI 2410 | Epidemiology in Public Health | 3 credits |
| PUBHBIO 2210 or 2210H | Biostatistics for Public Health Research | 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 |
| Course number | Course name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PUBHEPI 5438 | Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology | 3 credits |
| PUBHEPI 4410 | Social Epidemiology | 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.
