Doctor of Philosophy in Epidemiology and Biostatistics - Biostatistics

With its emphases on translational research and emerging public health issues, the PhD program in Epidemiology and Biostatistics offers a cutting-edge, advanced training to prepare individuals for academic and research careers. The program has two concentrations, Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Main areas of research include cardiovascular disease risk factors, allergic diseases and underlying geneticepigenetic mechanisms, sickle cell disease, smoking, cancer, and childhood obesity, along with biostatistical methods originated from these public health studies. Students work closely with faculty mentors in these research areas. The PhD program is designed to be completed in three to four years for students with a master's degree in Biostatistics or a related field. For each concentration, requirements include the equivalent of two years of full-time coursework, written and oral comprehensive examinations, and the completion an oral defense of an independent, original dissertation in the concentration area. Eligible full-time students may receive graduate assistantships to cover tuition andor stipends.

Admission to the Graduate School is open to anyone holding a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from an accredited college or university. In cases, where a program’s accrediting body allows alternate admissions standards, exceptions may be made. Applicants should have completed undergraduate or graduate work of sufficient quality and scope to enable them to successfully pursue graduate study. The University of Memphis offers equal educational opportunity to all persons without regard to race, religion, sex, creed, color, national origin or disability. Baccalaureate Degree: The applicant must provide an official transcript showing that a bachelor’s degree was awarded by an accredited college or university. If you are a UofM undergraduate student applying to Graduate School at UofM, you do not need to request that an official transcript be sent to Graduate Admissions. This office has access to your transcript. In addition, transcripts from any other college or university attended may be requested. Only transcripts received directly from an issuing institution are considered official. Personal copies are not acceptable as official documents. GPA: The applicant must have earned an acceptable grade point average, typically a minimum of 2.5 on a scale of 4.0, but departments may make exceptions for students whose overall GPA does not adequately reflect their ability to succeed in their chosen field. English proficiency test scores required by the University: Duolingo English Test- For students affected by test center closures due to COVID-19, the University is temporarily accepting Duolingo as an alternative. 100 or higher on the overall score, all sub scores must be at least 80. TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Institution code 1459. TOEFL - 550 or higher on the paper version, 79 or higher on the internet-based test IELTS (International English Language Testing System- 6.0 or higher PTE (Pearson Test of English) - 53 or higher A master’s degree in related health field is required for admission. Applicants must show potential for further study by having maintained a GPA of at least a 3.0 average in their master’s-level coursework. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) completed within the past five years is required. Competitive scores on the GRE are considered in the admissions decision. Applicants already holding a doctoral degree or its professional equivalent may be exempted from the GRE requirement. Other professional school standardized test scores (MCAT, DAT, or LSAT,) may be substituted for the GRE by applicants who are working toward or who have already earned post-baccalaureate degrees for example, in medicine, dentistry, management, or law. All applicants who will be attending the University on a visa and who are not native speakers of English must supply a minimum score of 96 (80%) on the computer-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT), or an equivalent score on the paper-based test (TOEFL PBT). Letters of recommendation from three individuals (at least one letter from a former professor or instructor) familiar with the applicant’s academic background or experience in public health related issues, specifying in detail the applicant’s capabilities for graduate study and for future performance as a public health scholar, are required. Applicants must also submit a personal statement of approximately 750 to 1000 words indicating his/her present interests and career goals, including how the PhD in Epidemiology will prepare the candidate to achieve these goals. Materials submitted will be reviewed by the faculty admissions committee. Admissions decisions are made on the overall quality of the applicant’s scholarship and academic ability (based on GPAs, GRE scores, undergraduate and graduate coursework completed, research conducted, and recommendations) as well as the applicant’s “fit” for the program in terms of research interests and career goals.