Ph.D. in Epidemiology

The Ph.D. students are expected to graduate with knowledge and skills in the fields of epidemiology, teach it and attempt to develop the field's practical and theoretical aspects, carefully criticize studies for helping observation of scientific principles in research methods and data collection and analysis and act in the community's health and health researches, and obtain ability for active participation in the national health system by relying on epidemiologic thought and knowledge, gaining analysis and policy making ability, knowing ways of transferring research knowledge to planning and operational fields. This field is easily combined with other fields and there is a mutual tendency between experts of this field with experts in other fields for cooperation due to its applied nature. Justice-orientation, rule of law, systemic thinking, developing evidence and using them, and decision-making based on evidence are its outstanding characteristics. 

Mission

Major mission of this educational program is training enabled graduates who are familiar with the principles of epidemiology and have comprehensive and accurate understanding of the applications of this science in health management and can run researches.To this end, graduates are expected to have wide knowledge and necessary skills for playing effective role in epidemiologic reception and thought and perspective as a top capability, and they should be able to study health problems and finds ways for better living with a health-oriented look.

Aims

Educational aims of this period is training enabled forces at education, research and health management areas. To this end, aims of this program include as follows:

1. Research: Graduate of this field should be able to identify problems, produce research topics, design and direct effective research projects, and analyzes obtained results and provides best solutions according to the evidence through accurate observation of health systems. Thus the graduate should be able to introduce and direct research project management and group work effectively.
2. Educational: Graduate should be familiar with epidemiology principles, concepts of novel epidemiology and biostatistics and specialized in one of branches of novel epidemiology and statistical models according to the latest academic achievements. In addition, they should learn necessary skills for teaching and be familiar with at least two related professional software.
3. Health Management: Graduate should be familiar with health management principles (understanding and interpretation). They should know geographical distribution of common diseases, and know current major instructions in the system. Also, they should be enabled professionally and deeply at least in one of community health areas or common diseases.

Ph.D. Admission Preferences

The entrance requirements are the same as stated for the master’s degree. In addition, completion of an M.S. program in many health sciences (like public health, nursing, midwifery …), in an accredited university, is generally acceptable. The department encourages graduates from school of medicine, school of dentistry and school of pharmacy to apply.

Duration Educational Course

Duration of the course and shape of its system is according to Ph.D. regulations of Supreme Council of Health.

Total number of course credits is 50 as follows:

• Core Specialized Credits                           20
• Noncore Specialized Credits                      10
• Thesis                                                   20

In addition to educational credits, the student is bound to pass all or some of compensatory credits (Table A) under recognition of the Department and approved by the Council of post graduate studies of the University.

Table A: compensatory credits of Epidemiology Ph.D. Course

Table B: Core Specialized Creditsof Epidemiology Ph.D. Course

Table C: Noncore Specialized Credits of Epidemiology Ph.D. Course

Students should pass 10 credits of the above table (Table C) according to his thesis subject with agreement of thesupervisor and approved by the University Graduate Council.

Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination

The Ph.D. comprehensive examination is offered twice yearly. If the examination is not passed in the first attempt, it may be repeated one time. The examination consists of a two-day in-class component (two 3-hour examinations on consecutive days) and a follow-up oral-exam component. The in-class component contains a closed-book set of theory problems drawn from the Ph.D. required courses (please see above). The topic areas for the oral examination include topics covered by the in-class exam, as well as topics covered in Master’s degree of Epidemiology courses. The primary focus of the oral-exam is to gauge the student’s ability in presenting the statistical solution of a real-world public health or biomedical research problem.

Ph.D. Dissertation Proposal

The dissertation proposal describes the rationale for the proposed research and outlines its basic components. Prior to initiation of the research, the student defends her/his proposal via a public presentation in the department. Then, the proposal is submitted to the department’s research committee members (consisting of a dissertation advisor, department’s head, and department education and research representatives) for the final evaluation. A written approval by the department’s research.

Dissertation Defense

The student and the dissertation committee are required to comply with the School of Public Health guidelines with regard to preparation of the dissertation and meeting deadlines for graduation. During the dissertation defense, the dissertation committee will thoroughly examine the student’s knowledge in the content area of the research.