Educational Programs

The Master’s Degree in Epidemiology and Clinical Research provides students with the skills essential to population-based study and patient-oriented clinical research, including epidemiologic methods and statistical analysis. Many students are clinical investigators with an MD or comparable clinical degree, often in fellowship stages of their training or are already junior faculty members. The program also considers applicants from doctoral programs in the social, behavioral or biological sciences, who are interested in a concurrent Master’s degree and wish to apply epidemiologic techniques in their areas of research interest. The program also serves as a rigorous introduction to epidemiology and clinical research for students with baccalaureate degrees or Stanford co-term students who anticipate careers in clinical epidemiology or medicine. Many go on to PhD and MD degrees, or to pursue careers in public health and other disciplines.

The Co-terminal MS program allows undergraduates at Stanford to apply for admission to the Master's Degree in Epidemiology and Clinical Research. Coterminal students begin taking graduate units while they are still undergraduates.

The PhD program in Epidemiology and Clinical Research provides methodologic and interdisciplinary training that will equip students to carry out cutting-edge epidemiologic research and develop new methodology. The program trains students in the tools of modern epidemiology, with heavy emphasis on statistics, causal inference, computer science, genetics, genomics, and informatics. We welcome applicants with diverse backgrounds.

The Graduate Certificate in Epidemiology and Clinical Research, offered to students worldwide via online learning, provides knowledge and skills essential to patient-oriented clinical research, including epidemiologic methods and statistical analysis.

The Department of Epidemiology and Population Health is committed to fostering a diverse community in which all individuals are welcomed, respected, and supported to achieve their full potential.  

Stanford recognizes that the Supreme Court issued a ruling in June 2023 about the consideration of certain types of demographic information as part of an admission review. All applications submitted during upcoming application cycles will be reviewed in conformance with that decision.

The Department of Epidemiogy and Population Health welcomes graduate applications from individuals with a broad range of life experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds who would contribute to our community of scholars. The review process is holistic and individualized, considering each applicant’s academic record and accomplishments, letters of recommendation, prior research experience, and admissions essays to understand how an applicant’s life experiences have shaped their past and potential contributions to their field and how they might enrich the learning community at Stanford.