PhD in Epidemiology and Clinical Research

PhD students will be required to complete a minimum of 135 units (as per university requirements), including 45 course units exclusive of EPI 236 (Epidemiology Research Seminar), EPI 299 (Directed Reading), and EPI 399 (Graduate Research).

Graduate education at Stanford is a full-time commitment requiring full-time enrollment, typically at least 8 units during Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters. For PhD students, we require enrollment in 10 units per quarter. Please note that enrolling in more than 10 units in a quarter will lead to fee increases. 

*All courses info can be found from the Stanford Bulletin Explore Courses website. Details of PhD program can be found in Education Handbook. Sample schedules are provided in appendix A.

Note: All PhD program core courses (EPI 225/226/227/259/261/262) must be taken for a letter grade.

• EPI 225: Introduction to Epidemiologic and Clinical Research Methods (3 units)
• EPI 226: Intermediate Epidemiologic and Clinical Research Methods (3 units)
• EPI 227: Advanced Epidemiologic Methods (3 units)
• EPI 264: Foundations of Statistical and Scientific Inference (STATS 264) (1-2 units)

• EPI 259: Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Epidemiology (3 units)
• EPI/STATS 261: Intermediate Biostatistics: Analysis of Discrete Data (3 units)
• EPI 262: Intermediate Biostatistics: Regression, Prediction, Survival Analysis (3 units)

• EPI 206: Meta-research: Appraising Research Findings, Bias, and Meta-analysis (CHPR 206, MED 206, STATS 211)
• EPI 270: Big Data Methods for Behavioral, Social, and Population Health Research   
  
• EPI 297: History of Epidemiology (highly recommended)
• BIOMEDIN 215: Data Science for Medicine
• BIOMEDIN 217: Translational Bioinformatics (BIOE 217, CS 275, GENE 217)
• BIOMEDIN 273A: The Human Genome Source Code (CS 273A, DBIO 273A)
• COMM 382: Big Data and Causal Inference
• CS 106A: Programming Methodologies
• CS 229: Machine Learning
• CS 246: Mining Massive Data Sets
• GENE 224: Principles of Pharmacogenomics (BIOMEDIN 224)
• HRP 252: Outcomes Analysis
• HRP 392: Analysis of Costs, Risks, and Benefits of Health Care
• Any 200 level STATS class (other than STATS 260)
• STATS 116: Theory of Probability
• STATS 202: Data Mining and Analysis

Please see Other Electives section in Education Handbook for a comprehensive list of elective courses.

Note: If you are interested in another course, please check with the PhD program director or advisor to make sure that it is compatible with this requirement.

Infectious Disease Epidemiology

• EPI 231: Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases
• EPI 237: Practical Approaches to Global Health Research
• EPI 247: Epidemic Intelligence (HUMBIO 57)
• HRP 204: Models for Understanding and Controlling Global Infectious Diseases
•  

Global Health

• EPI 237: Practical Approaches to Global Health Research (IPS 290, MED 226) 
  
• HRP 204: Models for Understanding and Controlling Global Infectious Diseases
•  

Genetic Epidemiology

• EPI 224: Genetic Epidemiology
• BIO 247: Genomic Approaches to the Study of Human Disease
•  

Social and Behavioral Epidemiology

• EPI 263: Social Epidemiology
• EPI 267: Life Course Epidemiology
•  

Community-based participatory research

•  CHPR 227/EPI 272: The Science of Community Engagement in Health Research
•  CHPR 247/MED 247: Methods in Community Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
•  

Cancer Epidemiology

• EPI 253: Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention
•  

Clinical Research

• EPI/MED 206/STATS 211: Meta-research: Appraising Research Findings, Bias, and Meta-analysis
• EPI 219: Evaluation of Technologies for Diagnosis, Prediction and Screening 
• EPI 251: Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials 
• EPI 2xx: Clinical Trials Observatory (to be offered in 2024-2025)

Note: If you are interested in another course, please check with the PhD program director or advisor to make sure that it is compatible with this requirement.

• EPI 236: Epidemiology Research Seminar. Weekly forum for ongoing epidemiologic research by faculty, staff, guests, and students, emphasizing research issues relevant to disease causation, prevention, and treatment. May be repeated for credit. Students should take EPI 236 at least 3 quarters (3 units) but are encouraged to attend more.
• EPI 246: Epidemiology Doctoral Seminar (2 units) (for second-year PhD students starting AY 2024-2025)
• BIOS 299: Online Proposal Bootcamp (2 units) (grant writing course to be taken in Spring quarter of year 2)
• MED 255: The Responsible Conduct of Research (1 unit)
• Attendance at Epi Supper Club. The epidemiology supper club is a vital aspect of the PhD program. Meeting for supper and discussion of specific research topics and published epidemiology papers several times per quarter,  the supper club provides a sense of comradery amongst the students and spurs intellectual curiosity and debate in an informal setting.

Year 1: Autumn Quarter (8+ units)

Year 1: Winter Quarter (9+ units)

Year 1: Spring Quarter (9+ units)

Year 1: Summer Quarter (10 units)

Year 2: Autumn Quarter (10 units)

* Options for the advanced quantitative and big data electives, more options noted in Other Electives section of EPH Handbook

Year 2: Winter Quarter (10 units)

Milestones: Qualifying examination given after autumn quarter of year 2 (with some flexibility in timing if needed for individual students)

Year 2: Spring Quarter (10 units)

Year 2: Summer Quarter (10 units)

Year 3: Autumn-Winter Quarters (10 units)

Year 3: Spring-Summer Quarters (10 units)

Year 4: Autumn Quarter (10 units)

Year 4: Winter Quarter (10 units) or Part-time Enrollment (5 units)

Milestones: TGR 135 units.

Year 4 and above