PhD in Epidemiology and Clinical Research
Course Requirements
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.
Core Epidemiology Sequence (10+ units)
Biostatistics Sequence (9 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)
Additional Coursework
(Must take at least 3 courses totaling at least 9 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.
Electives Coursework
(Must take at least one course each in 3 distinct areas totaling 9 units)
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
Social and Behavioral 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.
Other Core Courses/Requirements
(Details in Education Handbook)
- 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.
Sample PhD Program
Year 1: Autumn Quarter (8+ units)
Course | Title | Units |
EPI 225 | Introduction to Epidemiologic and Clinical Research Methods | 3 |
EPI 259 | Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Epidemiology | 3 |
Elective | Elective | 1 - 3 |
EPI 236 | Epidemiology Research Seminar | 1 |
Year 1: Winter Quarter (9+ units)
EPI 226 | Intermediate Epidemiologic and Clinical Research Methods | 3 |
EPI 261 | Intermediate Biostatistics: Analysis of Discrete Data | 3 |
Elective | Elective | 2-3 |
MED 255 | Responsible Conduct of Research | 1 |
Year 1: Spring Quarter (9+ units)
EPI 251 | Design and Conduct of Clinical Trials | 3 |
HRP 252* | Outcomes Analysis (BIOMEDIN 251, MED 252) | 3 |
EPI 262 | Intermediate Biostatistics | 3 |
Year 1: Summer Quarter (10 units)
EPI 399 | Graduate Research | 10 |
Year 2: Autumn Quarter (10 units)
STATS 202* | Data Mining and Analysis | 3 |
EPI 227 | Advanced Epidemiological Methods | 3 |
EPI 339 | Graduate Research | 3 |
EPI 264 | Foundations of Statistical and Scientific Inference (STATS 264) | 1 |
* 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)
Elective | Elective | 3 |
Elective | Elective | 3 |
EPI 399 | Graduate Research | 3 |
EPI 236 | Epidemiology Research Seminar | 1 |
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)
Elective | Elective | 3 |
Elective | Elective | 3 |
Elective | Elective | 2 |
EPI 246 | Epidemiology Doctoral Seminar | 2 |
Year 2: Summer Quarter (10 units)
EPI 399 | Graduate Research | 10 |
Year 3: Autumn-Winter Quarters (10 units)
EPI 399 | Graduate Research | 9 |
EPI 236 | Epidemiology Research Seminar | 1 |
Year 3: Spring-Summer Quarters (10 units)
EPI 399 | Graduate Research | 10 |
Year 4: Autumn Quarter (10 units)
EPI 399 | Graduate Research | 10 |
Year 4: Winter Quarter (10 units) or Part-time Enrollment (5 units)
EPI 399 | Graduate Research | 5-10 |
Milestones: TGR 135 units.
Year 4 and above
EPI 802 | TGR: Dissertation | 0 |
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