Epidemiology Courses
EPID 349 Infectious Disease Epidemiology. (3 credits) This introductory course will review the history of infectious diseases, principles of infectious disease transmission, relevant study design and analysis techniques, and the clinical epidemiology of specific pathogens by transmission route categories. This course requires a prerequisite of a solid understanding of basic science and public health curricula, such as molecular biology or anatomy-physiology; or permission from instructor.
EPID 394 Special Topics in Epidemiology. (1-3). Content variable. May be repeated for credit. For undergraduate students only. Course would count as a cognate course in the undergraduate public health curriculum.
EPID 410 Principles of Epidemiology. (3) (every semester and summer) (Required for Public Health and Exercise Science undergraduate majors at USC). (Prereq or Coreq: STAT 201 or 205). Introduction to descriptive and analytical epidemiology. Topics will include the distribution and determinants of disease, surveillance, outbreak investigations, measures of association, screening tests, bias, and causal reasoning.
EPID 490 Independent Study. (1-3) Enrollment and topic to be approved in advance by advisor and instructor. May be repeated. Prerequisites: permission of instructor.
EPID 661 Parasitology. (4) (every spring semester) (Pre-requisite: 300 level Biology course or equivalent). Parasites of biological, economic, and public health importance. Three lecture and three laboratory hours per week.
EPID 700 Introduction to Epidemiology. (3) (every spring semester in person, every summer semester online). Principles of epidemiology with examples of selected health problems. Health status of populations and conceptual tools for translating epidemiologic findings into public health action.
EPID 701 Concepts and Methods of Epidemiology. (3) (Prereq or Coreq: BIOS 701 or permission of instructor) (every fall). Conceptual foundation of epidemiologic research, quantitative methods, and epidemiologic study design. Intended for those who will be involved in epidemiologic research.
EPID 730 Public Health Surveillance Systems. (3) (Prereq or Coreq: EPID 701, PUBH 725 or equivalent course) (every fall). Introduction to the concepts, implementation and evaluation of surveillance systems to monitor the health of human populations.
EPID 741 Intermediate Epidemiologic Methods. (3) (Prereq: EPID 701, PUBH 725 or equivalent course; Co-req: BIOS 757/758, and either Prereq: BIOS 710 or Coreq: BIOS 709) (every spring). Application of epidemiologic methods to current health problems through analysis of secondary data. Strategies for investigating etiologic hypotheses, assessment and control of confounding.
EPID 744 Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology. (3) (Prereq: EPID 701, PUBH 725 or equivalent course) (spring of every odd year). Epidemiology of selected groups of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) including etiology, pathophysiology, identification, and description of events of CVD, and outcomes. (Doctoral Students: see EPID 844).
EPID 745 Seminar in Epidemiology. (1) (every fall and spring) Analysis of current and prospective issues in epidemiology, including historical foundations. Includes student exploration and critical consideration of current research and unsolved problems in epidemiology. (Pass/Fail grading)
EPID 746 Cancer Epidemiology. (3) (Prereq: EPID 700) (spring of every odd year) Epidemiology of selected cancers in humans, including etiology, pathophysiology, identification and description of events of cancer and outcomes.
EPID 747 Environmental Epidemiology (3) (Prereq: EPID 700, BIOS 700) (spring of every even year) Emphasis on the epidemiology of selected environmental factors which may affect human health including the identification of health hazards and methods of investigation. (Doctoral students: see EPID 847).
EPID 763 Nutritional Epidemiology. (3) (Prereq: EPID 701, PUBH 725 or equivalent course) (every fall). Covers methodology for investigating nutrition’s role in health, including nutritional assessment and the design and interpretation of research studies. Substantive issues emphasize major public health concerns of the 21st century.
EPID 765 Reproductive and Perinatal Epidemiology. (3) (spring of every even year) (Prereq: EPID 701, PUBH 725 or equivalent course and BIOS 701 or permission of instructor). Epidemiology of major reproductive outcomes in humans with emphasis on pathophysiology, risk factors, analytic methods of investigation and surveillance/monitoring of reproductive events. (Doctoral students: see EPID 865).
EPID 767 GIS and Public Health Applications. (3) (every even fall). Principles and application of basic and intermediate-level GIS technologies in public health practice and research.
EPID 768 Psychiatric Epidemiology. (3) (every fall) (Prereq: EPID 701, PUBH 725 or equivalent course). Methodologic issues in the epidemiologic study of psychiatric disorder, the epidemiology of mayor psyhiatric outcomes, and issues in the student of special populations.
EPID 770 Social Epidemiology. (3) (Prereq: EPID 701, PUBH 725 or equivalent course) (every even spring). Influence of social factors and the distribution of those factors on patterns of health and disease. Including individual-level examinations of the role of social determinants in producing health, as well as more macro-level examinations of patterns of social disparities in health status.
EPID 788 Practical Methods for Secondary Data Analysis. (3) (Prereq: EPID 700/701, BIOS 700/701, EPID 741 or equivalent research methods class, such as BIOS 757/758, BIOS 754, etc.; Instructor reserves the right to waive prerequisites). Introduction to data sources and methods commonly used by epidemiologists and health analysts in state or federal health departments and research settings. Methods include data management and analysis using SAS, data interpretation, survey designs, and innovative record linkages.
EPID 790 Independent Study. (1-6) (Prereq: permission of instructor) Directed research on a topic to be developed by M.P.H. or M.S.P.H. student and instructor. May be repeated.
EPID 794 Special Topics in Epidemiology. (1-6). Content varies by title. May be repeated for total of 6 credit hours.
EPID 796 Integrated Learning Experience. (1) (Prereq: PUBH 725, 726, 730, 735, EPID 741 or permission of Graduate Director) (Restricted to EPID MPH students). Demonstrate synthesis of MPH foundational and concentration competencies to address a public health issue in the form of a high-quality written product.
EPID 798 Public Health Practice. (2) (Prereq: PUBH 725, 726, 730, 735, or permission of Graduate Director). Apply and test publichealth concepts, theories, and analytical tools learned in the classroom to real-world public health issues outside of the classroom in any one of the variety of settings.
EPID 799 Thesis Preparation. (1-9) (Prereq: Successful completion of the progression exam).
EPID 800 Advanced Methodological Theory in Epidemiology. (3) (Prereq: EPID 741 or permission of instructor). (every fall) Advanced epidemiologic methods in the design of epidemiologic studies, with emphasis on causal inference. Theories and frameworks of causation and interactions between causes and graphical visualization tools.
EPID 801 Advanced Analytical Methods in Epidemiology. (3) (Prereq: EPID 741 and BIOS 757 or equivalent courses) (every spring). Application of advanced analytical methods, relying heavily on problem solving, data analysis and interpretation.
EPID 802 Epidemiologic Methods III. (3) (Prereq: EPID 741 or permission of instructor). (every spring). Extension of research design and development issues with focus on grant writing.
EPID 844 Advanced Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology: Evidence Synthesis and Evaluation. (3) (Meets with EPID 744, every odd spring). The purpose of the course is to provide a comprehensive overview of the field of cardiovascular disease epidemiology and enable the student to gain a thorough understanding of the population burden of CVD and its contributing facotrs. Emphasis will be placed on using evidence synthesis tools such as systematic reviews and meta-analyses to evaluate the scientific literature. Students will gain experience in evaluating systematic reviews and developing a protocol for a systematic review/meta-analysis.
EPID 845 Doctoral Seminar Topics. (1) (Prereq: complete at least one semester of coursework and consent of instructor) (every semester) May be repeated for credit as content varies by title. Seminar topics such as plagiarism and professional writing (845 A), contemporary issues and novel methodological approaches in the field of epidemiology (845 B), and career development (845 C). (Pass/Fail grading).
EPID 847 Advanced Environmental Factors and Human Health. (3) (Meets with EPID 747, offered every even Spring). Advanced methods encompassing the investigation of environmental factors and how they affect human health. Emphasis on reading and interpreting the peer reviewed scientific literature and developing a systematic literature review and grant proposal.
EPID 865 Methods in Reproductive and Perinatal Epidemiology. (3) (Meets with EPID 765, offered every even spring). This course provides an overview of reproductive and perinatal epidemiology and the applications in the field of Maternal and Child Health. It covers the current and emerging topics in this area. Designed for doctoral students with interests in conducting research related to reproductive and perinatal epidemiology.
EPID 867 Geographic Information Systems for Public Health Research. (3) (Meets with EPID 767, when offered varies). Principles and application of basic and intermediate-level GIS technologies in public health research. Designed for doctoral students with interest in conducting health-related research using GIS methods.
EPID 869 Clinical Effectiveness. (3) (every odd fall). (Prereq: EPID 701, PUBH 725 or equivalent course). This course develops skills in the application of epidemiologic methods to clinical effectiveness research, defined as generating evidence to inform stakeholders about treatment options, and improve treatment safety, quality, efficiency and effectiveness.
EPID 877 Advanced Methods and Concepts in Nutritional Research. (3) (Prereq: EPID 763 or permission of instructor). Advanced methods and concepts in nutrition research addresses aspects of nutrition ranging from nutritional biochemistry to dietetics and community nutrition education. It covers disciplinary breadth encompassing the study of effects of dietary exposures on inflammation, epigenetics, immune function, psychological states and traits, physiologic states, and pathophysiologic processes, including carcinogenesis.
EPID 890 Independent Study. (1-3) (Prereq: permission of instructor) Directed research on a topic to be developed by doctoral student and instructor.
EPID 894 Special Topics in Epidemiology. (3) Content varies by title. May be repeated for credit.
EPID 899 Dissertation Preparation. (1-12) (Prereq: one full year (18 hrs.) of graduate study beyond the master's level and successful completion of the qualifying exam).
Biostatistics Courses
BIOS 700 Introduction to Biostatistics. (3) (every semester). Health related statistical applications. Descriptive statistics, probability, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, regression, correlation, ANOVA. May not be used for graduate credit in epidemiology or biostatistics.
BIOS 701 Concepts and Methods of Biostatistics. (3) (every fall). Descriptive and inferential statistical applications to public health. Probability, interval estimation, hypothesis testing, measures of association. For students planning further study in epidemiology or biostatistics.
BIOS 709 Introduction to SAS. (1) (every fall, spring & summer). Statistical data management techniques. Microcomputer applications, communication between microcomputers and mainframe, tape and disk storage, access to large health-related databases.
BIOS 710 Effective Data Management for Public Health. (3) (every fall & summer). This course teaches techniques for creating and using small data sets. Students will become familiar with four software packages used for data entry, data management, and presentation, PC/SAS, STATA, MS Excel, and MS Access.
BIOS 711 Introduction to R Programming. (1) (every fall). Students will learn the software program R for performing data management. R software includes basic to advanced commands for properly formatting data for analysis for public health data.
BIOS 712 Introduction to Stata Software. (1) (every fall). Students will learn the software program Stata for performing data management. The course covers basic to advanced commands for properly formatting data for analysis for public health data.
BIOS 714 Introduction to MS Access for Public Health. (1) (every fall). This course focuses the uses of Microsoft Access for data management in public health. The course takes the student through building tables, forms, queries, reports and finishes with automated scripts for each of use with Access.
BIOS 719 Advanced SAS Methods for Public Health. (1) (every fall). Building upon skills learned in BIOS 709 (Introduction to SAS), students will learn data management using PROC SQL & SAS Macro Language which prepares data for conducting efficient statistical analysis.
BIOS 745 Seminar in Biostatistics. (1-2) (every fall & spring) Analysis of current and prospective issues in biostatistics, including historical foundations. Includes student exploration of unsolved problems and examination of central issues in biostatistics. (Pass/Fail grading).
BIOS 746 Introduction to Complex Survey Data Analysis. (1-2) (every fall & spring). Students will learn the basics of data collection methods, sampling design for linear, logistic, and survival analysis complex models using survey data. (Pass/Fail grading)
BIOS 754 Discrete Data Analysis. (3) (Prereq: BIOS 757 and EPID 700/701) (every fall) Analysis of discrete data in public health studies. Relative risk, odds ratio, rates and proportions, contingency tables, logistic regression, introduction to other advanced topics. Not for Biostatistics majors.
BIOS 755 Introduction to Longitudinal Data Analysis. (3) (every spring) (Prereq: BIOS 757) An introduction to principles and methods for longitudinal data, which are often encountered in practice where multiple measures are observed over time on an individual. This course is designed for non-biostatistics major researchers, with a focus on data analysis and interpretation more than theoretical development. Problems will be motivated by applications in epidemiology and clinical medicine, health services research, and disease natural history studies.
BIOS 757 Intermediate Biostatistics. (3) (Prereq: A course in introductory statistics) (every semester) Public health applications of correlation, regression, multiple regression, single and multi-factor analysis of variance and analysis of covariance.
BIOS 758 Advanced Biostatistics. (4) (Prereq: BIOS 701) (every spring) Additional topics in analysis of health data including regression diagnostics, multicollinearity of observational data, ridge/nonlinear regression, principal components, random/missed effects, unbalanced designs, repeated measures, and sampling and design effects.
BIOS 759 Biostatistical Methods for Rates and Proportions. (2-3) (Prereq: EPID 701 and BIOS 757) (every fall) The concepts, principles and biostatistical techniques necessary to analyze categorical epidemiological data including dose response curves, life tables and discrete measures of association. Estimation of parameters for logistic and other commonly used epidemiological models.
BIOS 760 Biostatistical Methods in Clinical Trials. (3) (Prereq: EPID 700, BIOS 700, EPID 741, BIOS 757) (fall of every odd year) This course will cover the basic and advanced statistical techniques necessary for the design, conduct, analysis and interpretation of results of clinical trials.
BIOS 761 Survival Analysis. (3) (Prereq: BIOS 757 or equivalent) (every fall) Methods for the analysis of survival data in the biomedical setting. Underlying concepts; standard parametric and nonparametric methods for one or several samples; concomitant variables and the proportional hazards model.
BIOS 765 Research Design in the Biomedical Sciences. (3) (Prereq: BIOS 757) (spring of every odd year) Fundamentals of constructing, analyzing, and interpreting biomedical studies; internal and external validity, sample size determination, completely random designs, blocking, crossover designs, confounding, nested designs, repeated measure designs.
BIOS 770 Applied Longitudinal Data Analysis [= STAT 771]. (3) (Prereq: BIOS 757 or STAT 701 or STAT 705). (every spring) Modern methods for the analysis of repeated measures, correlated outcomes, and longitudinal data, including repeated measures ANOVA, generalized linear models, random effects, and generalized estimating equations.
BIOS 780 Introduction to Quantile Regression. (3) (Prereq: BIOS 757) (spring of every even year) Principles and methods for quantile regression analysis, which is a robust statistical approach that extends the classical mean regression analysis based on least squares.
BIOS 790 Independent Study. (1-6) (Prereq: permission of instructor) Directed research on a topic to be developed by M.P.H. or M.S.P.H. student and instructor. May be repeated.
BIOS 794 Special Topics in Biostatistics. (1-6)
BIOS 798 Public Health Practice. (1-6) (Prereq: 9-10 hours of specified courses including EPID 700, EPID 741, BIOS 700). Performance of a limited work of service project in a public need setting, pursuit of planned learning objectives related to previously identified aspects of the student's chosen role. Self-monitoring and regular seminars focusing on learning accomplishments. (Pass/Fail Grading)
BIOS 799 Thesis Preparation. (1-9)
BIOS 805 Categorical Data Analysis. [=STAT 770] (3) (Prereq: BIOS 759 or STAT 704 and consent of instructor) (fall of every even year) Advanced methods for analysis of discrete data. Higher order contingency tables, log linear and other generalized linear models. Multivariate methods for matched pairs and longitudinal data.
BIOS 811 Survival Analysis II. (3) (Prereq: BIOS 761) (spring of every even year) Parametric survival analysis, accelerated failure time model, frailty model, competing risk model and multi-state model. Techniques motivated by applications in epidemiology and clinical medicine research, applications demonstrated using public health data sets.
BIOS 815 Generalized Linear Models [=STAT 775] (3) (Prereq: STAT 713 or STAT 513, and STAT 705 or BIOS 757. Statistical theory and applications extending regression and analysis of variance to non-normal data. Encompasses logistic and other binary regressions, log-linear models, and gamma regression models.
BIOS 816 Advanced R Programming for Public Health. (3) (spring of every odd year) (Prereq: BIOS 711). This course provides the principles and techniques to efficiently design, implement, and execute simulation and data analysis routines in quantitative fields like biostatistics, statistics, engineering, finance, and data science.
BIOS 818 Advanced Computational Statistics for Signal and Network Analysis. (3) (spring of every odd year) (prereq: BIOS 711 & BIOS 757). This course provides an overview of advanced computational statistics for signal and network analysis with a wide variety of social, genomic, and neuroscientific applications.
BIOS 820 Bayesian Biostatistics and Computation [=STAT 745] (3) (Prereq: BIOS 757 or STAT 705) (fall of every odd year) Bayesian methodology for randomized trials, epidemiology, survival, bioassay, logistic and log-linear regression modeling, longitudinal data, classification and bioinformatics, advances in computational methods.
BIOS 822 Statistical Methods in Spatial Epidemiology. (3) (Prereq: BIOS 757 and 759) (fall of every even year) A comprehensive introduction to the statistical methods used in the analysis of geo-referenced spatial health data. Topics range from disease mapping to prospective surveillance.
BIOS 825 Multivariate Biostatistics. (3) (Prereq: STAT 516 or BIOS 757) (spring of every even year) Analysis of multivariate data as found in biomedical studies; multivariate linear models, principal components analysis, factor analysis, discriminant and cluster analysis. Other special multivariate topics such as principal components regression.
BIOS 845 Doctoral Seminar. (1-3) (Prereq: complete at least one semester of coursework and consent of instructor) May be repeated for credit. (Pass/Fail grading)
BIOS 890 Independent Study. (1-3) (Prereq: permission of instructor) Directed research on a topic to be developed by doctoral student and instructor. May be repeated.
BIOS 894 Special Topics in Biostatistics. (3) Discussion on current and emerging issues in biostatistics. May be repeated for credit.
BIOS 898 Doctor of Public Health Practicum. ( 1-6).
BIOS 899 Dissertation Preparation. (1-12) (Prereq: one full year (18 hrs.) of graduate study beyond the master's level).
Other Required Courses
PUBH 700 Perspectives in Public Health. (3) (every semester) Seminar-format orientation to history, mission, and core services and disciplines of public health to develop understanding of current public health practice and how many health-related disciplines contribute to achieving public health goals.
PUBH 724 Quantitative Methods for Public Health Practice I (3). (every fall). Integrated review of quantitative methods to use in public health practice. Includes concepts from epidemiology, biostatistics, and environmental health used to calculate and interpret health indicators for describing the populations’ health.
PUBH 725 Quantitative Methods for Public Health Practice II (3). (every fall). Introduction to epidemiology and biostatistics and their application to public health issues and practice. Covers basic epidemiologic, biostatistical, and data management techniques used to analyze and interpret data in the field of public health.
PUBH 726 Qualitative Methods for Public Health Practice. (3) (every fall). Introductory qualitative methods course focusing on understanding the characteristics of qualitative methods, including data collection, organization, and analysis. Students will also learn about the role of theory and paradigms in qualitative inquiry and how to identify, work with, and communicate qualitative analysis results with different types of community stakeholders.
PUBH 730 Public Health Systems, Policy, and Leadership. (3) (every spring). Designed to prepare future public health professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to solve public health problems using systems thinking tools, best practices in public health management, and policy development, application, and evaluation. It emphasizes identifying and enhancing the knowledge and skills needed to effectively lead public health initiatives.
PUBH 735 Practical Applications of Public Health Planning. (4) (every spring). Provides the opportunity for students to gain an in-depth understanding of the program planning process in public health. Students will work in teams to develop programs addressing a public health issue affecting a target population and setting, based on available epidemiological and social assessment data, and multi-level interventional strategies informed by theory and existing evidence-based interventions.
PUBH 810 Ethics in Public Health Research and Practice. (1) (varies when offered) (Enrollment restricted to doctoral students and post-docs, master’s students by permission of instructor). Foundation of public health ethics with application to practice and to responsible conduct of research in public health disciplines.