Public Health was defined by C-E.A. Winslow as the science and the art of preventing
disease, prolonging life, and promoting physical health and efficiency through organized
community efforts with the goal of enabling every citizen to realize his/her birthright
of health and longevity.
The disciplines of epidemiology and biostatistics are essential to achieving the goals
of public health, and combining these two disciplines in a single department creates
synergies for both training and research. Epidemiologists study the distribution and
determinants of health and disease in populations. Biostatisticians develop and apply
statistical theory, methods and techniques to public health research data and the planning,
implementation and evaluation of public health programs. Given the strong overlap,
epidemiologists and biostatisticians often collaborate to work toward the shared goal
of generating and analyzing data to advance the public’s health.
Within the department, the degree programs are administered under two separate streams,
the Division of Epidemiology and Division of Biostatistics .
Find out more about the department and what we offer in our welcome from the Chair .
Degrees Offered
We offer eight advanced degrees in epidemiology and biostatistics. Each graduate degree has specific application deadlines and requirements .
Expand all Biostatistics Epidemiology
Epidemiology and Biostatistics News
Rachel Davis, Mark Sarzynski and James Hardin receive 2022 Faculty Awards
The Arnold School is proud to announce the recipients of the 2022 Faculty Awards:
Rachel Davis (James A. Keith Excellence in Teaching Award), Mark Sarzynski (Faculty
Research Award), and James Hardin (Faculty Service Award).
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics honors 2022 student award winners
The Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics is proud to announce the recipients
of their 2022 Student Awards. These four students were selected for their outstanding
performance both academically and outside the classroom.
Isabella Alonso and Kyndall Dye-Braumuller selected to receive 2022 Arnold School
Student Awards
Congratulations to Isabella Alonso (B.A. in Public Health, MPH in HPEB) on winning
the Jeffrey Keith Mattison Outstanding Student Achievement Awardand Kyndall Dye-Braumuller
(Ph.D. in Epidemiology) for winning the Doctoral Student Achievement Award.
Arnold School honors alumni at 2022 Hooding Ceremony
Kara Whitaker has been awarded the Gerry Sue Arnold Alumni Award, which honors an
alumna/us who graduated in the past 10 years. Susan Bolick is the recipient of the
Norman J. Arnold Alumni Medal, which is bestowed upon an alumna/us who has graduated
more than 10 years ago.
Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion announces inaugural DEI awardees
These awards are designed to recognize alumni, faculty, staff and students who have
made exceptional contributions to advancing DEI through research, practice, community
engagement, teaching and/or advocacy.
Doctoral graduate develops new use for biostatistics methods: assessing human exposure
to radiation
A health physicist, Thomas LaBone has spent 40 years assessing occupational exposure
to radioactive materials (aka internal dosimetry). With his Ph.D. in Biostatistics,
he is on the forefront of researchers applying Bayesian statistics to internal dosimetry
- a goal 25 years in the making.
Graduate School selects three Arnold School doctoral students to receive university-level
awards
Maggie Carson (Environmental Health Sciences) won the Dean's Award for Excellence
in Leadership, Valeri Yelverton (Health Services Policy and Management) won the Outstanding
Research Award, and Rajat Das Guptas (Epidemiology) won the George M. Reeves Fellowship.
The Arnold School joins the UofSC faculty senate in condemning racism and injustice in all its forms and actions. Racism and social injustice are strong negative determinants
of good health -- both physically and mentally -- and are antithetical to everything
we stand for in academic public health. Learn more from our Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion .
The Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics held a Town Hall for all current
and incoming students on August 14, 2021. This Town Hall was to address any concerns
regarding COVID-19 and the new academic year. If you have any questions after viewing
this recording, please feel free to contact Emily Tedesco, Program Coordinator, at
tedescel@mailbox.sc.edu .
Click here to view the recording !
New department chair, Anthony Alberg, discusses opportunities for potential students
and faculty members
Read more about Dr. Alberg