BA/MHS Program
Department of Epidemiology
Presentation Outline
 Brief Introduction to Epidemiology
 About the JHSPH Department of Epidemiology
 BA/MHS Program Selection Criteria
 BA/MHS Program Requirements/Logistics
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As an undergraduate senior
As a full-time Master’s student
 Common Questions (and Answers!)
 Important Contact Information
 Helpful Online Resources
What is Epidemiology?
 The study of the distribution
and determinants (causes) of
disease in populations
 Largely an observational science, with the exception
of clinical trials
 Requires significant use of statistics
What can Epidemiology do?
 Identify and confirm risk factors for disease
 Evaluate intervention strategies, new drugs and
therapies
 Aid in developing effective disease control and
prevention efforts
 Build a scientific foundation for public policy and
clinical guidelines
Epidemiology in the Real World
JHSPH Department of Epidemiology
 The largest and one of the oldest
Departments of Epidemiology in the world!
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107 faculty members
75 Master’s students; 78 PhD students; 37 post-doctoral fellows;
and 4 BA/MHS students
 Average time to complete MHS: 21 months
 Eight Academic Tracks:
 Clinical & Cardiovascular Epi, Cancer Epi, Clinical Trials &
Evidence Synthesis, Environmental Epi, Epidemiology of Aging,
General Epi Methods, Genetic Epi, and Infectious Disease Epi
JHSPH Faculty Research Interests
 HIV/AIDS & STI: large cohort studies of at-risk groups
 Cardiovascular Disease: cohort and case-control
studies of CVD
 Cancer: Community-based cohorts, hospital-based
studies of prostate, breast, colon and other cancers
 Genetics: Autism, birth defects, asthma, kidney disease,
eye diseases, etc.
 Clinical trials and systematic reviews
BA/MHS Program Eligibility
 Johns Hopkins Undergraduate students majoring in
Public Health Studies
 Must have taken ‘Principles of Epidemiology’ course in
Junior year; received a grade of B+ or higher
 Strong academic record, including social and natural
science coursework, along with mathematics
 Interest in Epidemiology and Biostatistics; research
experience desirable
Program Requirements, Part 1
As an Undergraduate:
 To fulfill undergraduate requirements, 15 credits
must be taken at JHSPH, 8 of which are in a specific
concentration of your choosing
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Cannot be Pass/Fail
Cannot be internet-based courses or special study
 Up to 16 of the credits taken at JHSPH can ALSO be
counted towards your MHS degree!
Program Requirements, Part 2
As a Master’s Student:
 The MHS degree program requires a total of 64 credits (16 of which
you could already be done with!)
 All MHS students must take the following, in addition to other
courses depending on your ‘track’:
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Biostatistics Sequence (620 or 650 series); Epidemiologic Methods
Sequence (750 series); Public Health Perspectives in Research; Research Ethics
 Must pass a written, two-part Comprehensive Exam in May of your
first year as full-time MHS student
 Must submit publishable-quality thesis and present results at
JHSPH Poster Session in order to graduate
Common Questions and
Answers
Q1: Is this a five year program?
 It CAN be a five-year program, although the MHS
degree in Epidemiology independent of the BA
degree normally takes two years (21 months)
 One way to graduate in one year:
 Take Biostatistics sequence in your senior year
 Scope out a thesis advisor as a senior, begin researching a
thesis topic the summer after you graduate
 Take the Epidemiologic Methods sequence during your first
year as a full-time MHS student, write the bulk of your thesis
during the winter, third and fourth terms
Q2: What are benefits of this program?
 Short-Term:
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No GRE or application fee required!
Early notification of graduate school acceptance
Potential for a 75% tuition-cut in your second year as a full-time
MHS student (if you maintain a 3.0 GPA and pass Comprehensive
Exams)
 Long-Term:
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Early exposure to well-known and influential faculty
Classmates bring a broad spectrum of experiences (physicians,
physicians-in-training, leaders in health departments and non-profit
organizations)
Head start to the world ahead, whether that’s medical school, a PhD
program, or a public-health focused career
Q3: What sorts of classes can I take?
 As a senior, you can:
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Take Biostatistics (620 or 650 series)
Cherry-pick classes that seem interesting, and don’t be afraid to
branch out of the Department of Epidemiology!
 Sample courses our department offers:
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First Term: Epidemiology and the Public Health Impact of HIV and
AIDS, Genetic Epidemiology
Second Term: Epidemiology of Infectious Disease, Healthcare
Epidemiology, Introduction to Clinical Trials,
Pharmacoepidemiology
Third Term: Epidemiology and Natural History of Human Viral
Infections, Introduction to Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology
Fourth Term: Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology,
Epidemiology of Aging, Epidemiology of Diabetes and Obesity
Q4: What are certificate programs?
 Kind of like a “minor” – a specialized area of study to
supplement your Epidemiology training
 Usually requires 18 credits of coursework
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Specifics: http://www.jhsph.edu/academics/programs/certificates
 Popular Certificates for Epidemiology students:
 Adolescent Health
 Community-Based Public Health
 Health Disparities and Health Inequality
 Maternal and Child Health
 Vaccine Science and Policy
Q5: How do I apply?
 When:
 Application Due: Spring of your Junior Year (by June 1)
 Decision Notification: Early August
 Where:
 Online Application, visit http://www.jhsph.edu/admissions/
 Will need to create account
 What:
 Transcripts, resume, personal statement, letters of
recommendation
Contact Information
 Deputy Department Chair: Dr. Terri H.Beaty
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E-mail: tbeaty1@jhu.edu
Office: W6513
 Academic Program Director: Ms. Fran Burman
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E-mail: fburman1@jhu.edu
Office: W6503
Congratulations!
 Current BA/MHS Students:
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Graduated: Emily Faxon (efaxon@jhsph.edu), Christi O’Connor
(coconn10@jhu.edu )
Second year: Ruth Ann Burrows (rburrow4@jhu.edu), Adrian
Cotarelo (acotare1@jhu.edu), Susan Fallon (sfallon@jhsph.edu),
Alison Simms (asimms3@jhu.edu),
First year (seniors): Carolyn Drogt (cdroght1@jhu.edu), Keya Joshi
(kjoshi5@jhu.edu), Katarina Matilla (kmatil1@jhu.edu), Emily
Nadelman (enadelm1@jhu.edu)
Helpful Internet Resources
 JHU Program in Public Health Studies (information
about senior year requirements and BA/MHS
program)
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http://krieger.jhu.edu/publichealth/academics/
 JHSPH Department of Epidemiology Academic
Guide (information about MHS requirements, areas
of concentration, etc.)
o http://www.jhsph.edu/departments/epidemiology/academic-
guide/2014-2015/ba-mhs-timeline.html
 JHSPH Department of Epidemiology Homepage
 http://www.jhsph.edu/departments/epidemiology/