What Can I Do with an MPH in Epidemiology?
Follow the data. Find the pattern. Help shape what happens next.
Epidemiology is about asking better questions.
Why are some communities hit harder by disease than others? What puts people at risk? Is an outbreak growing? Is a prevention program actually working?
With an MPH in Epidemiology, you learn how to use data to answer questions like these — and turn those answers into action.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics describes epidemiologists as public health professionals who investigate patterns and causes of disease and injury. A master's degree is typically required to enter the field. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
So, what can you actually do with the degree?
Quite a lot! Epidemiology graduates work across government, health care, research, higher education, nonprofits and private industry. Some spend their careers investigating disease. Others work with large datasets, evaluate programs, coordinate research or build the systems that help public health agencies spot problems earlier.
Epidemiologist
Study how disease, injury and other health outcomes affect populations. Epidemiologists identify patterns, investigate causes and help determine what can be done to prevent future illness.
You might work in:
Health departments • Federal agencies • Universities • Hospitals • Research organizations
The Bureau of Labor Statistics identifies a master's degree as the typical entry-level education for epidemiologists. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Infectious Disease Epidemiologist
Track illnesses, investigate outbreaks and help communities respond to emerging health threats.
Infectious disease remains one of the largest areas of the governmental epidemiology workforce, according to the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. (CSTE Epidemiology Capacity Assessment)
Public Health Data Analyst
Take a complicated dataset and make it useful.
Public health data analysts look for trends, disparities and changes in health outcomes. Their work helps organizations understand what is happening and where attention is needed.
This looks like: data analysis, dashboards, reporting, interpretation and decision support.
Surveillance Epidemiologist
Watch health trends as they happen.
Surveillance epidemiologists help public health agencies track diseases and other health conditions over time, recognize unusual patterns and determine when further investigation may be needed.
Research Analyst or Research Associate
Help answer the next big public health question.
These professionals support health studies by organizing data, conducting analyses, reviewing evidence and helping translate findings into reports, publications and recommendations.
Clinical Research Coordinator
Keep research moving.
Clinical research coordinators may manage participant recruitment, data collection, study documentation, regulatory requirements and day-to-day research activities.
Public Health Analyst
Connect evidence with decisions.
Public health analysts use research, data and program information to help agencies and organizations plan initiatives, assess needs and improve health programs.
Program Evaluation Specialist
Ask a simple but important question: Did it work?
Evaluation professionals measure outcomes, identify areas for improvement and help organizations understand whether programs are making the difference they were designed to make. CDC supports master's-level training opportunities focused on applied public health evaluation. (CDC)
Pick a problem you care about
Epidemiology is much broader than outbreak investigation. You can build a career around the health issues that matter most to you:
|
Area |
What you might study |
|---|---|
|
Infectious Disease |
Outbreaks, transmission and prevention |
|
Chronic Disease |
Cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other long-term conditions |
|
Maternal & Child Health |
Pregnancy, birth outcomes, infant health and child health |
|
Environmental Health |
How air, water, climate and environmental exposures affect health |
|
Occupational Health |
Workplace exposures, injuries and worker health |
|
Injury & Violence Prevention |
Injury, overdose, violence and other preventable causes of harm |
|
Population Health |
Health patterns and disparities across communities |
|
Public Health Informatics |
The technology and data systems behind modern public health |
CSTE tracks epidemiologists working across infectious disease, chronic disease, maternal and child health, environmental health, injury, informatics and other specialty areas. (CSTE)
Where could you work?
There is no single workplace for an epidemiology graduate!
Government
State and local health departments
CDC and other federal agencies
Public health departments and public agencies
Health Care
Hospitals
Health systems
Academic medical centers
Managed care organizations
Research
Universities
Research institutes
Clinical research organizations
Cancer centers
Private and Nonprofit Organizations
Consulting firms
Pharmaceutical and biotechnology organizations
Community organizations
Health nonprofits
Global health organizations
The Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health identifies hospitals, consulting firms, government agencies, health departments, managed care organizations and community-based organizations among the settings where public health professionals build careers. (ASPPH)
Why is there a growing need for people who understand health data?
Health organizations collect enormous amounts of information. The challenge is knowing what it means and what to do with that information that could improve public health, which is where epidemiology training matters.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment for epidemiologists to grow much faster than the average for all occupations. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
CSTE has also documented major workforce needs within state health departments, including additional epidemiologists in infectious disease, chronic disease, maternal and child health, environmental health and informatics. (CSTE)
Gain hands-on experience after graduation
There are pathways designed specifically for master's-trained epidemiologists.
One example is the CDC/CSTE Applied Epidemiology Fellowship Program, a paid, two-year experience that places fellows in state and local health agencies for intensive training in applied epidemiology. (CDC)
You can also move directly into the workforce, build expertise in a specialty area or continue into doctoral, medical or other advanced professional training.
ASPPH describes the MPH as the most common professional graduate degree in public health and one designed to prepare students for public health practice. (ASPPH)