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Degree Requirements

The program requires a minimum of 96 semester hours of credit, including up to 32 credits transferred from a masters degree, and 32 credits for dissertation research. Students who waive courses must still accumulate 96 credits to graduate, but the total may be reached with additional research hours or methods courses.

With consent of the advisor, a student may replace a required course with a relevant substitute.

PhD Student Handbook

School-wide Core Requirements (14 semester hours)

  • BSTT 400 Biostatistics I (4 semester hours)*
  • BSTT 401 Biostatistics II (4 semester hours)*
  • EPID 403 Introduction to Epidemiology: Principles and Methods (3 semester hours)
  • IPHS 450 Foundations and Determinants of Public Health (3 semester hours)*

*If not previously taken at the master’s level

Required Non-Credit Training

Required Degree Courses

Students without an MPH in Epidemiology must complete one of the following:

  • EPID 404 – Intermediate Epidemiologic Methods (4 SH)
  • EPID 406 – Epidemiologic Computing (3 SH) [prerequisite for EPID 404]

Students without an MPH in MCH must complete one of the following:

  • CHSC 510 – MCH Inequities and Responses I (4 SH)
  • CHSC 511 – Maternal and Child Health Inequities and Responses Part II (4 SH)
  • CHSC 543 – MCH Policy and Advocacy (3 SH)

CHS Doctoral Theory and Methods Courses (3 semester hours)

Select one of the following required basic courses:

  • CHSC 550 – Advanced Theories and Topics in Community Health Sciences (3 semester hours)
  • CHSC 551 – Advanced Research Methods for Community Health Sciences (3 semester hours)
  • CHSC 552 – Advanced Analytic Methods for Community Health Sciences (3 semester hours)

CHSC 551 and 552 are only required courses for students in the community health sciences division.  Students in the division of epidemiology and biostatistics are highly encouraged to take both courses.

MCH Epidemiology Courses (minimum of 2 semester hours)

Select one of the following Epidemiology required basic courses:

  • EPID 409 – The Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS (2 SH)
  • EPID 410 – Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases (2 SH)
  • EPID 411 – Epidemiology of Chronic Diseases (3 SH)
  • EPID 550 – Public Health Surveillance (3 SH)

EPID students are required to participate in EPID 595. Two semesters of IPHS 595 are highly recommended for EPID students but are not required.

Advanced Analytic Methods Courses (18 semester hours)

  • BSTT 505 – Logistic Regression & Survival Analysis (prerequisite for EPID 501) (2 semester hours)
  • EPID 500 – Applied Methods for the Analysis of Epidemiologic Data (4 semester hours)
  • EPID 501 – Advanced Quantitative Methods in Epidemiology (4 semester hours)
  • PA 588 – Applied Survey and Analysis (online only) (4 semester hours)

Select one of the following courses:

  • BSTT 537 – Longitudinal Data Analysis (4 semester hours)
  • EPSY 512 – Hierarchical Linear Models (4 semester hours)

Reproductive/Perinatal and Pediatric Epidemiology Courses (6 semester hours)

  • EPID/CHSC 518 – The Epidemiology of Pediatric Diseases (3 semester hours)
  • EPID/CHSC 545 – Reproductive and Perinatal Health (3 semester hours)

Dissertation (32 semester hours)

  • IPHS 599 – PhD Dissertation Research (32 semester hours)

In consultation with their faculty advisor, students must select a dissertation topic related to maternal and child health epidemiology.

MCH PhD Student Professional Development

LEADERSHIP TRAINING & COACHING

  • Each MCH PhD student will be required to meet with an MCH Leadership Coach two (2) times throughout their academic career.

TEACHING/RESEARCH TRAINING

  • UIC SPH Office of Research Services hosts several trainings throughout the year.
  • Each PhD student is required to obtain experience in classroom teaching.  The teaching experience for doctoral candidates should at minimum consist of planning, leading, and evaluating a minimum of two classroom sessions, which maybe online or in-class sessions.  If students are clear that they will be pursuing a career in academe, they are encouraged to exceed this minimum.
  • It is suggested that all MCH PhD students interested in a career in academe take the “Foundations of Teaching” course offered through the Graduate College (https://grad.uic.edu/programs/foundations-college-instruction/gc-593/), or an equivalent course.