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.
We offer eight advanced degrees in epidemiology and biostatistics. Each graduate degree has specific application deadlines and requirements.
Director:
Dr. Robert Moran, Graduate Director for Biostatistics
Directors:
Directors:
Public health major Muskaan Makkar has been awarded the SCPHA Public Health Scholarship, and epidemiology doctoral student Penias Tembo received the Malcom U. Dantzler Scholarship.
Since graduating with a Ph.D. in Biostatistics in 2023, Anja Zgodic has worked at the science-based Berkshire Hathaway company, Lubrizol. As a Senior Data Scientist/Statistician, Zgodic says she uses her Arnold School degree every day.
Graduate students from across the Arnold School have earned 2024-2025 SPARC Graduate Research Grants from the USC Office of the Vice President for Research to fund individual scholarship initiatives.
Robert McKeown was beginning his second career and second doctoral degree when he arrived at USC in the late 1980s. As he wrapped up his dissertation project, the department invited him to join their faculty ranks and he spent the next 20 years teaching and conducting psychiatric epidemiology research.
Clinical associate professor Myriam Torres has a long history with the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, starting with two graduate degrees.
Arnold School researchers associated with the South Carolina Smart State Center for Healthcare Quality have published new research in the Annals of Epidemiology regarding the impact of COVID-19 infections on women who were pregnant before and during the pandemic.