EDUCATION & TRAINING » Degree Programs in Epidemiology

Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology (MSCE)

The Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology (MSCE) program is housed in the Clinical Epidemiology Unit (CEU) of the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (CCEB). The CEU has been actively involved in clinically-oriented epidemiologic teaching and research since 1978. The MSCE degree has been awarded by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine since 1985. More than 150 faculty members contribute to the MSCE degree program.

The primary objectives of the MSCE are to produce a cadre of skilled investigators trained to conduct formal epidemiologic studies and prepare them for academic research careers, and to develop national leaders in academic medical and health services research. These objectives are met through the program's dedicated faculty mentorship; the design of the curriculum; hands-on experience with study protocol and thesis development; and extracurricular activities such as departmental seminars.

Through the MSCE program, students interact with an extensive network of clinical researchers within the CCEB, at Penn, and far beyond. As one of the top programs in clinical research training internationally, the MSCE is an excellent credential for anyone desiring a career leading clinical research. The general epidemiology training program provides the most flexibility and is designed for students with interests in a broad range of training experiences. This program provides in-depth knowledge of the research techniques appropriate to epidemiologic research.

The MSCE program is designed to be completed in two to three years of full-time study. Generally, the first year students devote their time to the 'core courses' and the writing of their thesis protocol. In the second year of study, students complete electives and conduct their thesis projects. It generally takes a student one year or more to complete and write the thesis.



Admissions

Admissions requirements for the Master of Science in Clinical Epidemiology (MSCE) degree reflect the emphasis on integrating epidemiology and clinical practice. Individuals admitted into either program must have an advanced degree in medicine, nursing, or another health-related field, from an accredited college or university. The Admissions page includes details about requirements and procedures for applying to the epidemiology degree programs.

Mentorship

One of the most important components of the MSCE program is the strong commitment to mentorship. Upon matriculation, each trainee is paired to a primary mentor from our diverse group of faculty. The primary mentor will be a valuable resource as a student progresses through the program helping the student decide on electives, a concentration, preparing the thesis, etc. The student will also be assigned a biostatistics advisor for help with their thesis project after they have entered the program. The student will select a third faculty member to serve on the Thesis Committee, with the approval of his/her primary mentor. The Program Directors also play an active role in advising MSCE students.

Core Courses

A minimum of 14.0 credit units (CU) is required to obtain the MSCE Degree. The core courses required for all MSCE students represent 6.0 CU of the required 14.0 CU for the degree. These are generally taken in the first year of study:

Additional courses are required, some of which may be electives, depending on the concentration in which the student is enrolled. Students may place out of EPID 510, EPID 526, EPID 527, and/or EPID 532 upon passing an oral or written examination administered by the course instructor and obtaining permission from the MSCE Program Director. Exemption from any of these three courses is not exemption from the credit requirement. An elective must be taken to replace any exempted courses.

Please see the course schedules web page to see when classes are offered each term and key dates of the upcoming year. Course descriptions can be found on our Epidemiology Courses web page.
Please note, at this time we do not offer distance learning or on-line classes.

Additional requirements include:



Electives

Students may choose electives from advanced courses in epidemiology, biostatistics, computer sciences, or other related fields. See Epidemiology Course Descriptions for descriptions of all epidemiology courses offered by the CCEB. They also may arrange to take one or more independent study courses taught by members of the CCEB faculty or one or more courses taught elsewhere in the University.

All electives will be chosen in consultation with the student's faculty advisor and must be approved by the advisor and as needed, by the Academic Director of the MSCE Degree Program. It also is possible to take courses at other institutions, pending approval of the Academic Director and the student's advisor. Permission of the Program Director must be obtained for all courses taken elsewhere. Official transcripts are required for course credit. Course units will be assigned to those courses based on University guidelines. No work done as an undergraduate will be counted as credit toward this degree.



Concentrations

Students in the MSCE Program have the option of selecting a concentration within the program. There are four concentrations (listed below) from which to choose. Concentration requirements will be taken as program electives. Additional time or credit units are not required in order to complete a concentration.


Registration/Course Plan

Please see the "standard" sample registration/course plan below. Full time MSCE students are generally registered for 2.0 credits per term. (Summer I and Summer II count as one term):

Year One:
Summer II (July-August)

Fall (September-December) Spring (January-May) Summer I (May-July)

Year Two:
Summer II (July-August)

Fall (September-December) Spring (January-May) Summer I (May-July)

Note : Upon completion of degree requirements, the student would be eligible for August graduation after Summer I of year two.



Comprehensive Examination

After all core requirements have been successfully completed, students are required to complete the MSCE Program Comprehensive Examination. The exam is given at the end of May each year and is typically taken after the first year of coursework. The purpose of this examination is to provide students the opportunity to demonstrate that they possess the knowledge, reasoning skills, quantitative skills, and written communication skills expected of a MSCE candidate about to embark on their thesis project.



Thesis

The mentored research thesis project is the primary focus of the MSCE training program. Each MSCE student is expected to design a research project, write a formal research protocol, present the research protocol to his/her peers, and revise it based on their feedback. They will then present it in an oral presentation to the MSCE faculty in May of their first year in the program. After obtaining IRB approval, the student will perform the study per their protocol, and prepare a comprehensive scholarly scientific paper reporting the results. It is anticipated that the thesis will be relevant to the student's chosen concentration and will address a question of importance in the student's clinical area of interest. Students are encouraged to think beyond the MSCE program, to their area of future research interest, in selecting their topic. Ideally the thesis research project should be the first step in what we hope will be a lifetime of academic clinical research. The development of the thesis research project should specifically include planning for the long term and immediate next steps that will be initiated after completion of this first project. The thesis should be written in the format of a journal article and should be acceptable for submission to a journal. The thesis must be accepted by the student's thesis committee, consisting of his or her advisors and faculty members.



Graduation

Upon completion of degree requirements, candidates are expected to complete a "graduation application" approximately two to three months prior to the expected graduation date. Submission of the graduation application will be coordinated with the Office of Graduate Training in Epidemiology. The application initiates an academic audit conducted by the MSCE Educational Programs Office. The MSCE degree is conferred by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Graduation occurs in May, August, and December annually. Generally, if you follow the "standard" plan of registering for 2.00 credit units per term, you will be eligible for August graduation two years beyond your start date.

By graduation, students will have obtained the following skills:

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