Infectious disease epidemiology

[nugget3]

Posting this to math and biology forums...

I recently graduated with a BS degree in Biological Sciences and minor in Mathematics in the USA. I am researching master's degree programs in a sort of combination of these fields: mathematical modelling of infectious diseases / infectious disease epidemiology. My interests are (very) broad at this initial research stage, but some of my research interests are bacterial or viral disease modeling, potentially HIV/tuberculosis, impacts of vaccines and retrovirals, global management and outbreaks, evolution of host-pathogen dynamics...

I have thought about an MPH program as well, but I'd like to be more research-oriented and am not sure if that would be the best fit.

This MSc in Modern Epidemiology program at Imperial College London looks like exactly what I want to study:

http://www1.imperial.ac.uk/publichealth/departments/ide/ide_courses/modernepidemiology/

But funding sounds like it's very hard to come by in the UK and I don't have £28,500 laying around... so I thought I would try to find similar programs elsewhere.

Anyway - a few general questions:

1) Is a master's degree typically required before the PhD in this field?

2) Which schools have strong programs in my research areas? Some PhD programs I have read about are: Columbia, Emory, UW... but how about for master's programs?

3) How common is full funding? This is my most major concern. I understand that funding for master's students isn't as available as for PhD students, but if a master's degree is necessary first, then I would need funding.

4) How about English-language international programs? I have no qualms about studying abroad and as I mentioned, London has the program I am most interested in (I just don't know how I'd pay for it!).

If anyone who has completed an MS or PhD degree in this field has any advice, I would greatly appreciate it! Thank you!

[meaningless]

hello, first of all i don't have PhD degree so far, but i have been working as RA in the mentioned field for 3+ years, and completed a master degree with research based thesis fallen into the same field. hope i can of some help.

1) Is a master's degree typically required before the PhD in this field? - yes and no. actually they won't say you have to have a master (except some Europe Universities) to be eligible, but a master plus solid research experience do count somehow. also a decent referee and his good reference is of high importance.

2) Which schools have strong programs in my research areas? Some PhD programs I have read about are: Columbia, Emory, UW... but how about for master's programs? - which country you are referring to? just search on pubmed for "surveillance" and you will get some hint. (i try to avoid the big Ivy league one as everyone knows) in US, Wisconsin I would say , in UK Edinburgh, in Singapore NUS, in HK HKU. (just my personal idea)

3) How common is full funding? This is my most major concern. I understand that funding for master's students isn't as available as for PhD students, but if a master's degree is necessary first, then I would need funding. - not very common up to my understanding. would you mind trying to be full time RA then take the part time master's degree as what i did? of course there are scholarship flowing around but it is like 1 out of 50 is for master.

4) How about English-language international programs? I have no qualms about studying abroad and as I mentioned, London has the program I am most interested in (I just don't know how I'd pay for it!). - well sorry this is out of my knowledge. but i heard of something like joint University programs, and i don't know how it works. good luck to you.

[bsrush16]

If you don't mind moving abroad, you can take a look at these public health and epidemiology programs at the Ludwig Maximilians Universitat Muenchen

http://www.m-publichealth.med.uni-muenchen.de/

It's an international program in english. Not sure if its the sort of thing you are looking for but i'm sure it's worth a look.