Note: This is the 2012–2013 edition of the eCalendar. Update the year in your browser's URL bar for the most recent version of this page, or click here to jump to the newest eCalendar.
Program Requirements
Preparatory Year
Students who are admitted to the Ph.D. degree program without the equivalent of an M.Sc. in epidemiology at McGill will, in their first year, be required to take, as a minimum, the following courses: EPIB 601, EPIB 602, EPIB 603, EPIB 605, EPIB 607, EPIB 613, EPIB 614, EPIB 621 (equivalent to required courseÂwork of the master's program).
This year is called the Preparatory Year. Students then continue, in their second year, into the Core Year.
Core Year
Students who are admitted to the Ph.D. degree program with the equivalent of the M.Sc. in epidemiology at McGill will, in their first year, be required to take, as a minimum, 15 credits of required Ph.D. courses. This year is called the Core Year.
Thesis
A thesis for the doctoral degree must constitute original scholarship and must be a distinct contribution to knowledge. It must show familiarity with previous work in the field and must demonstrate ability to plan and carry out research, organize results, and defend the approach and conclusions in a scholarly manner. The research presented must meet current standards of the discipline; as well, the thesis must clearly demonstrate how the research advances knowledge in the field. Finally, the thesis must be written in compliance with norms for academic and scholarly expression and for publication in the public domain.
Required Courses (12 credits)
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EPIB 608 Advanced Epidemiology (3 credits)
Overview
Epidemiology & Biostatistics : Discussion of methodologic issues in the recent literature, including causal inference, measures of disease frequency, measures of effect, epidemiologic study designs, biases, statistics in epidemiology, and special topics. Discussion of day to day practice of epidemiology. Offered in alternate years or yearly depending on demand.
Terms: Winter 2013
Instructors: Infante-Rivard, Claire; Suissa, Samy (Winter)
Prerequisite: EPIB 604
Restriction: Open to Ph.D. students in Epidemiology or Biostatistics programs only
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EPIB 609 Seminar on Advanced Methods in Epidemiology (3 credits)
Overview
Epidemiology & Biostatistics : A seminar course on selected topics in advanced epidemiological methods, such as concepts of causation, casual inference and residual confounding.
Terms: Fall 2012
Instructors: Hanley, James Anthony (Fall)
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EPIB 610 Advanced Methods: Causal Inference (3 credits)
Overview
Epidemiology & Biostatistics : Conceptual and methodological issues in epidemiology and biostatistics related to causal inference.
Terms: Winter 2013
Instructors: Platt, Robert William; Naimi, Ashley (Winter)
Prerequisite (s): EPIB 608, or equivalent, or permission of instructor
Restriction (s): Restricted to Ph.D. students in the Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health
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EPIB 623 Research Design in Health Sciences (3 credits)
Overview
Epidemiology & Biostatistics : Lectures and discussions plus oral and written presentations by students, to provide guidance and experience in the development of objectives, for the formulation and constructive peer criticism of designs for research in the health sciences, including etiologic and evaluative, cross-sectional, case-reference and cohort studies.
Terms: Fall 2012
Instructors: Wolfson, Christina (Fall)
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EPIB 701 Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination
Overview
Epidemiology & Biostatistics : The comprehensive examination is a written examination. The objective is to assess the degree to which students have been able to assimilate and apply the principles of epidemiologic research. Examinations held twice yearly.
Terms: Summer 2013
Instructors: Infante-Rivard, Claire (Summer)
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EPIB 702 Ph.D. Proposal
Overview
Epidemiology & Biostatistics : Essential skills for thesis writing and defence, including essential elements of research protocols, formulation of research objectives, the design, and strategies.
Terms: Fall 2012, Winter 2013
Instructors: Brophy, James; Ciampi, Antonio (Fall) Brophy, James; Ciampi, Antonio (Winter)
Note: Required for Ph.D. students.
Complementary Courses (34 credits)
12-34 credits
0-22 credits* from the following:
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EPIB 601 Fundamentals of Epidemiology (4 credits)
Overview
Epidemiology & Biostatistics : This course aims to provide a comprehensive introduction to epidemiologic concepts and corresponding terms. After an introduction to the history, definition, and purposes of epidemiology, "core" concepts that are relevant in several areas of investigation (e.g., etiologic research, health care research, and community medicine practice) will be presented.
Terms: Fall 2012
Instructors: Nandi, Arijit; Boivin, Jean-Francois (Fall)
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EPIB 602 Foundations of Population Health (3 credits)
Overview
Epidemiology & Biostatistics : Introduction to global population health, including causes of morbidity and mortality, surveillance systems and vital statistics, and trends over time. Overviews of epidemiology of cancer, cardiovascular, infectious, environmental, psychiatric and nutritional diseases. Fundamentals and methods for studying burden of disease in populations, and how these differ across time, space, groups.
Terms: Fall 2012
Instructors: Paradis, Gilles (Fall)
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EPIB 603 Intermediate Epidemiology (4 credits)
Overview
Epidemiology & Biostatistics : Concepts and methods for epidemiology at the intermediate level, including causation, measures of disease occurrence and effect, study designs, biases in epidemiologic research, interaction, and data analysis for categorical and survival data using statistical software.
Terms: Winter 2013
Instructors: Harper, Samuel (Winter)
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EPIB 605 Critical Appraisal in Epidemiology (1 credit)
Overview
Epidemiology & Biostatistics : This course provides the opportunity to develop skills to critically evaluate evidence presented in the biomedical and health sciences literature, based on the concepts acquired in the epidemiology introductory courses.
Terms: Winter 2013
Instructors: Sewitch, Maida; Gyorkos, Theresia; Rahme, Elham (Winter)
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EPIB 607 Inferential Statistics (4 credits)
Overview
Epidemiology & Biostatistics : Introduction to the basic principles of statistical inference used in clinical and epidemiologic research. Topics include variability; methods of processing and describing data; sampling and sampling distributions; inferences regarding means and proportions, non-parametric methods, regression and correlation.
Terms: Fall 2012
Instructors: Moodie, Erica; Saarela, Olli (Fall)
Prerequisite (Undergraduate): A first year course in undergraduate differential and integral calculus.
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EPIB 613 Introduction to Statistical Software (1 credit)
Overview
Epidemiology & Biostatistics : Introduction to statistical software and data management; including basics of entering, manipulating data and elementary statistical analysis, SAS software, with reference to other packages of potential interest to students (R, Stata, SPSS).
Terms: Fall 2012
Instructors: Kaufman, Jay; Joseph, Lawrence (Fall)
Prerequisite: Enrolment in Epidemiology stream program or permission of instructor.
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EPIB 614 Basics of Measurement in Epidemiology (1 credit)
Overview
Epidemiology & Biostatistics : The course will review principles that can be applied to measuring a wide range of exposures, as well as outcomes. Accurate measurement is essential to the validity of epidemiological research.Topics to be covered include measurement error, and the design, analysis, and interpretation of validity and reliability studies.
Terms: Winter 2013
Instructors: McCusker, Jane (Winter)
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EPIB 621 Data Analysis in Health Sciences (4 credits)
Overview
Epidemiology & Biostatistics : Univariate and multivariate statistical techniques for continuous categorical and survival data. Topics include generalized linear models, multiple linear and logistic regression, introductory survival analysis, model selection. Maximum likelihood and Bayesean approaches will be presented.
Terms: Winter 2013
Instructors: Astle, William; Labbe, Aurelie (Winter)
* Note: If a student has not already successfully completed them or their equivalent.
12 credits of coursework, at the 500 level or higher, of which a minimum of 3 credits in ethics (medical/public health/research), 3 credits in biostatistics, 3 credits in substantive topic, and 3 credits in epidemiology. Courses must be chosen and approved in consultation with the program's academic adviser.
Faculty of Medicine—2012-2013 (last updated Dec. 20, 2012) (disclaimer)