All students in the Masters Program in Epidemiology must complete a master's thesis. A suitable thesis represents a significant contribution to the field of epidemiology, as judged by the student's thesis committee. The thesis should be a manuscript that, in the judgment of the thesis committee, has a reasonable chance of being published in a peer-reviewed journal. A regular, bound, thesis will be required.
The Program Director serves as academic advisor until the student has a Research Advisor. The Research Advisor, a full-time member of the MCW faculty and a member of the Graduate Faculty, must be selected by mutual agreement between the student, the proposed Advisor, the Program Director, and the Dean of the Graduate School. The research can be directed by Medical College faculty and is usually in the faculty member's area of specialty or interest.
The Thesis Committee is constituted when the student and advisor have secured the consent of appropriate faculty to serve on the Committee, and when the Dean has approved the Committee's constitution. The Committee must have at least three members including the major research advisor as well as one member who is a faculty biostatistician. The biostatistician will be assigned by the program.
Students should meet with their entire committee as soon as possible to ensure that all committee members are familiar with and have the opportunity provide guidance on the proposed research.
Thesis Proposal The thesis proposal is reviewed and approved by the student's research committee and the Director of Epidemiology Program, before it is forwarded to the Dean for final approval.
Thesis Defense Each student is required to orally defend their thesis before the members of their thesis committee, as well as other interested students and faculty of the Epidemiology Program.