MSPH in Global Disease Epidemiology and Control | Johns Hopkins

About the MSPH in Global Disease Epidemiology and Control Program

The GDEC Program trains students to use epidemiologic and biostatistical methods to design, implement and evaluate disease control interventions of public health importance to underserved populations. Students have the opportunity to work with faculty at field sites across the world, gaining hands-on experience in global health research and program implementation.

The program emphasizes biomedical interventions (e.g. therapeutic or prophylactic drugs, vaccines or environmental modifications).

This is a STEM designated program. Eligible F-1 visa students can receive an additional 24 months of work authorization, beyond the initial 12 months of post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT).

Apply by January 15 for an August start.

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View GDEC Faculty

Information Session Video Watch. Recorded Nov. 28, 2023

MSPH in Global Disease Epidemiology and Control Program Highlights

An interdisciplinary degree drawing on expertise across the School and international collaborators, students acquire a broad understanding of the methods, skills, and tools needed to design, conduct, and analyze community and clinical trials and laboratory-based investigations.

Global Network

Field sites across the world

HANDS-ON TRAINING

Learn through practicums around the world

Applied Learning

Training in epidemiologic and biostatistical methods

STEM Designated

Eligibility for a 24-month STEM OPT extension

What Can You Do With a Graduate Degree in Global Disease Epidemiology and Control?

Alumni enjoy careers in academia, government and nongovernment sectors, and industry and help develop and implement programs to address public health problems facing underserved populations in the U.S. and abroad. Visit the Graduate Employment Outcomes Dashboard to learn about Bloomberg School graduates' employment status, sector, and salaries.

Organization	Job Title
Chesapeake Regional Informational Systems for our Patients (CRISP)	Project Manager
Gavi	Senior Program Manager
ICF International	Senior Associate
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health	Research Associate
Management Sciences for Health (MSH)	Technical Advisor
Medtronic	Sr. Program Manager, Epidemiology and Market Development
PAHO	Consultant
PATH	Senior Digital Policy Communications Associate
Population Services International (PSI)	Research Associate
RAND	Associate Policy Researcher
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia	Clinical Research Coordinator
The DHS Program	Survey Manager
UNICEF	HIV/AIDS Statistics & Monitoring Officer
USAID	Pharmaceutical Management Technical Advisor
WHO	Scientist

Graduate Employment Outcomes Dashboard Filter by degree and/or department to view program-specific results

Curriculum for the MSPH in Global Disease Epidemiology and Control

The GDEC program is a combination of hands-on learning and course work. Your course work and practicum requirements will help you complete your capstone project and develop the core competencies needed for a successful career in global health.

Browse an overview of the requirements for this master's program in the JHU Academic Catalogue and explore all course offerings in the Bloomberg School Course Directory.

Purple abstract graphic image with globe

Courses Available in the Following Areas:

Digital Health
Epidemiology
Infectious and Emerging Diseases
Maternal and Child Health
Vaccines

Admissions Requirements

For general admissions requirements, please visit the How to Apply page. This specific program also requires:

Prior Coursework

Strong undergraduate background in biology and/or the quantitative sciences

Standardized Test Scores

Standardized test scores are required for this program. This program accepts the following standardized test scores: GRE. Applications will be reviewed holistically based on all application components.

Alumni Spotlight

Annie Na

MSPH student, Class of 2022

Capstone topic: SARS-CoV-2 infection in children

Capstone description: As part of my capstone project I worked with the SARS-CoV-2 Epidemiology and Response in Children (SEARCh) household surveillance study which investigated SARS-CoV-2 transmission patterns in Maryland households with a focus on infections in young children from 0 to 4 years of age.

Capstone organization: Bloomberg School of Public Health Department of International Health, Center for Immunization Research, International Vaccine Access Center

Advice to students: The Bloomberg School is the perfect place to explore the vastness of public health and a place to merge your passions with your strengths. Take advantage of all the resources around you and don't hesitate to reach out to faculty. They all have valuable experience and have the students' best interests in mind!

Program Faculty Spotlight

Agbessi Amouzou

Professor

International Health

Agbessi Amouzou, PhD '06, MHS'03, is a demographer who specializes in measuring, monitoring, and evaluating maternal, newborn, and child health and mortality in low-income settings.

Anna P. Durbin

Professor

International Health

Anna Durbin, MD, studies experimental vaccines for SARS-CoV-2, dengue, West Nile, Zika, malaria, and more in human clinical trials and in controlled human infection studies.

Christine Marie George

Professor

International Health

Christine Marie George, PhD, is an infectious disease epidemiologist who designs infectious disease control programs to promote health equity and prevent infections globally.

Rupali J. Limaye

Associate Professor

International Health

Rupali Limaye, PhD ’12, MPH, MA, studies how health information can best be communicated to individuals in different contexts and through different channels.

Tuition and Funding

The Master’s Tuition Scholarship is available to students in good academic standing in a two-year, full-time master’s program. The MTS is a 75% reduction in tuition for year two of an eight-term program.

Additionally, Johns Hopkins University, thanks to support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, offers need-based scholarships for students enrolled in an MSPH program. These need-based scholarships, which cover up to 50% of tuition costs in the first year of study, will enable the best and brightest students with an interest in public health to obtain the highest-quality professional public health education available. Students who are first-generation graduate students, and have exceptional undergraduate academic records, will be prioritized for this need-based scholarship.

To be considered for an MSPH need-based scholarship, applicants should submit their SOPHAS application and supporting documents by the January 15 application deadline, along with the CSS profile to the Financial Aid Office using code 5315 no later than February 15. Applicants should indicate their interest in the scholarship by answering “yes” to the school specific question in their SOPHAS application for the MSPH program of their choice.

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