New Student Onboarding

ACTION ITEM

Master of Public Health (MPH) Program ~ Master of Science in Biostatistics (MSB) Program ~ Master of Science in Epidemiology (MSE) Program

Summer Orientation for the MPH, MSB, and MSE Programs will take place in person on Wednesday, June 18, 2025. in the Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center, Simpson Querrey Auditorium (303 E. Superior Street). Please fill this form by Wednesday, June 4, 2025. Orientation is MANDATORY.

 

ACTION ITEM

All students are issued a Wildcard (Northwestern University ID). Please submit a photo online for your Wildcard by Wednesday, May 14, 2025.

The Wildcard Office is located at 345 E. Superior Street, 15th Floor, Chicago, IL 60611.

You will need to either book an appointment to pick up your Wildcard or request for it to be mailed. Please visit the Wildcard Office for step by step instructions.

***Part-Time Students don't need to complete this item***

ACTION ITEM

All full-time, non-MD students, receive a U-Pass (included in the required student activity fee) which provides unlimited rides on the CTA while school is in session.

Your photo submission (see previous item) to the Wildcard Office by Wednesday, May 14, 2025 ensures that your U-Pass will be ready. 

U-Pass needs to be opted in every quarter. You will receive a message from the Graduate School asking you to opt in for summer quarter. Please ensure that you respond to ensure that your U-Pass will be ready.  

MD/MPH Students: you will receive your U-Pass through the Feinberg School of Medicine.

ACTION ITEM

Once you've accepted the offer of admission, The Graduate School Admissions Office will send an email with your Northwestern NetID activation details.

Activate your NetID as soon as you receive it, then set up your university email account. Your Northwestern email address will be used for all academic correspondence from faculty, student account notices and communications from The Graduate School and university.

ACTION ITEM

Once you have been matriculated as a student in The Graduate School (typically 2 weeks before the start of a quarter), log into CAESAR to enter your Emergency Contact information in your student profile.

All new students will have a hold on their account until these details are entered. Instructions for updating Emergency Contact details are found here: https://www.northwestern.edu/ses/students/emergency-information/registration-hold.html 

Summer 2025 New Students: Be sure to remove your hold before the start of Summer Quarter on Monday, June 23, 2025.

ACTION ITEM

Students enrolled half-time (2.0 or 2.5 course units a quarter) or full-time (3.0 or more units a quarter) must submit proof of immunization to the University Health Service within one month of accepting admission. If a student enrolls in two courses and does not have an up-to-date health record, a $100 fee is assessed and a registration hold is placed on the student account. The health record form and submission instructions are found on the Health Service website.

ACTION ITEM

All degree-seeking students are required to carry health insurance that meets minimal criteria. The Northwestern University Student Health Insurance Plan (NU-SHIP) is the designated student insurance option that meets mandated requirements. 

Degree-seeking students will be automatically enrolled in and billed for this coverage plan unless they waive coverage during open enrollment periods. Note that there are two coverage periods/ open enrollment periods the first year when students start in summer quarter. 

To complete the online waiver in CAESAR, refer to the instructions on the NU-SHIP webpage and have details about your existing insurance coverage available. 

Summer 2025 Start Students

Coverage Period: NEW DATES TBD

Open Enrollment: NEW DATES TBD

ACTION ITEM

Students, faculty, and staff are required to follow policies, protocols, and guidance designed to protect everyone's health.

For more information regarding vaccination requirements and other guidelines, please visit COVID-19 and Campus Update

 

ACTION ITEM

Please complete the following surveys by Friday, June 13, 2025. 

New Student Survey (all students)

***MS in Biostatistics Students Only***

Calculus Readiness Exam: In person, Friday, June 20, 2025; 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Lurie Searle Classroom, 303 E Superior St.

ACTION ITEM: REVIEW

Probability and Statistics Inference courses are required for two of the three possible MS in Biostatistics Concentrations: (1) The Concentration in Statistical Bioinformatics, and (2) The Concentration in  Statistical Methods and Practice. We highly recommend building (or rebuilding) calculus muscle memory, especially if it has been a while!

The following resources may be helpful to you:

1. Four-Part Coursera University of Pennsylvania Calculus Course, taught by Robert Ghrist

    Calculus: Single Variable

    Part 1-Functions

    Part 2-Differentiation

    Part 3-Integration

    Part 4- Applications

2. Calculus (Barron's College Review Series) 1st Edition

3. Paul's Online Notes

To familiarize you with our campus, please watch the following virtual campus tour:

Virtual Campus Tour

*Please note that you will need to sign in using your NU email and password in order to watch the campus tour video*

Campus Map

Please review the student handbooks and complete the acknowledgement:

MPH Student Handbook

MSB Student Handbook

MSE Student Handbook

MD/MPH and DPT/MPH students—if you will be applying for financial aid, please review the instructions provided by the Chicago Graduate Financial Aid Office

MS, MPH (full-time & part-time) and APHP--If you will be applying for financial aid, through The Graduate School, please review the instructions provided by the Evanston Graduate Financial Aid Office

For information regarding tuition rates and other fees please visit Student Financial Services.

 

All incoming students will register for classes AFTER attending orientation.

Summer 2025 Schedule

Fall 2025 Schedule

Below you will find MPH plans of study separated by concentration:

MPH Community Health Research & Evaluation Part Time

MPH Generalist Part Time

MPH Global Health Part Time

MD/MPH Dual Degree 

PhD/MPH Dual Degree (DGP)

Below you will find MS in Biostatistics plans of study.

Plans of Study

Below you will find MS in Epidemiology plans of study.

Plans of Study

Please review the MPH Competencies:

D1. Graduate-Level Professional Foundational Public Health Knowledge (MPH, MSB, MSE) 

D1.1. Explain public health history, philosophy and values 

D1.2. Identify the core functions of public health and the 10 Essential Services 

D1.3. Explain the role of quantitative and qualitative methods and sciences in describing and assessing a population’s health  

D1.4. List major causes and trends of morbidity and mortality in the US or other community relevant to the school or program, with attention to disparities among populations, e.g., socioeconomic, ethnic, gender, racial, etc. 

D1.5. Discuss the science of primary, secondary & tertiary prevention in population health, including health promotion, screening, etc 

D1.6. Explain the critical importance of evidence in advancing public health knowledge  

D1.7. Explain effects of environmental factors on a population’s health 

D1.8. Explain biological and genetic factors that affect a population’s health 

D1.9. Explain behavioral and psychological factors that affect a population’s health 

D1.10. Explain the cultural, social, political and economic determinants of health and how the determinants relate to population health and health inequities. 

D1.11. Explain how globalization affects global burdens of disease 

D1.12. Explain an ecological perspective on the connections among human health, animal health and ecosystem health (eg, One Health) 

 

D2. MPH Foundational Competencies 

D2.1. Apply epidemiological methods to the breadth of settings and situations in public health practice 

D2.2. Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context 

D2.3. Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming and software, as appropriate 

D2.4. Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy or practice 

D2.5. Compare the organization, structure and function of health care, public health and regulatory systems across national and international settings 

D2.6. Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and societal levels 

D2.7. Assess population needs, assets and capacities that affect communities’ health 

D2.8. Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design, implementation, or critique of public health policies or programs 

D2.9. Design a population-based policy, program, project or intervention 

D2.10. Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management 

D2.11. Select methods to evaluate public health programs 

D2.12. Discuss the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence 

D2.13. Propose strategies to identify relevant communities and individuals and coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes.

D2.14. Advocate for political, social or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations 

D2.15. Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity 

D2.16. Apply leadership and/or management principles to address a relevant issue 

D2.17. Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges 

D2.18. Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors  

D2.19. Communicate audience-appropriate public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation to a non-academic, non-peer audience with attention to factors such as literacy and health literacy. 

D2.20.Describe the importance of cultural humility in communicating public health content. 

D2.21. Integrate perspectives from other sectors and/or professions to promote and advance population health 

D2.22. Apply a systems thinking tool to visually represent a public health issue in a format other than standard narrative 

 

MPH Concentration Competencies 

 

Community Health Research & Evaluation Concentration 

CHRE1. Describe the factors that influence the health and wellbeing of communities. 

CHRE2. Engage communities as partners in health research, intervention, and evaluation. 

CHRE3. Apply relevant theories and methods to conduct community health research. 

CHRE4. Design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based community health interventions. 

CHRE5. Translate and disseminate research findings in collaboration with communities. 

CHRE6. Optimize health equity across communities through centering minoritized voices. 

 

Data Science Concentration 

DS1.  Critically Evaluate quantitative data and methodology in public health communications. 

DS2.  Achieve proficiency in the use of a software package that promotes sharing of data, analysis, and methods. 

DS3.  Use data to create and test hypotheses relevant to public health. 

DS4.  Formulate tests of health disparities in data related to public health. 

DS5.  Explain ethical challenges in the interpretation of data related to public health.  

 

Epidemiology Concentration 

EPI1. Critique the feasibility of study design as it pertains to sampling, data collection, and resource requirements 

EPI2. Assess biological mechanisms of disease by applying knowledge of behavioral sciences and human and environmental biology 

EPI3.  Critique the validity of epidemiologic data, findings, and publications by applying knowledge of epidemiologic principles and methods. 

EPI4.  Describe molecular techniques commonly used in epidemiologic studies  

EPI5. Formulate and apply plans for data cleaning and management using statistical analysis software 

 

Global Health Concentration 

GLO1. Critique major global public health priorities and the reasons for their prioritization 

GLO 2. Apply demographic, epidemiologic and anthropologic methods to assess health disparities at local and global levels. 

GLO 3. Develop systems to monitor progress toward targets, objectives, and goals and evaluate programs and their operational components. 

GLO 4. Operate in partnership with local, national and international organizations engaged in the health and social sectors. 

GLO 5. Apply systems thinking to promote integrative global health across different disciplinary domains and organizational levels. 

 

Generalist Concentration (Students in this concentration choose 5 competencies from this list) 

CHRE1. Describe the factors that influence the health and wellbeing of communities. 

CHRE2. Engage communities as partners in health research, intervention, and evaluation. 

CHRE3. Apply relevant theories and methods to conduct community health research. 

CHRE4. Design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based community health interventions. 

CHRE5. Translate and disseminate research findings in collaboration with communities. 

CHRE6. Optimize health equity across communities through centering minoritized voices.  

DS1.  Critically Evaluate quantitative data and methodology in public health communications. 

DS2.  Achieve proficiency in the use of a software package that promotes sharing of data, analysis, and methods. 

DS3.  Use data to create and test hypotheses relevant to public health. 

DS4.  Formulate tests of health disparities in data related to public health. 

DS5.  Explain ethical challenges in the interpretation of data related to public health.  

EPI1. Describe molecular techniques and laboratory resources commonly used in epidemiologic studies 

EPI2. Evaluate current knowledge of causes of disease to guide epidemiologic practice 

EPI3. Assess biological mechanisms of disease by applying knowledge of behavioral sciences and human and environmental biology. 

EPI4. Critique the validity of epidemiologic data, findings, and publications by applying knowledge of epidemiologic principles and methods  

EPI5. Formulate and apply plans for data cleaning and management using statistical analysis software 

GLO1. Critique major global public health priorities and the reasons for their prioritization 

GLO2. Apply demographic, epidemiologic and anthropologic methods to assess health disparities at local and global levels. 

GLO 3. Develop systems to monitor progress toward targets, objectives, and goals and evaluate programs and their operational components. 

GLO4. Operate in partnership with local, national and international organizations engaged in the health and social sectors. 

GLO5. Apply systems thinking to promote integrative global health across different disciplinary domains and organizational levels. 

MSB2. Use computer-based statistical analysis package(s) to manage data; 

MSB3. Develop visualized data using computer-based statistical analysis package(s); 

MSB4. Analyze data employing computer-based statistical analysis package(s); 

MSB5. Implement sample size and power calculations for a range of experimental designs; 

MSB8. Calculate epidemiological measures of association between risk factors and disease;  

MSB11. Apply ethical and regulatory standards to human subjects research. 

 

MPH Joint Degree Concentration Competencies 

MD/MPH Joint Degree Concentration

MD1. Demonstrate knowledge about behavioral, environmental, socioeconomic, organizational and cultural dynamics that can affect individual, community, public or global health.     

MD2. Demonstrate knowledge of epidemiology, biostatistics and the principles of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention of disease to make medical decisions 

MD3. Describe healthcare finance and delivery in various healthcare systems, and demonstrate the ability to effectively call on system resources to provide care that is of optimal value.   

MD4. Construct clinical and research questions and apply information to solve them. Retrieve, analyze and critically appraise literature.   

MD5. Facilitate difficult health care conversations with patients and colleagues. Display awareness of barriers including language, health literacy and psychosocial needs. 

 

Please review the MS in Biostatistics Competencies:

D1. Graduate-Level Professional Foundational Public Health Knowledge (MPH, MSB, MSE) 

D1.1. Explain public health history, philosophy and values 

D1.2. Identify the core functions of public health and the 10 Essential Services 

D1.3. Explain the role of quantitative and qualitative methods and sciences in describing and assessing a population’s health  

D1.4. List major causes and trends of morbidity and mortality in the US or other community relevant to the school or program 

D1.5. Discuss the science of primary, secondary & tertiary prevention in population health, including health promotion, screening, etc 

D1.6. Explain the critical importance of evidence in advancing public health knowledge  

D1.7. Explain effects of environmental factors on a population’s health 

D1.8. Explain biological and genetic factors that affect a population’s health 

D1.9. Explain behavioral and psychological factors that affect a population’s health 

D1.10. Explain the social, political and economic determinants of health and how they contribute to population health and health inequities 

D1.11. Explain how globalization affects global burdens of disease 

D1.12. Explain an ecological perspective on the connections among human health, animal health and ecosystem health (eg, One Health)

 

MS in Biostatistics Competencies  

 

MSB1. Apply classic methods for continuous and categorical data analysis, including regression and other appropriate statistical approaches; 

MSB2. Use computer-based statistical analysis package(s) to manage data; 

MSB3. Develop visualized data using computer-based statistical analysis package(s); 

MSB4. Analyze data employing computer-based statistical analysis package(s); 

MSB5. Implement sample size and power calculations for a range of experimental designs; 

MSB6. Interpret results of a health research study, including the relation to findings from other studies, potential biological or social mechanisms, study limitations, and public health implications;  

MSB7. Communicate written and oral findings in a scientifically sound manner;  

MSB8. Calculate epidemiological measures of association between risk factors and disease; 

MSB9. Apply methods and strategies to evaluate and reduce bias in health research;  

MSB10. Use criteria to distinguish between association and causality; and 

MSB11. Apply ethical and regulatory standards to human subjects research. 

 

MSB Concentration Competencies 

 

Concentration in Population Health Analytics  

PHA1. Design an epidemiologic study to address a question of interest; 

PHA2. Describe practical considerations for the conduct of health research studies; 

PHA3. Access publicly available data resources for population health research; 

PHA4. Critically review the scientific literature, synthesize findings across studies, and make appropriate recommendations based on current knowledge; and 

PHA5. Develop a clear description of the rationale, methods, results, and overall interpretation of an epidemiologic investigation. 

 

Concentration in Statistical Bioinformatics  

SB1. Develop computer files of high-dimensional data for analysis using high performance computing data management techniques; 

SB2. Determine and execute appropriate statistical analyses, in particular techniques relevant to bioinformatics, to address a study question; 

SB3. Access publicly available databases for bioinformatics research; 

SB4. Develop statistical and bioinformatics analysis results in written, graphical and verbal format in response to an analysis request; and 

SB5. Identify theoretical underpinnings of advanced statistical models. 

 

Concentration in Statistical Methods and Practice: 

SMP1. Develop computer files of raw data for analysis using data management and statistical analysis software 

SMP2. Execute appropriate statistical analyses to address a study question; 

SMP3. Apply classic methods for the analysis of time-to-event and clinical trial data; 

SMP4. Develop statistical analysis results in written and verbal format in response to an analysis request; and 

SMP5. Identify theoretical underpinnings of advanced statistical models. 

Please review the MS in Epidemiology Competencies:

D1. Graduate-Level Professional Foundational Public Health Knowledge (MPH, MSB, MSE) 

D1.1. Explain public health history, philosophy and values 

D1.2. Identify the core functions of public health and the 10 Essential Services 

D1.3. Explain the role of quantitative and qualitative methods and sciences in describing and assessing a population’s health  

D1.4. List major causes and trends of morbidity and mortality in the US or other community relevant to the school or program 

D1.5. Discuss the science of primary, secondary & tertiary prevention in population health, including health promotion, screening, etc 

D1.6. Explain the critical importance of evidence in advancing public health knowledge  

D1.7. Explain effects of environmental factors on a population’s health 

D1.8. Explain biological and genetic factors that affect a population’s health 

D1.9. Explain behavioral and psychological factors that affect a population’s health 

D1.10. Explain the social, political and economic determinants of health and how they contribute to population health and health inequities 

D1.11. Explain how globalization affects global burdens of disease 

D1.12. Explain an ecological perspective on the connections among human health, animal health and ecosystem health (eg, One Health)

 

MS in Epidemiology Competencies  

 

EP1. Critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of study designs (e.g., cross-sectional, cohort, case-control, randomized experiments) and the appropriate measure of association for a given study design  

EP2.Describe the causes of random and non-random error in research studies, including information bias,   

selection bias, and confounding  

EP3. Conduct epidemiologic analysis using classical statistical methods such as linear, logistic, Cox, and/or Poisson regression models  

EP4. Demonstrate knowledge of ethical and regulatory requirements for research  

EP5. Describe molecular techniques commonly used in epidemiologic studies