Ranking of Doctoral Programs by the National Research Council
The National Research Council (NRC) recently released a data-based assessment of US research doctorate programs. According to this assessment, the PhD in Epidemiology and Community Health offered by SPM ranked between 31st and 78th among 91 public health programs for a score based on criteria that are important to scholars. We ranked particularly high (between 3rd and 34th) for a score focused on student outcomes.
In using these data to compare programs, it is important to consider several things. Our PhD program was compared not just to programs in epidemiology but also to other programs in public health, including environmental health, health behavior, biometry, health services, nutrition, health policies administration and public health. Expectations of faculty and of students are quite different in this wide ranging group of fields.
The NRC data were collected in 2005-2006 and refer to degrees awarded 2001-06. There have been several important changes to our PhD program. The degree which was evaluated was the PhD in Epidemiology and Community Health which has been changed. SPM offers a PhD in Epidemiology; a PhD in Community Health is now offered by the Department of Health Behavior. During that time, the school received accreditation as a School of Public Health. Finally, during that period, faculty in the department have changed considerably; we have been joined by a cadre of energetic, enthusiastic and productive new faculty. Given these changes, information that the NRC assessment can provide, particularly about faculty, has limitations.
We were happy to see that our program ranked high in student outcomes and are confident that student outcomes remain strong today. Our students benefit from a relatively small program that allows them to work closely with outstanding faculty. Students are generally supported on assistantships from the department and from research grants (see the funding page). Our students have had success in obtaining positions in academia, public health and industry. More information about positions held by graduates is available (include link). To more closely evaluate whether the doctoral program in epidemiology at the University at Buffalo meets you needs, please contact us.
