University of Arizona

What you'll study

This PhD combines advanced public‑health and epidemiological theory with applied methods for understanding disease dynamics at the human–animal–environment interface. Core topics include study design and causal inference, advanced biostatistics, infectious disease epidemiology, surveillance systems, outbreak investigation, risk assessment and control strategies for zoonoses.

• Advanced epidemiologic methods — longitudinal and case–control designs, transmission models, outbreak investigation techniques.
• Biostatistics and quantitative methods — generalized linear models, survival analysis, mixed models, Bayesian methods and stochastic modelling.
• One Health and veterinary public health — ecology of infectious diseases, wildlife and livestock disease dynamics, food safety and antimicrobial resistance.
• Surveillance and informatics — syndromic surveillance, spatial epidemiology/GIS, molecular epidemiology and genomic data integration.
• Research ethics and policy — ethical conduct of animal and human research, science translation and public‑health policy.
• Professional skills — grant writing, scientific communication, teaching practicum and project management.

Programme structure typically includes formal coursework in the first years, qualifying and comprehensive examinations, development of a dissertation proposal, sustained independent research under a faculty advisor and at least one year dedicated primarily to dissertation research and writing. Students are expected to present their work at conferences and publish in peer‑reviewed journals.

Entry requirements

Applicants are normally expected to hold a relevant masters degree (for example in public health, epidemiology, veterinary medicine, animal science, biology or a related quantitative discipline) or a strong bachelor’s degree with substantial research experience. Typical application materials include an academic transcript, CV, a statement of research interests, and at least three letters of recommendation.

Successful applicants demonstrate strong quantitative training (coursework in statistics, epidemiology or mathematics), prior research experience or publications, and clear alignment with potential faculty advisors’ research programmes. International applicants must meet the university’s English language proficiency requirements. GRE requirements vary by cohort; check the college admissions page for current policy.

Career prospects

Graduates from this programme are prepared for leadership roles that bridge animal and public health. Common career pathways include:

• Academic research and faculty positions in epidemiology, veterinary public health or One Health.
• Research scientist roles in government public health agencies, including state and federal disease control units and veterinary diagnostic services.
• Positions with international organisations and non‑governmental organisations focused on zoonotic disease control, outbreak response and surveillance.
• Industry roles in pharmaceutical and biotech companies, especially in vaccine development, diagnostics and epidemiological modelling.
• Consultancy and policy advisory roles for public‑health preparedness, risk assessment and food safety.

Why study at University of Arizona

The University of Arizona offers an interdisciplinary research environment with strengths in epidemiology, biostatistics and translational public health. Students benefit from collaborations across departments and centres working on infectious diseases, environmental health and agricultural systems, enabling applied One Health research. The university’s geographic location supports research addressing border health, wildlife and livestock health issues, and partnerships with state public‑health agencies and community stakeholders provide opportunities for applied fieldwork and policy‑relevant projects.

Doctoral students receive mentorship from faculty active in epidemiologic methods and applied disease investigations, access to advanced computational and laboratory resources, and professional development opportunities aimed at preparing graduates for research, teaching and leadership roles in veterinary epidemiology and public health.