Georgia Institute of Technology

What you'll study

This research doctorate combines advanced training in epidemiology, quantitative methods, and one-health approaches to zoonoses, food safety and animal health surveillance. Students undertake a personalised programme of coursework and independent research under supervision, typically including core and elective components drawn from public health, biostatistics, computational modelling, environmental health and veterinary sciences.

• Core methods and theory — advanced epidemiologic study design, infectious disease dynamics, causal inference, and surveillance systems.
• Quantitative and computational tools — biostatistics, spatial analysis, stochastic and deterministic disease modelling, machine learning for outbreak detection, and Bayesian methods.
• One-Health and applied topics — zoonotic disease ecology, foodborne illness epidemiology, antimicrobial resistance, risk assessment, and policy evaluation for animal and human health.
• Research practicum and seminars — journal clubs, advanced seminars in veterinary public health, and opportunities for collaborative projects with public health agencies, veterinary institutes and industry partners.
• Dissertation — an original, hypothesis-driven research thesis that advances scientific understanding or applications in veterinary epidemiology and public health.

Students typically tailor coursework to their research aims and may take classes across departments and centres, including public policy, biomedical engineering, computing and public health-related units. Practical training and fieldwork opportunities are available through partnerships with local, national and international health organisations.

Entry requirements

Applicants are expected to hold a relevant master's degree or a strong bachelor’s degree in fields such as veterinary medicine, epidemiology, biology, public health, statistics, or a closely related discipline. A strong quantitative background and experience with data analysis or modelling are highly desirable.

• Academic transcripts demonstrating strong performance in relevant coursework.
• Research experience — prior research projects, publications, or a substantive master's thesis are advantageous.
• Letters of recommendation — typically two or three academic or professional references who can comment on research potential.
• Statement of research interests — a clear description of proposed research questions, methodological strengths, and potential faculty supervisors.
• English language proficiency — where applicable, evidence of proficiency in English is required.
• Additional materials — a CV and, when requested, samples of written work or GRE scores if the programme requests them.

Admission is competitive and based on the match between applicant interests and faculty expertise, available funding, and evidence of ability to complete independent research.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for leadership roles in academia, government and industry where expertise in veterinary epidemiology and public health is required. Typical career paths include:

• Academic researcher or faculty positions in universities and research institutes.
• Scientific and leadership roles in public health agencies, animal health departments and international organisations.
• Positions in disease surveillance, outbreak investigation and epidemiologic modelling for government, non-governmental organisations and international bodies.
• Industry roles in pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, particularly in vaccine development, diagnostics and risk assessment related to zoonotic diseases.
• Consultancy and advisory roles for One Health policy, biosecurity and food safety programmes.

Graduates’ strong quantitative and interdisciplinary training also suits careers in data science, policy analysis and programme evaluation related to health security and environmental threats.

Why study at Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Tech offers an interdisciplinary research environment that emphasises quantitative skills, computational approaches and translational impact. The institute’s strengths in engineering, computing and analytics complement public health expertise to support advanced work in disease modelling, surveillance and data-driven decision making.

• Interdisciplinary collaboration — students can draw on faculty across public health-related centres, engineering and computing to build multidisciplinary projects.
• Proximity to public health resources — located in Atlanta, students benefit from collaborations and practicum opportunities with major public health organisations and veterinary institutions.
• Computational and laboratory resources — access to high-performance computing, data science infrastructure and partner laboratories supports cutting-edge quantitative and experimental research.
• Professional development — structured seminar series, teaching and mentoring opportunities, and connections to industry and government partners help prepare graduates for diverse careers.

Together, these features create an environment suited to researchers who want to develop rigorous, interdisciplinary solutions to complex problems at the human–animal–environment interface.