Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of the varying rates of disease, injuries, and other health states in human populations. As the fundamental science underlying public health practice, epidemiology provides the conceptual and practical tools necessary for the study of public health problems and the design of adequate control measures. Biostatistics is a science that addresses theory and techniques for describing, analyzing, and interpreting health data. Although biostatistics draws on quantitative methods from fields such as statistics, operations research, economics, and mathematics, the discipline is primarily focused on their applications to problems in the biological, health, and medical sciences.

The Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Maryland School of Public Health has the mission to:

1. Conduct methodological and collaborative research to examine, develop, test, and apply established and novel epidemiological and biostatistical methods for the purpose of “addressing the public health needs of populations at risk for chronic diseases through a social behavioral lens.”

2. Offer educational programs, training, and mentoring in the design and analysis of public health programs through the application of epidemiological and biostatistical methods.

3. Provide services to the School, university, and community that furthers the mission of the Department and the School.

We are a small department, which enables us to provide an elite, flexible and individualized learning environment for our students. Trained in epidemiology and biostatistics in the best programs in the nation, faculty members are committed to excellence in research and teaching. The diverse backgrounds of faculty members, and the real-life experiences of affiliate and adjunct faculty, reflect a wide range of research approaches and employment options for students. The location of the School/Department in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area provides unique opportunities for faculty research as well as student internships, projects, theses and dissertations, and future employment.