Epidemiology Postgraduate

Make a difference in health care. With evidence-based medicine setting new standards, highly trained academic specialists are needed for the design, data collection, analysis and interpretation of epidemiological and health research. You can become an expert in this growing field by joining our globally oriented postgraduate programme. We offer both a 1.5 year face-to-face full-time programme in Utrecht and a 3-5 year online part-time programme. The content of both programmes is similar, the type of education is different.

Applied research at the intersection of data and medicine

The aim of our programme is to provide you with extensive knowledge and practical skills in patient-oriented research design, implementation, quantitative analysis and its application to human or veterinary medicine and public health. The gained knowledge and skills form a solid basis for health research and disease control programs, including application in low and lower-middle income countries. This scientific discipline is increasingly in demand in research, industry and policymaking.

The Epidemiology postgraduate programme is accessible and highly suitable for applicants who already have a medical or biomedical Master’s degree, such as physicians, veterinarians and pharmacists. Note that this postgraduate programme is not state funded and that it is not eligible for study financing from the Dutch student grant and loans systems.

I learned how to critically design and analyse (clinical) studies, how to work with complex and limited datasets, and how to interpret results beyond the numbers alone.

Why you should study Epidemiology postgraduate at Utrecht University

• Learn from internationally renowned lecturers such as professors Yvonne van der Schouw, PhD MSc and Oscar Franco Duran, MD PhD FESC FFPH, both leading experts in the field of epidemiology.
• Profit from maximal flexibility and time-efficiency. Learn at the time and location most convenient to you, what makes this programme very practical in combination with a career.
• Utrecht University and University Medical Center Utrecht have an outstanding academic reputation, offer state of the art facilities and are reputable partners in the field of epidemiology.

Study at UMC Utrecht

Students are able to follow their Master’s programme at UMC Utrecht, one of the largest academic medical centers in the Netherlands. UMC Utrecht focuses on a number of strategic research programs; selected students get educated by some of the best researchers in these research areas. Students get ample opportunities for excellent internships both at UMC Utrecht and abroad with our international partners. They also have access to the large research infrastructure and research network of the focus areas.

Our Epidemiology programme offers an integrated learning experience through the close relationship between epidemiological research and clinical practice, exemplified by the fact that the UMC Utrecht chose Clinical Epidemiology as one of its main research themes. Utrecht University is one of the main centres for epidemiologic research in the Netherlands, combining several high-quality epidemiological research groups in various faculties. 

Introducing the Graduate School of Life Sciences

Life Sciences is one of the four strategic themes of Utrecht University and is organised in the Graduate School of Life Sciences (GSLS). The GSLS brings together the research expertise and facilities of the faculties of Science, Medical Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, in cooperation with UMC Utrecht. Research at the GSLS is highly interdisciplinary, because scientific breakthroughs take place where physics, medicine, chemistry and biology interact. The graduate school offers 15 Master’s programmes with each a different focus. As a school we also offer one course for all students. During your first week the GSLS will offer you a (mandatory) one week introduction for all students: Introducing Life Sciences (part of the course Life Sciences Academy).

The Graduate School of Life Sciences is dedicated to improve education and research by holding innovation in high regard. Students are able to participate in the Epidemiology Postgraduate Master's online programme by using U-Learning. This is an online platform developed in close collaboration by Utrecht University and UMC Utrecht.