Previous graduates are successfully employed in universities, departments of public health, the Centers for Disease Control, other governmental organizations, and private industry.

Our professorial level faculty are veterinarians with advanced training in epidemiology. They have diverse backgrounds and interests, creating a strong, stimulating intellectual training environment. Our faculty teach graduate and professional courses relating to epidemiology and biostatistics; all are committed to training graduate students; all participate in our weekly Epidemiology Seminar Series.

Faculty research interests encompass the study of disease, production, and health management in populations of cattle, horses, swine, dogs, cats, and other species. Faculty ties to other disciplines - such as statistics, molecular biology, and animal science - facilitate the creation of multidisciplinary research teams, leading to creative, challenging MS and PhD research projects

Our graduate program is a concentration within the Graduate Field of Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBS), as well as, a separate field that an individual can minor in. Additional information concerning the graduate program concentrating in Epidemiology is available on the Cornell Graduate School website.

The program offers intensive training in epidemiologic principles and research leading to a Doctor of Philosophy or, less frequently, a Master of Science. Graduates are prepared for careers requiring advanced training in analytic or clinical epidemiology in universities, government, industry, and clinical practice.

The training program involves coursework, seminar participation, and intensive research experience, culminating in a written thesis. Coursework is usually concentrated in the first one to two years of training, and students are encouraged to supplement courses in epidemiology and biostatistics with courses relating to their specific interests.

The research project begins in the second to third years of training, depending on the research and academic degree sought. Most thesis projects involve the application of epidemiologic methods to the study of factors affecting disease or production in animal populations. Some theses have focused on public health issues. Most students complete their MS program in two years and their PhD program in three to five years.

Each student selects a major faculty advisor who serves as chairperson of his/her Special Committee. The committee, selected by the student, comprises all faculty advisors to a student's training program; it sets coursework, evaluates progress, conducts examinations, and approves the thesis. The flexibility of the Special Committee system and Cornell's graduate field requirements enable students to tailor their programs of study to their backgrounds, interests, and career goals, while insuring quality of training.

The graduate epidemiology program is interested in veterinarians and other qualified individuals who want advanced training in epidemiology. Those wishing to enter the program should have at least a Bachelor of Science degree (or equivalent) in a discipline providing preparation for the proposed graduate studies. All students must meet the requirements of the Cornell Graduate School. Students are selected on the basis of their prior academic performance, Graduate Record Examination scores, and recommendations. Most successful applicants have a combined score of at least 1,200 in the general test of the GRE.

Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss their interests with individual faculty whose research interests most closely match their own and to visit Cornell during the application process.

Graduate students typically receive stipends to support their training program. U.S. veterinarians are eligible to apply for college-sponsored graduate research assistantships. Other sources of funding include faculty research grants, teaching assistantships, and a USDA training grant.