The COVID-19 pandemic has drastic health and socioeconomic impacts on all realms of society. It has also shed light on the important role of epidemiologists in decision making and resource allocation in public health. Even before the pandemic, the growing ageing populations, longer life expectancies and increased number of populations with chronic diseases pose challenges to the country and burden the public health system.

To this end, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics had predicted that epidemiology will be the fastest-growing career in the next 10 years, driven by a high demand following the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the ever-evolving field of medical science and the age of misinformation, the evidence-based, epidemiological approach is necessary to solve the medical mysteries and make critical public health decisions quickly.

The SPM department is now offering a new Master program for those who are aspiring to work in the field of epidemiology at the local, national and international levels. Postgraduate training in epidemiology will provide the opportunity to work in diverse settings including academia, government departments, international health agencies, pharmaceutical companies, non-governmental organizations, and contract research organizations.

The 1-year full-time Master of Epidemiology with a minimum of 42 credits will be offered in two concentrations to suit the needs of different disciplines, encompassing Clinical Epidemiology and Public Health Epidemiology. It has been designed for applicants with a background in epidemiology, quantitative research or health.

Our Master of Epidemiology will provide a solid foundation in epidemiological, analytical, and critical appraisal skills for those who aim to develop their understanding of the epidemiological and biostatistical theories and methods that underpin clinical medical research, public health practice, and health care evaluation to investigate the causes of disease, and to evaluate interventions to prevent or control diseases.

Graduates are expected to:

Understand the epidemiological and biostatistical theory and methods that underpin epidemiological practice and research with a solid foundation in epidemiology.
Build competence in epidemiological, analytical, and critical appraisal, and develop core skills for research and practice in epidemiology.
Understand and investigate the causes and spread of disease and develop the means for prevention or control.

Course content

Core Courses

Code	Course Title	Credits
MQB7001	Research Method	3
MQB7005	Principles and Methods of Epidemiology	3
MQB7006	Principles of Biostatistics	3
MQB7029	Principles of Management in Health	3
	Total	12 (29%)

Specialisation Courses

Code	Course Title	Credits
MQH7003	Study Design in Causal Research	3
MQH7004	Concepts and Methods in Causal Inferences	3
MQH7005	Statistical Methods for Health Data Analytics	3
MQH7006	Clinical Epidemiology	3
MQH7007	Epidemiology in Public Health Practice	3
	TOTAL	15 (36%)

Elective Courses (6 credits)

Students are required to select any courses in the list below to make up a total of 6 credits.

Code	Course Title	Credits
MQH7008	Screening and Diagnostic Research	2
MQH7009	Prognostic Research	2
MQH7010	Clinical Trials	2
MQH7011	Data Management	2
MQH7012	Survival Analysis	2
MQH7013	Field Attachment in Epidemiology	6
MQB7010	Epidemiology of Diseases in Malaysia	2
MQB7012	Producing Better Evidence	2
MQB7014	Health Economics	2
MQB7027	Qualitative Inquiry in Public Health	2
MQB7033	Social Determinants of Health	2
MQB7040	Nutritional Epidemiology	2
	TOTAL	6 (14%)

Research Projects

Code	Course Title	Credits
MQH7002	Research Project	9
	TOTAL	9 (21%)
	OVERALL	42 (100%)

Languague Requirement

A non-Malaysian applicant whose degree is from a university or institution of higher learning where the medium of instruction for that degree is not in the English language shall be required to:

Obtain a score of 600 for a paper-based total (PBT); a score of 250 for a computer-based total (CBT) or a score of 100 for an Internet-based total (IBT) for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL); or
Obtain a band of 6 for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (Academic).

Entry Requirement

(1) The degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery or Bachelor of Dental Surgery or an equivalent medical qualification; or

(2) A Bachelor’s degree in Public Health or Allied Health or its equivalent with a CGPA of at least 3.00; or

(3) A Bachelor’s degree in Public Health or Allied Health or its equivalent with a CGPA of 2.70 up to 2.99; and if at least one (1) of the following criteria is fulfilled;

a) A graduate from the University of Malaya; or
b) Having at least one (1) year of working experience in relates field; or
c) Having publications in related field; or
d) Is a recipient of a scholarship; or
e) Is a government servant; or
f) Passed the interview by the faculty; or
g) Passed the entrance assessment by the faculty

(4) A Bachelor’s degree in Public Health or Allied Health or its equivalent with a CGPA of 2.50 up to 2.69; and if at least one (1) (for UM graduates) or two (2) (for non-UM graduates) of the following criteria is/are fulfilled;

a) Having at least one (1) year working experience in a related field; or
b) Having publications in related field; or
c) Is a recipient of a scholarship; or
d) Is a government servant; or
e) Passed the interview by the faculty; or
f) Passed the entrance assessment by the faculty

(5) A Bachelor’s degree in Public Health or Allied Health or its equivalent with a CGPA of 2.00 up to 2.49; and if at least one (1) (for UM graduates) or two (2) (for not UM graduates) of the following criteria is/are fulfilled:

a) Having at least five (5) years working experience in a related field; or
b) Having at least one (1) publication in high impact journal within a related field; or
c) Is a recipient of a scholarship; or
d) Is a government servant; or
e) Passed the entrance assessment by the Faculty (mandatory for not UM graduates); or
f) Other qualifications approved by the Senate from time to time; and
g) Passed the entrance assessment recognized by the Faculty

Intake Schedule

Once a year, during the 1st Semester (September)

How to Apply?

There is one intake per year, candidates can apply for the September intake.
The application is open from January to April of the year.
Complete the online application form at the MAYA website.
Upload all the required documents. “Click to Confirm Application” when you have completed the application and uploaded all the required documents.
A processing fee of RM50.00 (Malaysian) or USD60.00 (Foreign applicants) is applicable.
There is one intake per year, candidates can apply for the September intake.
The application is open from January to April of the year

HOW TO APPLY FOR A MASTER’S DEGREE

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