Epidemiology Job Opportunities for Graduates

There are several desirable epidemiology job opportunities for an epidemiology master’s graduate. An epidemiology degree involves the study of the causes, prevention, and treatment of diseases.

Epidemiologists work at hospitals, universities, government agencies, pharmaceutical companies, and the private sector.

A master’s in Epidemiology degree can qualify you as an epidemiologist to help prevent disease outbreaks, investigate health problems, and develop treatments.

Some examples of epidemiology job opportunities and what epidemiologists do include:

• Evaluating the effectiveness of vaccines
• Investigating the relationship between diet and cancer risk
• Studying the impact of smoking on lung function
• Assessing the safety of drugs
• Identifying the cause of food poisoning
• Determining the effect of climate change on crop yields
• Examining the relationship between obesity and diabetes

Entry requirements for Masters in Epidemiology

For most universities, you need to have achieved at least an upper second-class honours Degree (or its equivalent) in your undergraduate studies to get admission into a master’s in Epidemiology programme.

However, you may be admitted with a lower second or third class if you have significant work experience in a related epidemiology field. You will also need to show an interest in securing future epidemiology job opportunities or careers.

A bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, or another biological science is required to enter a master’s in Epidemiology degree program. A master’s degree in a closely related field is also acceptable if you do not have a science-based undergraduate degree.

Subjects in a Master in Epidemiology programme

A master’s in Epidemiology is designed to teach students the practical skills necessary to understand disease patterns and develop effective public health programs. These skills are essential in epidemiology job opportunities.

Students learn statistics, epidemiology, biostatistics, demography, economics, sociology, anthropology, environmental science, biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and computer programming.

While studying epidemiology, students learn to identify diseases, determine causes and effects, design and implement prevention strategies, and evaluate and interpret scientific evidence.

A master in Epidemiology degree may include online class lectures, laboratory work in your place of work or where you are located, field trips to a pre-arranged centre, and practical clinical experiences to give you the experience of what epidemiology jobs entail.

Some topics that may be covered include:

• Epidemiology and Biostatistics
• Public Health and Disease Prevention
• Clinical Medicine
• Environmental Science
• Sociology
• Demography
• Economics
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Mathematics
• Computer Programming

Epidemiology job opportunities: essential skills

Epidemiology is one of the most important fields within global health, mainly because it deals with understanding how diseases spread.

There are several epidemiologists, including those who study infectious diseases, chronic diseases, occupational hazards, environmental exposures, nutrition, genetics, mental health and cancer. But what do you need to know about becoming an epidemiologist?

You might want to consider some things when searching for epidemiology job opportunities and an epidemiology career path.

• You should be able to think logically and creatively.
• You must have a strong interest in science and mathematics.
• If you enjoy working independently and have good communication skills, a career in epidemiology might be for you.

Best epidemiology job opportunities and salaries

A master in Epidemiology is designed to give students an understanding of the healthcare system as it relates to public health issues. The programme prepares graduates for careers in medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, allied health, or other related fields.

Graduates can expect to work in hospitals, clinics, schools, community agencies, government agencies, private practice, industry, non for profit, or academia.

The master in Epidemiology is designed to provide an understanding of how to conduct systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and how to use them to answer questions about the effectiveness of interventions in healthcare.

You will learn how to identify relevant studies, critically appraise their quality, extract data from published articles, and synthesise results using statistical methods. 

Completion of an epidemiology degree will allow you to take the following epidemiology job opportunities:

Infection Preventionist (entry salary average: £47,300)

Infection preventionists are responsible for preventing the transmission of communicable diseases in healthcare facilities. Infection preventionists work with other healthcare team members to ensure that all procedures used by staff comply with the international and national guidelines for safe practices.

Infection preventionists are responsible for preventing the spread of diseases through proper hand washing, cleaning and disinfecting surfaces, and maintaining safe food handling practices. I

Infection preventionists must know current guidelines for preventing infections and other illnesses. They should know how to properly clean and disinfect equipment, facilities and hands.

Infectious Disease Policy Analyst (entry salary average: £50,800)

Policy analysis involves collecting, analysing, interpreting and reporting health data from various sources. It requires knowledge of statistics, economics, business administration and other fields.

In addition to conducting research, policy analysts may be asked to prepare health reports and testify before legislative committees and regulatory bodies. They may also be called upon to write articles and books about epidemiology.

Hygiene Manager (entry salary average: £42,450)

They ensure that employees comply with all workplace hygiene and safety regulations; they oversee the sterilisation of any equipment used for manufacturing, processing, or handling food; they liaise with local government health authorities so that workers’ working conditions are safe.

Hygiene managers also maintain records of all hygiene-related activities performed by their staff members. Hygiene managers may audit or inspect facilities to ensure hygiene policies are effective and need changing.

Hygiene managers typically have at least an associate’s degree in business administration, public relations, marketing or another related field. Some employers prefer candidates with bachelor’s degrees in biology, chemistry, nursing, environmental science or other relevant fields.

Candidates should demonstrate their ability to work effectively under pressure and possess strong communication skills.

Clinical Supervisor (salary average: £48,590)

A clinical supervisor is responsible for overseeing patient care within a hospital setting. These professionals work closely with physicians, nurses, technicians, pharmacists and other healthcare team members to help ensure that each patient receives high-quality care.

A clinical supervisor helps set goals and objectives, evaluates performance, and recommends improvement. He/she ensures compliance with federal regulations and guidelines, performs periodic reviews of the facility’s policies and procedures and serves as a liaison between management and employees.

Epidemiologists (salary average: £57,510)

An epidemiologist investigates outbreaks of infectious diseases, such as influenza, covid-19 and evaluates the impact of environmental factors on human health. They analyze data about these problems and develop strategies to reduce or eliminate them.

Some epidemiologists work in laboratories, while others conduct research in hospitals, clinics and communities.

Epidemiologists can specialise in several fields, including infectious disease, animal health, maternal and child health, occupational health and environmental health. A master’s in Epidemiology will prepare you for a career as an epidemiologist.

Other types of epidemiology job opportunities and career pathways

• Field Epidemiologist
• Infection Control/Preventionist
• Climate Health Epidemiologist
• Epidemiology Professor
• Applied Epidemiologist
• Clinical Trial Research
• Pharmaceutical Epidemiologist
• Veterinary Epidemiologist
• Disaster Epidemiologist
• Epidemiology Investigator
• Molecular Epidemiologist