Master of Psychiatric Epidemiology

The MPE Program, offered by the Epidemiology and Prevention Research Group in the Department of Psychiatry at Washington University Medical School, was established in 1989 by Lee Robins, Ph.D., and is the first and only program of its kind in the world. The program is designed to prepare pre-doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows for a productive research career in epidemiology, with an emphasis on behavioral risk factors.

The program offers fundamental epidemiological and research skills, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary studies within a medical school environment. The program is noted for its public health focus, as it encompasses prevention, treatment and intervention research. 

In the MPE program you will develop practical research skills and learn basic epidemiological methods that can be applied to many disciplines. You will study the history and development of the major national and international psychiatric epidemiology studies, and  become familiar with diagnostic instruments commonly used in the field. You will learn how to organize and manage population surveys, including design, data collection and data analysis. Instructors in the program are experienced research investigators, with productive research teams.

The MPE Program draws students from around the globe and from many backgrounds such as public health, social work, education, psychiatry, infectious disease, policy, engineering, nursing, mathematics, psychology and anthropology. The overall objective of the MPE Program is to prepare pre-doctoral students and post-doctoral fellows for a productive research career in epidemiology, with an emphasis on behavioral risk factors.