AREAS OF CONCENTRATION
Biostatistics: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Curriculum & Requirements
The Ph.D. program in Biostatistics requires 4-6 semesters of coursework followed by 2-4 semesters to complete examinations and prepare a dissertation. Since there are no unit or course requirements for the Ph.D., a program of courses appropriate to a student's background and interests may be developed.
All doctoral students are required to:
- take a qualifying examination to test both a candidate's general competence in the field of biostatistics and the ability to apply biostatistical methods to a broad research area
- prepare a dissertation
- defend their dissertation in a formal presentation to a student-selected committee
Sample Curriculum (PDF)
Admissions Statistics Fall 2008:
- Admission Ratio: 24% (6/25)
- Average GPA of admitted applicants: 3.41
- Average GRE scores of admitted applicants:
Verbal - 610, 77%; Quantitative - 750, 82%
What we look for in competitive applicants:
Applicants should have completed undergraduate and graduate work in calculus, linear algebra, and have a strong overall quantitative background.
- Common undergraduate majors for admitted applicants: Biological sciences, math, statistics
- Common work experience for admitted applicants: Typical admitted applicants have work experience in quantitative analysis in a research setting. Many of them have co-authored articles published in medical or scientific journals. The following is a sample of the job-titles of successful applicants: Research Analyst, Data Director, Biostatistician, Programmer Analyst, Statistical Consultant, Research Assistant.
Employment Opportunities:
Doctoral graduates most often accept faculty positions in schools of public health and statistics and/or math departments at colleges and universities in the United States and abroad, although some Ph.D. graduates have taken research positions in pharmaceutical companies or hospital research units and the like.