Biostatistics (MS)

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The department encourages applicants with undergraduate degrees in mathematics, statistics or biostatistics, computer science or other related fields. Undergraduate preparation should have included differential and integral calculus, introduction to mathematical statistics, and basic computer programming. Applicants should also meet the minimum requirements for admission to the Graduate School. Demonstrated proficiency in the English language is essential. With approval of the Graduate School, applicants not meeting these requirements may be conditionally admitted contingent upon maintaining a GPA of 3.0 for the first 12 units of graduate study.

Course Requirements

General requirements include at least 36 units of required courses as follows: 25 units of core courses and at least 7 units of elective courses. Each student must also register for four units of PM 594a Master’s Thesis , PM 594b Master’s Thesis and write a master’s thesis.

Core Courses (25 Units)

PM 510L Principles of Biostatistics Units: 4
PM 511aL Data Analysis Units: 4
PM 511bL Data Analysis Units: 4
PM 512 Principles of Epidemiology Units: 4
PM 513 Experimental Designs Units: 3
PM 518a Statistical Methods for Epidemiological Studies I, II Units: 3
PM 522a Introduction to the Theory of Statistics Units: 3

Electives (At Least 7 Units)

PM 516a Statistical Problem Solving Units: 1
PM 516b Statistical Problem Solving Units: 1
PM 518b Statistical Methods for Epidemiological Studies I, II Units: 3
PM 520L Advanced Statistical Computing Units: 3
PM 522b Introduction to the Theory of Statistics Units: 3
PM 523 Design of Clinical Studies Units: 3
PM 534 Statistical Genetics Units: 4
PM 544L Multivariate Analysis Units: 3, 2 years
PM 552 Statistical Methods in Clinical Trials Units: 3, 2 years
PM 590 Directed Research Units: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
PM 603 Structural Equation Modeling Units: 4, 2 years
PM 604 Health Behavior Research Methods Units: 4

OR

MATH 506-Stochastic Processes Units: 3
MATH 542L Analysis of Variance and Design Units: 3
MATH 543L Nonparametric Statistics Units: 3
MATH 545L Introduction to Time Series Units: 3
MATH 547 Methods of Statistical Inference Units: 3
MATH 548 Sequential Analysis Units: 3
MATH 549 Units: 3
MATH 550 Sample Surveys Units: 3

Thesis (4 Units)

PM 594a Master’s Thesis Units: 2
PM 594b Master’s Thesis Units: 2

Additional Requirements

The student’s choice of elective courses will be directed by needs and interests and must be approved by the student’s graduate adviser. When appropriate, elective courses not listed above may be substituted with approval of the adviser. Sufficient familiarity in computer languages to operate major software packages for data management and analysis is required.

Thesis Requirement

A master’s thesis is required of all students. This thesis consists of a research project approved by the faculty and chosen from problems encountered within the department, in other departments of the Keck School of Medicine or university or elsewhere in the community.