Biostatistics MPH Curriculum
MPH students must complete a minimum of 42 credits, including the required courses mentioned above. Additional credits needed to total 42 may be taken from any of the following: graduate-level courses related to Biostatistics, Statistics, or Public Health, PubH 7494 (Master’s Project), and PubH 7496 (Field Experience).
MPH students intending to take more Biostatistics electives or continue with a PhD may need more time to complete both their required coursework and the PhD prerequisites. For these reasons, the majority of students in the Biostatistics program choose the MS program instead of the MPH.
A typical schedule for the MPH is shown below.
Year One
Fall Semester
- Biostatistics: Regression (PubH 7405, 4 credits)
- Theory of Statistics I (Stat 5101, 4 credits) or (Stat 8101, 4 credits)
- One Health Science elective
Spring Semester
- Biostatistics: ANOVA and Design (PubH 7406, 4 credits)
- Analysis of Categorical Data (PubH 7407, 3 credits)
- Theory of Statistics II (Stat 5102, 4 credits) or (Stat 8102, 4 credits)
May (after finals)
- M.S. Written Examination
Year Two
Fall Semester
- Survival Analysis (PubH 7450, 3 credits)
- Two Biostatistics electives
Spring Semester
- Clinical Trials (PubH 7420, 3 credits)
- Biostatistics Master’s Project (PubH 7494, 3 credits)
- One Biostatistics elective
Biostatistics Electives
- Advanced Statistical Computing (PubH 7460, 3 credits)
- Statistical Learning and Data Mining (PubH 7475, 3 credits)
- Latent Variable Models (PubH 7435, 3 credits)
- Statistical Methods for Correlated Data (PubH 7430, 3 credits)
- Statistics in Genetics and Molecular Biology (PubH 7445, 3 credits)
- Introduction to Bayesian Data Analysis (PubH 7440, 3 credits)
- Statistics for Translational and Clinical Research (PubH 7470, 3 credits)
- Modern Non-parametrics (PubH 8422, 3 credits)
- Applied Multivariate Methods (Stat 5401, 3 credits)
- Nonparametric Methods (Stat 5601, 3 credits)
- Honors: Introduction to Analysis I (Math 5615H, 4 credits)
- Honors: Introduction to Analysis II (Math 5616H, 4 credits)
- Spatial Biostatistics (PubH 8472, 3 credits)
- Introduction to Arc/Info (GIS 5571, 3 credits)
- Principles of Geographic Info Science (Geog 5561, 4 credits)
Master’s Project
MPH students must complete a master’s project, demonstrating familiarity with the tools of research or scholarship in the major, the capacity to work independently, and the ability to present the results of the investigation effectively.
Common topics for Plan B projects include application and assessment of new methodology, a novel analysis of an interesting dataset, or a simulation study to compare statistical methods.
The master’s project should involve a combined total of approximately 120 hours (the equivalent of three full-time weeks) of work.
Sample Final Projects
- “Multi-Class Cancer Outlier Differential Gene Expression Detection”
- “Mining Edge Effects in Areally Referenced Spatial Data: A Bayesian Model Choice Approach”
- “Piecewise Exponential Models With Smooth Transitions and Covariates for Kidney Transplant Survival Data”
- “Predicting Disease Status Using Correlated Data”
Interdisciplinary Concentrations and Dual Degree
Interdisciplinary Concentrations are available to students pursuing an MPH in the standard or MCH epidemiology emphasis programs. Typically, the concentration consists of an additional 12 credits, with two required courses and electives. Currently, students may complete the following concentrations:
Dual degrees are available with law and social work. Students interested in a dual degree need to apply to and be accepted by each program individually. Once admitted into both programs, the student will work jointly with both programs to determine an enrollment plan.