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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Offered By: Department of Biostatistics

Onsite | Full-Time | 5 years

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About the PhD in Biostatistics Program

The PhD in Biostatistics provides training in the theory of probability and statistics in biostatistical methodology. The program is unique in its emphasis on the foundations of statistical reasoning and data science. Students complete rigorous training in real analysis-based probability and statistics, equivalent to what is provided in most departments of mathematical statistics and in advanced data science.

PhD candidates are required to pass a comprehensive written examination covering coursework completed at the end of their first year. Research leading to a thesis may involve development of new theory and methodology, or it may be concerned with applications of statistics and probability to problems in public health, medicine or biology.

Application Fee Waivers: We are able to offer a limited number of application fee waivers. Learn about the eligibility criteria and how to apply for a waiver .

PhD in Biostatistics Program Highlights

Conduct and publish original research.

on the theory and methodology of biostatistics

Apply innovative theory and methods

to the solution of public health problems

Serve as an expert biostatistician

on collaborative teams of investigators addressing key public health questions

Teach biostatistics effectively

to health professionals and scientists as well as to graduate students in biostatistics

What Can You Do With a PhD In Biostatistics?

Visit the Graduate Employment Outcomes Dashboard to learn about Bloomberg School graduates' employment status, sector, and salaries. We have over 750 global alumni working in academia, government, and industry.

Sample Careers and Next Steps

• Tenure Track Faculty (e.g. Assistant Professor)
• Postdoctoral Fellow
• Data Scientist
• Statistician
• Biostatistician
• Machine Learning Engineer
• Mathematical Statistician
• Principal Investigator

Curriculum for the PhD in Biostatistics

Browse an overview of the requirements for this PhD program in the JHU  Academic Catalogue  and explore all course offerings in the Bloomberg School  Course Directory .

Admissions Requirements

For general admissions requirements, please visit the How to Apply page. 

Note to international applicants for Fall 2025 admission who have attended or are attending a university outside the U.S. or English-speaking Canada: Our Department is no longer able to review applications that contain unevaluated international transcripts. Applications will be forwarded to us for review only after our Admissions Office has received an official Course-by-Course Credential Evaluation from ALL schools attended from either WES or ECE ( view details regarding our School’s transcript evaluation requirements ). The time to complete an evaluation can be lengthy and we recommend you start the process two to three months in advance of our December 1 application deadline.

This specific program also requires:

Prior Coursework

Calculus and linear algebra; accepted applicants are also strongly encouraged to take real analysis before matriculating

Standardized Test Scores

Standardized test scores are  not required and not reviewed  for this program. If you have taken a standardized test such as the GRE, GMAT, or MCAT and want to submit your scores, please note that they will not be used as a metric during the application review.  Applications will be reviewed holistically based on all required application components.

Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative

The  Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative (VTSI)  is an endowed fellowship program at Johns Hopkins for PhD students in STEM fields. It provides full tuition, stipend, and benefits while also providing targeted mentoring, networking, community, and professional development opportunities. Students who have attended a historically Black college and university (HBCU) or other minority serving institution (MSI) for undergraduate study are eligible to apply. To be considered for the VTSI, you will need to submit a SOPHAS application ,VTSI supplementary materials, and all supporting documents (letters, transcripts, and test scores) by December 1, 2024. VTSI applicants are eligible for an  application fee waiver , but the fee waiver must be requested by November 15, 2024 and prior to submission of the SOPHAS application.

Per the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the JHU PhD Union, the minimum guaranteed 2025-2026 academic year stipend is $50,000 for all PhD students with a 4% increase the following year. Tuition, fees, and medical benefits are provided, including health insurance premiums for PhD student’s children and spouses of international students, depending on visa type. The minimum stipend and tuition coverage is guaranteed for at least the first four years of a BSPH PhD program; specific amounts and the number of years supported, as well as work expectations related to that stipend will vary across departments and funding source. Please refer to the CBA to review specific benefits, compensation, and other terms.

Need-Based Relocation Grants

Students who  are admitted to PhD programs at JHU starting in Fall 2023 or beyond can apply to receive a need-based grant to offset the costs of relocating to be able to attend JHU.   These grants provide funding to a portion of incoming students who, without this money, may otherwise not be able to afford to relocate to JHU for their PhD program. This is not a merit-based grant. Applications will be evaluated solely based on financial need.  View more information about the need-based relocation grants for PhD students .

Questions about the program? We're happy to help. 

Academic Administrator Mary Joy Argo 410-614-4454 [email protected]

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PhD in Biostatistics

Biostatistics involves the development and application of sound statistical and mathematical principles to research in the health sciences. Because original theoretical research in biostatistics flows from medical research, the foundations of methodological development must be firmly grounded in sound principles of statistical inference and a thorough knowledge of the substantive area that provides the source of the medical questions being addressed. Thus, the Department of Biostatistics encourages excellent methodological work that is motivated by sound science that includes but is not limited to active collaborations with other investigators.

Students will be able to choose either the Standard Biostatistics Pathway or the newly created Implementation and Prevention Science Methods Pathway , directed by Professor Donna Spiegelman, director of the Center for Methods in Implementation and Prevention Science . The rigorous training in the theory of and methods of biostatistics, with a specialization in implementation and prevention science methods promotes the adoption and integration of evidence-based practices, interventions and policies into routine health care and public health settings to improve the impact on population health.

Research collaborations for biostatisticians take place both within and across departments in the School of Public Health, as well as with other departments in the School of Medicine and the University at large. Areas of current research include the development of general methods that have wide applicability across different areas of health research, as well as more specific techniques for dealing with the underlying processes that give rise to the data of interest. A broad range of health topics addressed by students in this department includes chronic diseases such as cancer, genetic epidemiology, clinical research, and mathematical models for infectious diseases.

Graduates of the doctoral program in Biostatistics are employed in universities throughout the country, as well as in such dedicated research institutions such as the National Institutes of Health. In addition, graduates have pursued careers in the pharmaceutical industry, in which they are actively involved in the evaluation of new therapeutic strategies.

This program requires General GRE test scores. Please send them to institution code 3987 (there is no department code).

More on Implementation and Prevention Science Methods Pathway

Yale’s new pathway is the first degree program to provide rigorous training in implementation and prevention science methods , including training in the development of new methods to advance the field. Other programs, importantly but quite differently, focus on the practice of implementation science and are targeted to those with subject matter expertise (e.g., in mental health or cancer prevention). Yale’s new program, by contrast, targets those wishing to develop scholarly methodological expertise.

If you plan to attend Yale, you will be able to choose this pathway or the Standard Biostatistics Pathway . You will have until the beginning of the spring term to decide which pathway you wish to follow.

2023 Biostatistics Information Session for the MPH, MS and PhD programs

Biostatistics Information Session for the MPH, MS and PhD programs.

November 16, 2023

• Shuangge (Steven) Ma -Department Chair and Professor of Biostatistics
• Mary Keefe - Director of Admissions
• Lisa Calvocoressi - Research Scientist in Biostatistics
• Michael Kane - Assistant Professor of Biostatistics
• Donna Spiegelman - Susan Dwight Bliss Professor of Biostatistics and Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine
• Kei-Hoi Cheung - Professor of Biomedical Informatics & Data Science; Professor of Biostatistics
• Katie Doucet - Assistant Director, Student Affairs

Learn more about the Department of Biostatistics

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Doctoral Programs

Biostatistics.

Biostatistics applies statistical and probability theory to human health and disease. The PhD program in biostatistics prepares individuals to develop or adapt statistical methods for solving problems in the health field. Students enjoy extensive library and computer facilities, as well as myriad opportunities for involvement in numerous research activities in the biomedical sciences and clinical research, which often lead to dissertation topics.

The department awards a number of fellowships to recognize academic achievement and support future scholarly success. As teaching and research experience are considered an important aspect of the program, these fellowships include some teaching and research apprenticeship.

Admissions Requirements

While many of the applicants admitted to Columbia’s PhD program in biostatistics have already completed (or are completing) master’s degrees in biostatistics, statistics, or a related field, admission is open to well qualified students holding (or completing) bachelor’s degrees. Those admitted with a bachelor’s degree are typically strong students from programs that emphasize a rigorous background in mathematics and/or statistics.

Depending on prior training and background, students may be required to take additional master’s level course work in the Mailman School of Public Health as part of their PhD training.

In addition to the requirements listed below, all applicants must submit an official transcript from each prior institution, a statement of academic purpose, and three letters of evaluation from academic sources. All international students whose native language is not English or whose undergraduate degree is from an institution in a country whose official language is not English must submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or IELTS scores.

• Deadline for Fall Admission: December 1
• Deadline for Spring Admission: No spring admission
• Resume/CV: Yes
• Writing Sample: No
• GRE General: Optional
• GRE Subject: No

View competencies, course requirements, sample schedules, and more in our Academics section.

  [email protected]

Biostatistics, PhD

Bloomberg school of public health, program overview.

The PhD program at the Johns Hopkins Department of Biostatistics offers comprehensive training in biostatistical methodology and practice, grounded in both probability and statistics theory and advanced data science. This program is unique in its broad emphasis, spanning the foundations of statistical reasoning and data science. It provides rigorous training in real analysis-based probability and statistics, comparable to that of most mathematical statistics departments, as well as in data science principles and practice.

The Department of Biostatistics PhD program prepares individuals who have demonstrated excellence in mathematics, engineering, and the natural or social sciences to become research biostatisticians in academia, industry, or government. PhD graduates:

• Conduct and publish original research on the theory, methodology and practice of biostatistics and data science;
• Translate methodological advances into software and other tools to facilitate their practical application;
• Apply innovative theories and methods to solve public health problems;
• Serve as expert biostatisticians and data scientists on collaborative teams of investigators addressing key public health questions;
• Teach biostatistics and data science effectively to health professionals, scientists, and graduate students in biostatistics.

Program Requirements

Course location and modality is found on the BSPH website .

The core curriculum consists of the following components:

All PhD students are required to:

• Take at least 14 courses from the core course list above. The 14 courses should contain at least a one-year sequence of Methods (140.751-754), a one-year sequence of Theory (140.646-649 or 140.721-724 or 140.731-734), and a one-year sequence of Data Science (140.776/777/628/629 or 140.644/777/778/779). The 14 courses should contain no more than 4 introductory-level courses (140.646-649, 140.776/628/629).
• In addition to the 14 core courses, take 16 credits of advanced PhD elective courses.
• Take at least 18 credit units of formal coursework in courses outside the Department of Biostatistics. At least nine of these credits must be taken in the School of Public Health.
• Take Current Topics in Biostatistics Research (140.860), Academic & Research Ethics at BSPH (550.860), Responsible Conduct of Research (550.600), and Epidemiologic Inference in Public Health I (340.721).

Students who use the one-year sequence of introductory-level probability and statistical theory (140.646-649) to fulfill requirement (1) must also take the half-year sequence of advanced data science (140.711-712).

Students who use the one-year sequence of introductory-level data science (140.776/777/628/629) courses to fulfill requirement (1) must take at least two advanced-level probability (140.721-724) and two advanced-level statistical theory (140.731-734) courses.

Student Evaluations

The Department is committed to providing every opportunity for its students to successfully complete the academic program of their choice. To support students in progressing toward the degree and to further their educational experience, the Department offers a comprehensive written examination at the end of the first year. For more details about the first-year PhD comprehensive exam, please visit the PhD in Biostatistics page where students can find a link to our PhD handbook.

The University requires students to successfully complete a preliminary oral examination, typically taken at the beginning of the third year.  The main purpose of this examination is to evaluate students' foundational knowledge and ability to communicate statistical ideas and concepts. Students should prepare a paper/proposal related to their potential thesis topic and present it in the preliminary oral exam. The University also requires students to successfully complete an oral thesis defense before graduation, where the completed thesis is defended in a public forum.

Research and Teaching Assistantships

The Department of Biostatistics offers teaching and research assistantships to its PhD students on a competitive basis. All PhD applicants (US and international) are ranked based on their merits; top candidates are offered admission. All students who matriculate are provided with assistantships that last five years and include full tuition, health insurance, and a living stipend.  Students find the teaching and research assistantships to be the most valuable part of their PhD experience. Please visit the PhD in Biostatistics page where students can find a link to our PhD handbook and the PhD union collective bargaining agreement  for more details on funding and benefits.

The Department offers a weekly seminar program featuring recent work by outstanding statistical scientists from around the world. Attendance is required for all graduate students. One seminar per month may be designated to be part of the Biostatistics "Grand Rounds" series, which features statistical analyses addressing important public health questions.

In addition, first-year graduate students are required to complete the Current Topics in Biostatistics Research course ( 140.860 ), where faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and senior students from the Department present their research, with a focus on the public health and scientific questions driving the work, why the research makes a difference for the subject area and how to translate the research into practice. 

Recommended Curriculum

First-year phd students.

In addition to the core courses described in the program requirements, the following curriculum is recommended:

PH.260.600 Introduction to the Biomedical Sciences

"Cells to Society" modules, if applicable*

PH.550.860 Academic & Research Ethics at BSPH

PH.140.840 Special Studies and Research Biostatistics (credits as needed in order to get to at least 16 credits total)

PH.140.860 Current Topics in Biostatistics Research

Second Term

Fourth term, second-year phd students.

PH.340.721 Epidemiologic Inference in Public Health I (if not taken the first year)

PH.550.600 Living Science Ethics - Responsible Conduct of Research

PH.550.860 Academic & Research Ethics at BSPH (if not taken in a previous term)

PH.140.840 Special Studies and Research Biostatistics (Credits as needed in order to get to at least 16 credits total)

"Cell to Society" modules, if applicable*

Select one or both of the following:

PH.140.820 Thesis Research Biostatistics (credits as needed in order to get to at least 16 credits total)

Third-Year PhD Students

Coursework in scientific/statistical electives/special studies for a minimum of 16 credits per term

Fourth-Year PhD Students

* Students are required to take eight 552.xxx “Cells to Society” courses (552.601.81, 552.603.81, 552.607.81, 552.608.81, 552.609.81, 552.610.81, 552.611.81, 552.612.81) by the end of Year Two.

Doctoral Student Policies

Below covers policies regarding academic performance of doctoral students that are specific to the Department of Biostatistics. Students also must satisfy the academic standing requirements of the Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg School of Public Health. 

For a full list of program policies, please visit the PhD in Biostatistics page where students can find a link to our PhD handbook.

Academic Standing and Exams

Doctoral students are expected to stay in good academic standing throughout their PhD studies.

Students are expected to maintain grades of B or higher in core classes. Any core class with a grade lower than a B will need to be retaken.

First year students maintaining B grades in core classes can sit for the first year Departmental exam. Students with any grades lower than a B in core classes must receive approval from the graduate committee to sit for the exams. In the event that students are denied, possible resolutions include postponing the exam for one year, switching to a master’s program or being required to leave the doctoral program based on a consideration by the faculty of overall academic performance.

In the event of a failure of the exam, students are allowed one retake. Student retakes typically occur in the following year, with exceptions occurring when mitigating circumstances are present, such as a leave of absence. In the event of a failure in the retake, the student will be asked to leave the doctoral program, typically with the option to join the master’s program. The exams, either a first take or retake, are only given once per year at the start of the summer break (typically in early June).

The grading of the Departmental exam is as follows. Passing scores are determined by exam writers after grading with examiners blinded from student names. Students who pass all sections of the exam pass the exam. Students failing one or more sections will be discussed by the faculty as a whole. This discussion will include exam and course performance. Possible resolutions include: declaring the student as passing the exam, declaring the student as having failed the exam, take-home remediation of sections of the exam or a full retake (only available if it is the student’s first attempt at the exam).

To maintain good academic standing, students must complete their school-wide preliminary oral exam by the end of their third academic year before the start of the first term of their fourth year (typically late August or early September depending on that year’s academic calendar).

Full funding for tuition and stipend is provided to PhD students for five years. Students are expected to finish their doctoral programs within this time. Students who do not finish within five years may continue in the program for up to two additional years. In these cases, a 75% departmental tuition scholarship is provided, but students are responsible for the remaining tuition, their own health insurance, and living expenses. Personal office space cannot be guaranteed for students beyond the five-year point. Common areas (Biostatistics Library, Genome Cafe) remain available for use by these students.

Program Changes from PhD to ScM or MHS

In the event that a doctoral student switches to the ScM or MHS programs, the following should be noted.

Funded doctoral students forfeit their funding in the event of a program switch.

Students have the option of switching to part-time status after switching programs. However, visa residency requirements for maintaining full-time student status typically prevent foreign students from being able to switch to part-time.

MHS and ScM students receive a 75% tuition reduction in their second year provided that they have taken 12 credits of courses outside of the Department (of which at least 6 credit hours must come from the School of Public Health courses) and have passed their Departmental exams. Doctoral students considering a program switch should appropriately plan their first year coursework to ensure eligibility for the tuition reduction in their second year. The 75% tuition remission is contingent on passing the first year exams at the master’s level. PhD students who take the doctoral exam and then elect or are asked to switch to a master’s program will be informed whether their performance on the doctoral exam constitutes a pass at the master’s level. Students who are deemed to have not passed at the master’s level will be asked to take the master’s Departmental exam in the subsequent year to fulfill the requirements of the master’s program and will not be eligible for the tuition reduction until the exam requirements have been met. Students will be allowed this one administration of the master’s exam in these circumstances.

Upon successful completion of the Doctor of Philosophy in Biostatistics, students will have mastered the following competencies:

• Apply quantitative methods to public health and scientific problems;
• Examine and apply foundational concepts of probability theory and statistical inference;
• Construct, fit and interpret different types of linear model (LM), generalized linear model (GLM), linear mixed model (LMM) and generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) in the context of scientific and public health applications, and conduct statistical inference in these models;
• Develop foundational insights for applying biostatistical theory and methodology to solve public health and scientific problems;
• Produce a complete data analysis to answer a targeted scientific or public health question.

According to the requirements of the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), all BSPH degree students must be grounded in foundational public health knowledge. Please view the list of specific CEPH requirements by degree type .

Georgetown University Medical Center

PhD in Biostatistics

Be a part of the integration of biostatistics with world-class biomedical research at Georgetown University.

Join Us at the Virtual Grad School Fair!

Friday, October 25, 2024, 12-2 p.m.

Sign up for our session at the PhD & MS Programs in Statistical Sciences Virtual Grad School Fair, hosted by the National Institute of Statistical Sciences, to hear about our program.

The PhD in Biostatistics integrates biostatistics with world-class biomedical research at Georgetown University. The goal of the program is to train outstanding biostatisticians who will advance the field of biostatistics. The program prepares students for research and teaching careers in academia and for research and technical careers in industry and government. The program also emphasizes quantitative skills, biomedical research relevance, and communication skills.

The Department currently has faculty members who are affiliated with various research groups, centers, and institutes across Georgetown, including Department of Tumor Biology, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Department of Computer Science, Department of Oncology, School of Nursing and Health Studies (SNHS), and MedStar Health Research Institute. These affiliations provide a wide range of experiences and opportunities for graduate study at Georgetown.

Learn about the application process and requirements.

Find the degree requirements listed here.

View the list of required courses and electives.

Course Schedule

Example course schedule is available.

Student Resources

Enjoy all the Georgetown resources available to Biostatistics students.

Questions about the application process or program? Contact us!

• Current Students

Biostatistics PhD

Many issues in the health, medical and biological sciences are addressed by collecting and exploring relevant data. The development and application of techniques to better understand such data is a fundamental concern of our program.

This program offers training in the theory of statistics and biostatistics, computer implementation of analytic methods and opportunities to use this knowledge in areas of biological/medical research. The resources of Berkeley Public Health and the UC Berkeley Department of Statistics, together with those of other university departments, offer a broad set of opportunities to satisfy the needs of individual students. Furthermore, the involvement of UCSF faculty from the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology also enriches instructional and research activities.

A PhD degree in Biostatistics requires a program of courses selected from biostatistics, statistics, and at least one other subject area (such as environmental health, epidemiology, or genomics), an oral qualifying examination, and a dissertation. Courses cover traditional topics as well as recent advances in biostatistics and statistics. Those completing the PhD will have acquired a deep knowledge and understanding of the MA subject areas. Since graduates with doctorates often assume academic research and teaching careers, a high degree of mastery in research design, theory, methodology, and execution is expected, as well as the ability to communicate and present concepts in a clear, understandable manner.

The PhD degree program requires 4–6 semesters of coursework, the completion of the qualifying examination and dissertation (in total, a minimum of four semesters of registration is required). Biostatistics PhD students are required to take the following classes:

• PBHLTH W200 Foundations of Public Health Practice (Required for students who do not have a Master’s or Doctoral degree from an accredited School of Public Health)
• STAT 210A Theoretical Statistics or STAT 210B Theoretical Statistics
• PBHLTH C240A Introduction to Modern Biostatistics Theory and Practice or PBHLTH C240B Biostatistical Methods: Survival Analysis and Causality
• PBHLTH 252D Introduction to Causal Inference or PBHLTH W252A Introduction to Causal Inference for Public Health Professionals or PBHLTH 252E Advanced Topics in Causal Inference
• PBHLTH 293 Biostatistics Doctoral Seminar

Qualifications

A Master’s degree in Biostatistics or a related field is recommended but not required for admission to the PhD program. Strongly recommended prerequisite courses include calculus, linear algebra, and statistics. Applicants admitted without a Master’s degree may be required to go through the Biostatistics MA curriculum; students can concurrently earn that degree with no additional cost. Applicants without a Master’s degree are expected to have extensive related research and/or professional experience. Normative time to degree is 5 years.

Students entering with a relevant master’s degree in biostatistics or statistics must have a faculty advisor who is a member of the Biostatistics Graduate Group committing funding and mentorship support.

GRE Exemption Criteria

GRE General Test scores are required for admission to the Biostatistics PhD program however applicants are exempted from the requirement if they meet all of the following criteria:

• Completed two semesters of calculus for a letter grade and earned a grade of “B” or higher.
• Completed one semester of linear algebra for a letter grade and earned a grade of “B” or higher.
• Completed one semester of statistics for a letter grade and earned a grade of “B” or higher.
• Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Overall quantitative/math GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• For students with a Master’s in Biostatistics or a related field, graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• For international students: TOEFL score of 100 or higher OR IELTS score of 7.0 or higher.

Berkeley Public Health also exempts applicants who already hold a doctoral level degree from the GRE requirement.You can find more information on the application instructions page . There is a program page in the Berkeley Graduate Application where you can indicate you meet the criteria for GRE exemption. Applicants who are exempted from the GRE are not at a disadvantage in the application review process.

Many doctoral graduates accept faculty positions in schools of public health, medicine, and statistics and/or math departments at colleges and universities, both in the United States and abroad. Some graduates take research positions, including with pharmaceutical companies, hospital research units, non-profits, and within the tech sector.

Funding and Fee Remission

Prospective students who are US citizens or permanent residents can find more information about applying for an application fee waiver for the Berkeley Graduate Application. Fees will be waived based on financial need or participation in selected programs described on the linked website. International applicants (non-US citizens or Permanent Residents) are not eligible for application fee waivers.

All PhD students are fully funded (including tuition and fees and a stipend or salary) with the exception of Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition (NRST) for the second year, if applicable. NRST is typically waived after the first year of study for PhD students when they advance to candidacy. Information on applying to GSI positions for biostatistics students can be found in the Biostatistics Division student handbook .

Tuition and fees change each academic year. To view the current tuition and fees, see the fee schedule on the Office of the Registrar website (in the Graduate: Academic section).

Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions about funding opportunities for the biostatistics programs.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The Division of Biostatistics is committed to challenging systemic inequities in the areas of health, medical, and biological sciences, and to advancing the goals of diversity, equity, and inclusivity in Biostatistics and related fields.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Biostatistics

Admissions Statistics

Emeritus faculty, faculty associated in biostatistics graduate group.

• Peter Bickel PhD Statistics
• David R. Brillinger PhD Statistics
• Perry de Valpine PhD Environmental Science, Policy, and Management
• Haiyan Huang PhD Statistics
• Michael J. Klass PhD Statistics
• Priya Moorjani PhD Molecular & Cell Biology
• Rasmus Nielsen PhD Integrative Biology and Statistics
• Elizabeth Purdom PhD Statistics
• Sophia Rabe-Hesketh PhD Education
• John Rice PhD Statistics
• Yun S. Song PhD Statistics; Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences
• Bin Yu PhD Statistics

PhD in Biostatistics

Prepare for a career at the forefront of biostatistics and bioinformatics theory and practice.

As a PhD in biostatistics candidate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, you will develop deep expertise in the theory and practice of biostatistics and bioinformatics, working alongside faculty who are leaders in both statistical theory and its application to health research. You will learn to work with big data and use powerful statistical tools to drive discovery using complex datasets. You will also conduct original research in collaboration with laboratory, clinical, and biomedical scientists from around the globe to identify and solve problems that threaten the lives and health of people everywhere.

With a PhD in biostatistics from the Harvard Chan School, you will be prepared for a high-impact career in academia or a research or leadership role in government or within the health care, pharmaceutical, or biomedical industries. You will also be positioned to play an important role in safeguarding public health and improving lives through quantitative research.

The PhD in biostatistics curriculum is focused on devising solutions to public health problems through the development of five key competencies in every student:

• Applying innovative probabilistic and statistical theory and computing approaches to the development of new biostatistical or bioinformatics methods, and publishing this original research in academic journals
• Providing leadership in the design, conduct, and analysis of collaborative research studies in medicine and public health
• Applying modern statistical and computational methods to effectively analyze complex medical and public health data, including the development of new software for nonstandard problems and simulation methods
• Collaborating and communicating effectively with research scientists in related disciplines
• Teaching biostatistics or bioinformatics effectively to health professionals, research scientists, and graduate students

All students admitted to the PhD in biostatistics program, including international students, are guaranteed full funding, which includes a stipend as well as tuition and health insurance for four years, provided they make satisfactory progress. In practice, many students require a fifth year to complete the doctoral program, and financial support for this 5 th year will be available with approval of the department.

WHO SHOULD APPLY?

All candidates for admission to the PhD in biostatistics program must have a strong background in mathematics—with college-level coursework successfully completed through multivariable calculus and at least one semester of linear algebra—as well as knowledge of at least one computer programming language. We strongly encourage additional coursework in quantitative areas including probability, statistics, numerical analysis, and advanced calculus or real analysis, as well as in biology, computational biology, and genetics (if interested in bioinformatics). Experience using a statistical computing platform such as SAS, Splus, R, Stata, or SPSS is also encouraged. Knowledge of a scripting language such as Python or Perl and some familiarity with relational databases is recommended for those interested in bioinformatics.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Like all PhD (doctor of philosophy) programs at the School, the PhD in biostatistics is offered under the aegis of the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS). Applications are processed through the Harvard Griffin GSAS online application system located at gsas.harvard.edu/admissions/apply.

OUR COMMUNITY: COMMITTED, ACCOMPLISHED, COLLABORATIVE

As a student in the PhD in biostatistics program, you will join a community of leading scientists and educators from around the world, working alongside world-renowned faculty members and collaborating with peers from across the globe. Our location in the heart of Boston’s Longwood Medical Area—home to Harvard Medical School, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and many world-class hospitals—makes collaboration with eminent laboratory and clinical researchers a natural part of the educational experience. And when you graduate, you will benefit from Harvard’s unparalleled global network of alumni leaders.

LEARN MORE Visit our website at www.hsph.harvard.edu/biostatistics [email protected]

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Biostatistics Ph.D. Program

Requirements of the ph.d. program.

The Ph.D. degree requires successful completion of:

• Core courses
• Electives in Biostatistics and Statistics
• Epidemiology requirement
• Public health requirement (Foundations of Public Health Practice, online non-credit course). Students with an MPH from a CEPH-accredited institution are exempt.
• Electives in a cognate area
• Approaches to the Responsible Practice of Biostatistics (BIOS 810)
• Qualifying Examinations in Theory and Applications

Dissertation

• Presentation of proposal for research including an extensive literature review
• Writing of the dissertation
• Oral defense of the dissertation
• Mandatory Form for Scheduling a Proposal or Defense

After successful completion of coursework and the Qualifying Examinations, the student is advanced to candidacy and begins work on his/her dissertation.

Financial Support

All students admitted to one of our residential programs are considered for financial support. There are four types of financial support that we offer our students: Graduate Student Instructor (GSI), Graduate Student Research Assistant (GSRA), Training Grants and Fellowships.

Graduate Student Instructor (GSI)

Graduate Student Instructors are appointed at 50% effort, which involves working approximately twenty hours per week. This appointment includes full payment of tuition, health insurance coverage, registration fees and a monthly stipend. GSI’s are appointed to help with the instruction of Biostatistics courses offered to students from other Public Health Departments. The duties of a GSI can include preparing materials for and teaching labs, holding office hours, grading homework and exams, and tutoring.

Graduate Student Research Assistant (GSRA)

GSRA’s are appointed at 50% effort, which involves working approximately twenty hours per week on a research project. This appointment includes full payment of tuition, health insurance coverage, registration fees and a monthly stipend. GSRA’s generally work closely with a faculty member who is a principal or co-investigator on the research project. The duties of the GSRA can involve analysis of biomedical research data or statistical research. Currently, GSRAs are working on projects involving statistical methods development and application to bioinformatics, cancer, clinical trials, dentistry, diabetes, environmental health, epidemiology, genetics, health education, kidney disease, and survival analysis.

Training Grants

Students are also supported through involvement in training grants which provide support similar to the GSRA or GSI appointments. Currently, the Department has three training grants. Information can be obtained by clicking on the links below.

• Genomic Science Training Program
• Training Program in Cancer Research (PDF)

Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards

Awards for tuition assistance are available and are granted without a work obligation. These awards are generally made on the basis of academic merit, expected contribution to the field, and underrepresented backgrounds. Some examples of awards our students have received include:

• the Shapiro Award
• the Rackham Merit Fellowship for Historically Underrepresented Groups
• the Rackham Non-Traditional Fellowship
• the Rackham Regents Fellowship
• the School of Public Health Tuition Assistance Award.

Other award/scholarship opportunities exist for continuing students. They include:

• the Rackham One-Term Dissertation Grant
• the Barbour Scholarship
• the Pre-doctoral Fellowship
• the Susan Lipshutz Award
• the Rackham Travel Award .

The Rackham Sources of Aid page lists various sources of information on financial assistance available to students on campus.

Prospective students interested in applying for specific awards should contact Student Services at 734-615-9817 or [email protected] .

Financial Aid

Many of our students are offered funding as GSIs, GSRAs or fellows. If a student does not receive such an offer, he or she may apply for financial aid through the University of Michigan’s Office of Financial Aid . This office requires applicants for any and all types of financial aid to complete the Free Application for Federal Student AID (FAFSA) provided by the American College Testing Center (ACTC) . A FAFSA will be sent to you directly if you indicate your interest in financial assistance on the admission application form. FAFSAs are available from most high school or college libraries and financial aid officers, as well as from the School of Public Health Office of Student Affairs. FAFSA is also available at www.fafsa.ed.gov .

Prerequisites

Minimum requirements.

• three semesters of calculus
• a course in matrix or linear algebra
• an introductory course in statistics or biostatistics

Students entering with a relevant master's degree in biostatistics or statistics are likely to have completed several of the courses required for the Ph.D. program. For this reason, we outline two programs of study: one for students with a relevant master's degree and one for students without a relevant master's degree. Each student should determine the details of the program of study after consultation with his/her faculty advisor.

Courses for a PhD Student with a Relevant Master's Degree

Typically, a student entering with a relevant master's degree will have had the following courses or their equivalents:

• BIOS 601 Probability and Distribution Theory
• BIOS 602 Biostatistical Inference
• BIOS 650 Applied Statistics I: Linear Regression
• BIOS 810 Approaches to the Responsible Practice of Biostatistics
• MATH 451 Advanced Calculus I
• Foundations of Public Health TBA, starting Fall 2018
• One or two electives in Biostatistics or Statistics

This accelerated program is not possible unless the student has already completed the first three courses listed above. MATH 451 can be taken in the first term of year 1, if necessary.

* Or another advanced probability course.

It is assumed that students entering with a relevant Master's degree will have taken equivalent courses that will enable them to be exempted from 3-6 hours of this requirement.

B. Electives (15 credit hours)

Electives may be selected from Biostatistics at the 600/800 level, from Statistics at the 500/600 level, or with approval of the Candidacy Committee, from courses taught in other departments. At least 12 of these hours should be in formal courses and 9 of the 12 hours should be at the 800 level in Biostatistics or 600 level in Statistics. A formal course is defined to be a graded course that is taught in a lecture format.

C. Epidemiology Requirement

All students in the School of Public Health are required to demonstrate competency in biostatistics and epidemiology. The epidemiology requirement may be satisfied in any one of the following ways:

• Completing Epidemiology 601 (Fall) or PH 512 (Fall & Winter).
• Taking and passing the Epidemiology exemption examination.
• Completing Epidemiology 516 and any necessary prerequisites to that course. (Option available to MS student but not to MPH students)
• Epidemiology 621 as an option for students funded by the Training Program in Cancer Research.

D1. Open Elective Requirement

Depending on the number of credit hours used to complete their epidemiology cognate, Ph.D. students will take 7-10 credit hours of "open elective" courses to be selected from an approved list. If the Epidemiology course taken is 515/516, the student needs 7 credits. If the Epidemiology course is 601, then 9 credits. If the Epidemiology course is 503, then 10 credits. All current Biostatistics students are granted access to the approved list, which is maintained on a Google Drive document. The approved list includes additional electives in biostatistics (600+ level) and statistics (500+ level), applied courses in public health or related topics, and courses in computational methods. Students who want to take University of Michigan courses that are not currently on the approved list are encouraged to request approval from the Curriculum Committee; please contact Nicole Fenech ( [email protected] ) and provide the name, number of the course and description.  (Courses far afield from biostatistics and public health will not be approved).

In Table 3, we present a possible sequence of courses and examinations for a student entering with a relevant Master's degree. Prior to registering for this sequence, the student should confirm with his/her faculty advisor that he/she has adequate prior course work. Also, the student should discuss with his/her faculty advisor the possibility of receiving exemptions from the Core courses listed above. BIOS 820 or 990 taken in the last term are individually-tailored reading courses in the area of biostatistics in which the student would like to do his or her literature review.

May Year 2:Qualifying Examinations

*Students who have taken BIOS 651 or equivalent prior to entry in the PhD program could finish Core courses (BIOS 801, 802, 653, 699) the first year and write the Qualifying Examinations May Year 1.

*This represents a minimal program of study for the PhD degree. The timing of electives and of cognates/open electives may be freely interchanged.

D2. Public Health Requirement 

All MS and Ph.D students (who do not have MPH degree) are required to take a 1-credit course on "Introduction to Public Health" (PUBHLTH 610) during the first semester of the program. This course is offered in the Fall of every year.

Courses for a PhD Student without a Relevant Master's Degree

This program does not assume any relevant course work for a student entering the PhD program. In practice, students with a relevant Master's are likely to have had some courses that are equivalent to requirements in this program. Therefore, prior to registering for courses the student should discuss with his/her advisor the specific courses that should be taken.

At least 15 credit hours of electives are required. They may be selected from Biostatistics at the 600/800 level, from Statistics at the 500/600 level, or with approval of the Candidacy Committee, from courses taught in other Departments. At least 12 of these hours should be in formal courses, 9 of the 12 hours should be at the 800 level in Biostatistics or 600 level in Statistics. A formal course is defined to be a graded course that is taught in a lecture format.

• Completing Epidemiology 601 (Fall) or PH 512  (Fall & Winter).
• Completing Epidemiology 516 and any necessary prerequisites to that course. (Option available to MS students, but not to MPH students)
• Epidemiology 621 as an option for students funded by the Training Program in Cancer Research 

D1a. Cognate Requirement (for entering class prior to Fall 2015)

PhD students must complete at least 9 hours of course work in a cognate area. This should consist of a coherent set of courses in an area (or in related areas) of application of biostatistics; the courses should be approved for graduate credit and may be from more than one department. Cognate courses should be primarily applied as opposed to mathematics/statistical in nature. For example, courses in areas such as mathematics, statistics, operational research, computer science, econometrics and psychometrics would most likely not qualify as cognate courses. Courses from other departments in Public Health or in areas such as genetics, biology, psychology, economics and many other similar areas will likely qualify as cognate courses. Courses in Bioinformatics that are biological or experimental in nature would typically count toward the cognate, whereas those that are more quantitative or technical would not. Courses taken to satisfy the epidemiology requirement count toward the cognate requirement. Faculty advisors can provide guidance and recommend approval of cognate courses. If questions arise on review by Student Services, the Curriculum Committee will make the final decision.

Waivers of cognate requirements .   It is possible to have cognate courses taken in a graduate program elsewhere recognized and to receive a partial or complete waiver. It should be noted, however, that if the previously taken courses were applied toward a degree, the required credit hours for the UM degree will not be reduced. A waiver of cognate requirements should be discussed with your advisor and must be approved by the Curriculum Committee and all requests must go through the Department's Student Services office.

D1b. Open Elective Requirement (for entering class Fall 2015 or later)

Depending on the number of credit hours used to complete their epidemiology cognate, Ph.D. students will take 7-10 credit hours of "open elective" courses to be selected from an approved list. If the Epidemiology course taken is 515/516, the student needs 7 credits. If the Epidemiology course is 601, then 9 credits. If the Epidemiology course is 503, then 10 credits. All current Biostatistics students are granted access to the approved list, which is maintained on a Google Drive document. The approved list includes additional electives in biostatistics (600+ level) and statistics (500+ level), Math 451, applied courses in public health or related topics, and courses in computational methods. Students who want to take University of Michigan courses that are not currently on the approved list are encouraged to request approval from the Curriculum Committee; please contact Nicole Fenech ( [email protected] ) and provide the name, number of the course and description.  (Courses far afield from biostatistics and public health will not be approved).

D2. Public Health Requirement (new requirement for MS and Ph.D students beginning Fall 2013 cohort)

In Table 4 we present a possible sequence of courses and examinations for students entering without a relevant Master's degree.

Spring/Summer Year 2: Qualifying Examinations

* This represents a minimal program of study for the PhD degree. The timing of electives and of cognates may be freely interchanged. These courses also allow a student to receive a Master's degree at the end of the second year. Three additional electives would be taken in year 3 for a total of 15 credit hours of electives. BIOS 820 or 990, which are individually-tailored reading courses in the area of biostatistics in which the student would like to do his or her literature review, are particularly recommended.

Qualifying Examinations and Advancement to Candidacy

Qualifying examinations.

As a rule, students must be admitted to the Biostatistics Ph.D. program before taking the Qualifying Examination. This rule may be waived in exceptional circumstances, subject to written consent of the Admission and Candidacy Committees. The Qualifying Examination is not individualized to the student. They are prepared and graded by the members of the Candidacy Committee.

The Qualifying Examination is offered once each year, in late May. Questions will be at the level of the final exams used in our required Biostatistics core courses (601, 602, 650, and 651). In addition, students are required to take and pass 699 before taking the Qualifying Examination.

Full-time Ph.D. students entering without a relevant master's degree are expected to take the Qualifying Exam within two years of entering the program, while students entering with a relevant master's degree are expected to take it within one year of entering the program. 

The requirements for part-time students are prorated, so that, for example, a half-time student entering with a relevant master's degree will be required to take the Qualifying Examinations within two years. A student retaking a Qualifying Examination must retake it the next time it is offered. If a student wishes to delay the examinations, he/she must submit a written request to the Candidacy Committee, justifying the delay.

A student who has failed the Qualifying Examination and wishes to continue in the Ph.D. program, may retake the examination. If a student fails the examination twice, then he/she will not be allowed to continue in the program.

Advancement to Candidacy

Advancing to candidacy requires passing the Qualifying Examinations and completing the required coursework. Once these requirements are met, the student should apply for candidacy by submitting the Candidacy Requirements form to the chair of the Candidacy Committee. The Candidacy Committee then makes the final decision regarding advancement.

Departmental Guidelines for Ph.D. Dissertation

Dissertation committee.

In accordance with Rackham Graduate School regulations, the dissertation committee must have at least four members, with at least two from within and at least one from outside the Department of Biostatistics. A member whose research interests are closely aligned with those of the student is the committee chair, unless this member is from outside the Department, in which case this member and a member from within the department are designated as co-chairs. The dissertation committee is selected by mutual agreement between the student and committee members and is nominated to the dean of the Graduate School by the chair of the department. The committee directs and reviews the student's doctoral research, conducts the oral defense of the dissertation, and decides whether or not the dissertation is approved.

• Ph.D. candidates should form their dissertation committee within 12 months of reaching candidacy; it is recommended that meetings with the committee members take place every six to 12 months.
• Candidates are expected to present their thesis proposal within 24 months of achieving candidacy. The proposal presents an opportunity to practice writing skills for the thesis and to present the materials to the members of the dissertation committee. The dissertation proposal does not require a complete outline of the dissertation or the very near completion of the work. Rather, the proposal should be presented along the lines of an NIH grant proposal and generally address questions of overall aims, carry out a comprehensive literature review in the research area, present a section on preliminary results, and provide a detailed plan for additional research. Presentation of the proposal offers a very useful milestone for the student to give a more formal summary of work and to get feedback and comments from the dissertation committee. The additional purpose of the thesis proposal is for the whole committee to review and approve the proposed direction and content of the proposed research.

Dissertation Content

The dissertation research must be a creative and significant original contribution to the field of biostatistics, involving the development and evaluation of biostatistical methodology that has application to important biomedical problems. The development of software and computational techniques for novel statistical methods is an important aspect of scholarly work. Various models for the structure of a dissertation have been used and are acceptable. In some cases, the thesis consists of three separate, often fairly loosely related, papers that are judged to be of publishable quality. A more traditional form of thesis would be one that provides an in-depth treatise on a topic, that may look at various facets of a problem and may not easily subdivide into a set number of separate publishable papers. For guidance, students may wish to review the collection of Ph.D. dissertations that have been written in the department and that are on display in the departmental library.

Dissertation Submission

• It is the responsibility of the student to see that the dissertation defense is advertised within the department at least three weeks in advance of the scheduled defense time. In addition, the student is responsible for providing a copy of the submitted dissertation to each member of the dissertation committee at least two weeks in advance of the date of the defense.
• The dissertation should be submitted by the student to the graduate office in the department at least two weeks prior to the defense. The thesis would then be available for review to any faculty member or student in the department prior to the defense. The Front Office will send a note to all faculty and students regarding the availability of the thesis and lend it out to anyone interested.

Conduct of Defense (Examination)

• The chair will call on the candidate for presentation of the dissertation, typically for a 50-minute presentation and will then call on committee members for questions. It is typical to call on the external member(s) of the committee first and then on others on the committee. Once the committee has completed a first round of questions, the chair will solicit any questions from the audience. Further questions from the committee will also be invited.
• The defense is to be public; therefore, examination of the candidate by committee members and others should take place with all who are interested present. There would still be time for an ‘in camera’ deliberation of the dissertation committee, and in exceptional circumstances where more information is needed, the committee may decide to meet again with the candidate after the public meeting is complete.

Rackham Procedures

Please make sure to read important Rackham guidelines and procedures .

Ph.D. Student Directory

Frequently asked questions

For more information about the admissions process, contact the Graduate Program Coordinator, Nicole Fenech.

E-mail : [email protected] Telephone : 734-615-9817

Mail Department of Biostatistics School of Public Health University of Michigan 1415 Washington Heights Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029 Fax : 734-763-2215

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