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Program Details

Graduate Program: Biostatistics (MS)

General Information

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Program/Degree
Biostatistics (MS)  
Program Description

The Master of Science in Biostatistics is offered by the Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.  The educational objective is to prepare individuals to work effectively as applied biostatisticians in a variety of public health, epidemiological and clinical research settings.  The difference between the MS in Biostatistics and the MPH concentration in Biostatistics is that the MS provides training in probability and statistical theory with a research focus, while the MPH provides a broader background in public health.  

The overall course of study for the MS degree will be developed by the student and their Faculty Advisor and approved by the student's Graduate Committee and Chair of the Biostatistics Section. On average, the MS program requires approximately two years for completion. The first year is usually devoted to core coursework and completion of the qualifying exam. The second year is focused on remaining coursework and development of the master's thesis research.

View more about the program and the curriculum at:  http://publichealth.arizona.edu/academics/masters/ms/biostatistics

 
Department/Academic Unit(s)

College of Public Health

Arizona's first and only accredited college of public health, the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health is uniquely situated in the culturally rich and diverse Southwest. Distinguished for our outstanding community-based research and for our focus on eliminating health disparities among populations of the Southwest and globally, the UA Zuckerman College of Public Health offers tremendous opportunities to its students for education, research and community involvement.

The College of Public Health's interdisciplinary activities are enhanced by being part of the Arizona Health Sciences Center with campuses in Tucson and Phoenix. The College consistently ranks among the top five in American Indian and Hispanic graduates and students enrolled among accredited schools of public health, according to recent data from the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health. In addition, the University of Arizona is one of only 62 members in the Association of American Universities, a prestigious organization that recognizes universities that have developed exceptionally strong overall research and academic programs. 

 
College

College of Public Health

 
Campus where offered

University of Arizona - Main - Tucson

 
Contacts
Admissions Contact
Courtney Faryab
520-626-3201
Graduate Program Coordinator
Michael J Tearne
520-626-2112
Director of Graduate Studies
Chiu-Hsieh Hsu
520-626-5054
Graduate College Degree Auditor
Tammy Tran
520-621-0119
 
Tuition and Fees
Please refer to the UA Bursar's Office Tuition and Fees Calculator for up-to-date information about tuition and fees. 
Please refer to the UA Registrar's's Office Special Course Fees for up-to-date information about special course fees. 

Admissions Information

Admissions Requirements
  • Bachelor's degree with GPA of 3.2 or higher
  • Strong quantitative skills
  • At least three semesters of college-level calculus through multivariable/vector calculus
  • One semester of linear algebra 
  • Documented experience with a computer programming language (C/C++, Fortran, Java, Python, R or equivalent) are strongly recommended
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Resume or CV
  • Statement of purpose and objectives
  • Mission and values statement
  • TOEFL or IELTS scores for international applicants

View more detailed admissions criteria at:  http://publichealth.arizona.edu/prospective-students/phd-biostats-admissions-criteria

Applications are to be submitted through SOPHAS, the centralized application service for accredited schools and programs of public health, at www.sophas.org.  

 
Standardized Tests

Optional Test 
GRE - Send scores to the University of Arizona College of Public Health/SOPHAS, code 4253

International Students - Tests of English Proficiency
International applicants are required by the UA Graduate College to submit a TOEFL score of 90 on the iBT test. 

For students who take the IELTS examination, an overall score of 7 is required, with a score of no less than 6 on any individual band or module.  TOEFL and IELTS test scores must be dated within two years of the year of enrollment. 

Students may be requested to enter the Center for English as a Second Language to improve their verbal skills.

SOPHAS TOEFL Scores - Code 5688
SOPHAS IELTS Scores - Code SOPHAS

 
Funding Opportunities

A variety of funding is available in the form of scholarships/fellowships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships.  More information regarding tuition and financial assistance is available at:  http://publichealth.arizona.edu/prospective-students/tuition-financial-assistance

Federal Financial Aid  https://financialaid.arizona.edu/apply-for-aid/graduate-professional

 
Admissions Deadlines

Fall Deadlines

Priority:  December 1
Secondary:  April 1
Final Deadline:  June 1 for US applicants only

Note:  Students who apply by the priority deadline will be given the highest priority for admissions and consideration for scholarships and assistantships.

 
International Conditional Admission

International applicants will not be considered for conditional admission by this program.

Other Information
The GRE Institution Code for The University of Arizona is 4832

ETS Major Field Code(s) for this program: 0616

Completion Requirements

Minimum Credit Units

33 

Core Coursework Requirements

Required Major Courses (24 units)

  • EPID 573A Basic Principles of Epidemiology (3)
  • BIOS 576A Biostatistics in Public Health (3)
  • BIOS 576B Biostatistics for Research (3)
  • BIOS 576C Applied Biostatistics Analysis (3)
  • BIOS 585 Public Health Fundamentals for Researchers (3)
  • BIOS 688 Statistical Consulting (3)
  • MATH 564 Theory of Probability (3)
  • MATH 566 Theory of Statistics (3)

Elective Courses (minimum of 6 units)

Culminating Experience: Choose one of the following options (minimum 3 units)

  • Master's Project, BIOS 699 Independent Study (3 units)
  • Master's Project, BIOS 900 Research (3 units)
  • Master's Thesis, BIOS 910 Thesis (6 units)

MS in Biostatistics Total Minimum Credit Requirement = 33 units

 
Elective Coursework

Computational/Modern Methods Module (6 units)

Choose from:

  • BIOS 576D* Data Management and the SAS Programming Language (3)
  • BIOS 511* Healthcare Data Science (3)
  • STAT 675 Staistical Computing (3)
  • BIOS 648  Analysis of High Dimensional Data (3)

*Three units must come from BIOS 576D or BIOS 511

 
Additional Requirements

MS Qualifying Exam


All MS students must pass a written MS Qualifying Exam (commonly referred to as the “QE”) after their first year of study. The exam is designed to ensure that students have the necessary background to continue with more advanced courses. The exam includes both Theory and Application sections. The exam is offered early in summer at a time announced at the beginning of the preceding spring semester.


The material covered on the exam is based on the following courses:

 

  • Theory of Probability (STAT 564/MATH 564)
  • Theory of Statistics (STAT 566/MATH 566)
  • Biostatistics in Public Health (BIOS 576A)
  • Biostatistics for Research (BIOS 576B)

Students must have completed each of these courses with a grade of A or B to be eligible for the exam.

Oral Defense of Thesis Research or Project
MS students are required to complete a formal defense of their culminating project or thesis in a public seminar, followed by an oral examination by the candidate's Thesis Committee.

Professional portfolio including resume, at least 2 data analysis reports, copy of thesis or MS project report, documentation of computing proficiency, pdf/powerpoint of oral presentation. 

 
Student Handbook

Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for students who are pursuing this program of study.

 

Program StatisticsInformation about these numbers

Program-level Information
Application Acceptance Rate 84.62%
Avg. Time-to-degree (years) 2.85
 
Department-level Information
Enrollment Percent Male 66.67%
Enrollment Percent Female 33.33%
Enrollment Percent International 25.93%
Enrollment Percent URM 14.81%

Back to statistics
  • All application, admit, and enrollment data are from Fall 2022.
  • Average Time to Degree calculates how long graduates in the last 5 years (2018-2022) took to complete their degrees, counting back to the first semester entering their program.
  • Underrepresented Minorities (URM) includes domestic students of ethnic groups traditionally underrepresented in higher education: African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders.

Persistent link: https://grad.arizona.edu/catalog/programinfo/BIOSMS
Last revised 27 Apr 2022
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