• Description of Program
• Degree Requirements
• Special Opportunities
• Careers

Description of Program

The Ph.D. program in Biostatistics is designed to train independent researchers who will advance the field of biostatistics, including the development of innovative methodologies and the application of new and existing methods to health-related questions. The students will receive fundamental training in probability and statistical theory, regression models, and statistical computing. They will also gain expertise in modern topics such as statistical learning, statistical genetics and genomics, high-dimensional models, clinical trials, and research rigor and reproducibility. Our program also emphasizes research in interdisciplinary areas, effective collaboration and communication with scientists and practitioners, and ability to teach biostatistics. The training and experience of our students will prepare them to be application savvy and leadership-ready for careers in academia, government and industry.

Common Ph.D. Degree Requirements

• A minimum of 90 graduate-level credits are required.
• A minimum 3.0 GPA is required for graduation.
• A minimum grade of C is required in each course used to satisfy the minor and elective requirements of the course prescription.
• A minimum grade of B is required in each course used to satisfy the major and research skills requirement of the course prescription.

Required Components for the Ph.D. Degree in Epidemiology:

All Ph.D. in Biostatistics degree students in the School of Public Health-Bloomington are required to complete the following two requirements:

• Public Health Foundations Requirement (0 credits) ll School of Public Health graduate students must complete the Public Health Foundations online course no later than the end of their first semester of graduate study. Complete details and registration information for this course can be found iu.instructure.com/enroll/MNG3L6
• SPH-E 651, Epidemiology (3 cr.), or its equivalent. (The credits may be counted towards either major, minor or elective area of study described below)

Research Skills (13 credits minimum)

The following courses must be taken within the School of Public Health-Bloomington. No substitutions and transfer equivalency will be allowed for the following courses.

• SPH-Q 794 Doctoral Seminar in Biostatistics (a minimum 4 cr., 1 cr per semester)
• SPH-Q 711 Advanced Biostatistical Computing (3 cr.)

The following courses should be taken within the School of Public Health-Bloomington, or transferred from previous graduate work contingent upon approval of advisory committee.

• Additional coursework prescribed by the doctoral advisory committee (6 cr.)

Qualifying Exam (0 credits)

Each Ph.D. degree student in biostatistics must pass a doctoral qualifying exam that assesses the extent to which the student has attained the program’s required competencies. The qualifying exam includes a standardized written portion administrated by the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and an individualized oral portion administrated by the student’s advisory committee. The student must be satisfactory in both portions to pass the qualifying exam.

Major Area of Study (30 credits minimum)

The following courses must be taken within the School of Public Health-Bloomington. No substitutions and transfer equivalency will be allowed for the following courses.

• SPH-Q 703 Generalized Linear Models (3 cr.)
• SPH-Q 752 Advanced Biostatistical Inference (3 cr.)

The following courses should be taken within the School of Public Health-Bloomington, or transferred from previous graduate work contingent upon approval of the doctoral advisory committee.

• SPH-Q 651 Introduction to Statistical Distribution in Public Health (3 cr.)
• SPH-Q 652 Biostatistical Inference (3 cr.)
• SPH-Q 604 Applied Linear Regression (3 cr.)
• SPH-Q 605 Analysis of Multi-level and Longitudinal Data (3 cr.)
• SPH-Q 612 Survival Analysis (3 cr.)
• Additional major coursework prescribed by the doctoral advisory committee (9 cr.)

Minor Area of Study (9 credits minimum)

A minimum of 9 credits of coursework in a designated area other than biostatistics

Electives (0–18 credits)

Elective credits may range between 0 and 18. An optional second minor may be included in the elective credit hours. Courses are recommended to provide background knowledge for areas where biostatistical methods are applied, such as biology, genetics, psychology, etc.

Dissertation (20–30 credits)

Special Opportunities

Students have the opportunity to develop skills by participating in research activities supervised by faculty members or in collaboration with other graduate students. Through funded graduate assistantship (GA) appointments, doctoral students may also have the opportunities to work with our external industry partners and to acquire essential skills and experience in teaching. Students are strongly encouraged to publish research results in professional journals and via presentations at national conferences. A limited number of financial packages are available to the best qualified students.

Careers

The field of biostatistics is unique in that it combines elements of the medical field with that of math, statistics, and science, offering a wide array of different types of jobs in biostatistics. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the job outlook for biostatistics to grow 30% from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations (i.e., 5%). Biostatisticians are hired by a wide variety of industries and institutions: 

• State and local health departments (e.g., the Indiana State Health Department and Monroe, Marion, and Morgan County Health Departments).
• Federal government agencies (e.g., the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration).
• Pharmaceutical companies (e.g., Pfizer, Merck, Eli Lilly, Bristol-Myers Squibb).
• Technology companies (e.g., Google, Microsoft, Amazon).
• Medical device companies (e.g., Abbott, Cook).
• Insurance companies (e.g., Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc., and Cigna Corporation).
• Institutes of higher education (e.g., the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago).
• International agencies (e.g., the World Health Organization and the U.S. Agency for International Development).
• Consulting firms.
• Medical centers and health care facilities.