Program Overview

Biostatistics, PhD

The Doctor of Philosophy program in biostatistics requires a minimum of 79 s.h. of graduate credit, including credit from a master's degree. Students must maintain a UI cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.00. Those who receive a grade of C on 7 s.h. of coursework may be dismissed from the program.

Learning Outcomes

Students will:

• describe current statistical theory, methods, and practices used in health sciences;
• analyze data from experimental and observational studies;
• design modern modeling structures used in health sciences analyses and research;
• communicate research findings to various audiences in writing and through oral presentation; and
• interpret analytical results from health science studies.

Master of Science Background

PhD students must take the following courses required for the Master of Science in biostatistics. Students who have completed equivalent coursework at other institutions may request waivers and/or transfers of credit. Students who earned a Master of Science with a major in biostatistics at the University of Iowa automatically receive credit for these courses.

• Course List:
  • STAT:5100 & STAT:5101: Statistical Inference I and Statistical Inference II (6 hours)
  • BIOS:5510: Biostatistical Computing (taken twice for 2 s.h. each; topics should be programming with R and programming with SAS) (4 hours)
  • BIOS:5710 & BIOS:5720: Biostatistical Methods I and Biostatistical Methods II (8 hours)
  • BIOS:5730: Biostatistical Methods in Categorical Data (3 hours)
  • BIOS:6610: Statistical Methods in Clinical Trials (3 hours)
  • BIOS:7500: Preceptorship in Biostatistics (3 hours)
  • EPID:4400: Epidemiology I: Principles (3 hours)

Public Health Requirement

• Course List:
  • CPH:6100: Essentials of Public Health (2 hours)

Responsible Conduct of Research Training

• Course List:
  • BIOS:7270: Scholarly Integrity in Biostatistics (1 hour)

Core Courses

• Course List:
  • BIOS:6810: Bayesian Methods and Design (3 hours)
  • BIOS:7110: Likelihood Theory and Extensions (4 hours)
  • BIOS:7210: Survival Data Analysis (3 hours)
  • BIOS:7250: Theory of Linear and Generalized Linear Models (4 hours)
  • BIOS:7310: Longitudinal Data Analysis (3 hours)

Electives

With the approval of their advisor, students choose 16–23 s.h. of courses according to their interest in biostatistics, statistics, genetics, computing, public health, or in other areas. No more than 5 s.h. in nonquantitative courses (e.g., epidemiology, environmental health) may count toward the electives requirement. Courses required for the MS that are not previously listed may also be used to satisfy the electives requirement, although BIOS:7800 Independent Study in Biostatistics does not generally count as an elective. At least 6 s.h. of elective coursework must be taken on an A–F graded basis.

• Recommended courses:
  • BIOS:6420/EPID:6420: Survey Design and Analysis (3 hours)
  • BIOS:6650/EPID:6655: Causal Inference (3 hours)
  • BIOS:6720: Statistical Machine Learning for Biomedical and Public Health Data (3 hours)
  • BIOS:7230: Advanced Clinical Trials (3 hours)
  • BIOS:7240: High-Dimensional Data Analysis (3 hours)
  • BIOS:7330: Advanced Biostatistical Computing (3 hours)
  • BIOS:7410: Analysis of Categorical Data (3 hours)
  • BIOS:7600: Advanced Biostatistics Seminar (topics include model selection, spatial biostatistics, statistical methods in genetics/genomics, analysis of network data) (1-3 hours)
  • BIOS:7850: Research in Biostatistics (arr.)
  • BME:5335: Computational Bioinformatics (3 hours)
  • STAT:6560: Applied Time Series Analysis (3 hours)
  • STAT:7400: Computer Intensive Statistics (3 hours)

Dissertation

Students must enroll in the following dissertation course for at least two semesters in residence.

• Course List:
  • BIOS:7900: Thesis/Dissertation (6-13 hours)

PhD/MD

Students may work toward the Doctor of Medicine degree and a PhD in biostatistics in a combined degree program offered by the Carver College of Medicine and the College of Public Health. Applicants must be admitted to both programs before they may be admitted to the combined degree program.

Admission

Applicants to the PhD program in biostatistics must apply through the Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS). After the SOPHAS application is verified, the applicant pays a supplemental Graduate College admission fee to University of Iowa Admissions. The biostatistics faculty considers several factors when evaluating applications for admission, including grade-point averages, letters of recommendation, intent and motivation for graduate study, and research interests. All applicants must hold a bachelor's degree and have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.00. All biostatistics applicants are required to have strong written and oral communication skills.

Sample Plan of Study

Sample plans represent one way to complete a program of study. Actual course selection and sequence will vary and should be discussed with an academic advisor.

• Plan of Study Grid:
  • First Year:
    • Fall:
      • BIOS:5510: Biostatistical Computing (2 hours)
      • BIOS:5510: Biostatistical Computing (2 hours)
      • BIOS:5710: Biostatistical Methods I (4 hours)
      • CPH:6100: Essentials of Public Health (2 hours)
      • STAT:5100: Statistical Inference I (3 hours)
    • Spring:
      • BIOS:5720: Biostatistical Methods II (4 hours)
      • BIOS:5730: Biostatistical Methods in Categorical Data (3 hours)
      • BIOS:7270: Scholarly Integrity in Biostatistics (1 hour)
      • STAT:5101: Statistical Inference II (3 hours)
  • Second Year:
    • Fall:
      • BIOS:7110: Likelihood Theory and Extensions (4 hours)
      • BIOS:7210 or BIOS:6810: Survival Data Analysis or Bayesian Methods and Design (3 hours)
      • BIOS:7500: Preceptorship in Biostatistics (3 hours)
      • EPID:4400: Epidemiology I: Principles (3 hours)
    • Spring:
      • BIOS:6610: Statistical Methods in Clinical Trials (3 hours)
      • BIOS:7250: Theory of Linear and Generalized Linear Models (4 hours)
      • BIOS:7310: Longitudinal Data Analysis (3 hours)
  • Third Year:
    • Fall:
      • BIOS:7210 or BIOS:6810: Survival Data Analysis or Bayesian Methods and Design (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
    • Spring:
      • BIOS:7310: Longitudinal Data Analysis (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
  • Fourth Year:
    • Fall:
      • BIOS:7900: Thesis/Dissertation (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
    • Spring:
      • BIOS:7900: Thesis/Dissertation (3 hours)
      • Elective course (3 hours)
  • Fifth Year:
    • Fall:
      • BIOS:7900: Thesis/Dissertation (1-4 hours)
      • Dissertation prospectus presentation
    • Spring:
      • BIOS:7900: Thesis/Dissertation (1-4 hours)
      • Exam: Doctoral Final Exam