Program Overview

Master of Science in Biostatistics

The UConn Master of Science (MS) in Biostatistics provides students with in-demand skills that they can apply to the fields of health care, research, public policy, and beyond.

Program Details

The MS in Biostatistics provides rigorous training in the modern areas of biostatistics related to the theory and application of statistical science. Students acquire expertise in statistical inference; linear regression; analysis of variance; design and analysis of clinical trials and epidemiological studies; programming in SAS and R; and consulting.

Graduates of our program go on to successful careers in a variety of industries, including:

• Health-related fields, such as pharmaceutical sciences, genomics, and health services.
• Biomedical research.
• Public health and health policy.
• Environmental health and ecology.
• And more!

Students must complete 31 credits of required and elective courses to earn the MS in Biostatistics. After taking all required three-credit courses, the student must pass a written MS qualifying exam on both theoretical and applied aspects of biostatistics. There is no thesis requirement for the MS in Biostatistics. Qualified full-time students are expected to complete this program in three to four semesters.

Courses

Although there are no official course requirements for admission to the program, it is necessary for students to have a certain level of mathematical sophistication to make acceptable progress through the program. This mathematical maturity may be achieved by successful completion of three semesters of calculus and a semester of linear algebra. A background in statistics will be helpful but is not required.

Required Courses

Students should take at least 10 three-credit courses and either the internship course BIST 5091 or the practicum course BIST 5092 for 1 credit. The following courses are required:

• BIST 5091. Biostatistics Internship or BIST 5092. Biostatistics Practicum.
• BIST 5215. Statistical Consulting.
• BIST 5225. Data Management and Programming in SAS and R.
• BIST 5505. Applied Statistics I.
• BIST 5605. Applied Statistics II.
• BIST 5545. Mathematical Statistics I.
• BIST 5555. Mathematical Statistics II.
• BIST 5625. Introduction to Biostatistics.
• BIST 5635. Clinical Trials.

Elective Courses

Students should choose two elective courses from the following lists:

• Elective course one:
  • BIST 5515. Design of Experiment.
  • BIST 5645. Analysis of Survival Data.
  • BIST 5655. Epidemiology.
• Elective course two:
  • BIST 5515. Design of Experiments.
  • BIST 5615. Categorical Data Analysis.
  • BIST 5645. Analysis of Survival Data.
  • BIST 5655. Epidemiology.
  • BIST 5705. Statistical Methods in Bioinformatics.
  • BIST 5815. Longitudinal Data Analysis.

Sample Course Sequences

Depending on how long a student plans to take to complete the master’s program, the following are recommended sequences of courses.

• Three-Semester Plan:
  • Semester one: BIST 5505, 5545, 5625, and 5091 or 5092 or an elective course.
  • Semester two: BIST 5225, 5635, 5555, and 5605.
  • Semester three: BIST 5215, 5091 or 5092 or an elective course, plus a second elective course.
• Four-Semester Plan:
  • Semester one: BIST 5505, 5545, and 5625.
  • Semester two: BIST 5225, 5635, and 5605.
  • Semester three: BIST 5091 or 5092 or an elective course, plus a second elective course.
  • Semester four: BIST 5215, 5555, and 5091 or 5092 or an elective course.

Admissions

Prospective students may apply for admission in the fall or spring semester.

• Fall application deadline: April 1
• Spring application deadline: October 1

Individuals with a bachelor’s degree in any major, with a background in mathematics and statistics, are encouraged to apply.

Macfarlane Scholarship

The department awards a limited number of competitive merit-based scholarships, with a minimum value of $7,500, based on qualifications. These scholarships do not require a separate application. All applications received by February 1 are automatically considered for the scholarship during the admission decision process.