University of Calgary : Biostatistics BIST

Biostatistics BIST

Contact Information

Department of Mathematics and Statistics:

Location: Math Sciences Building, Room 462
Program number: 403.220.6299
Fax: 403.282.5150
Email address: gradapps@math.ucalgary.ca
Web page URL: math.ucalgary.ca/graduate

Department of Community Health Sciences:

Location: Health Sciences Centre, Room G345C
Program number: 403.210.7051
Fax: 403.210.8109
Email address: chsgrad@ucalgary.ca
Web page URL: ucalgary.ca/communityhealthsciences

1. Degrees and Specializations Offered

The University offers an interdisciplinary specialization in Biostatistics at the master’s and doctoral levels through the following Faculties and graduate programs:

Cumming School of Medicine; Community Health Sciences
Faculty of Science; Mathematics and Statistics

The student will receive the degree offered by the home program:

Master of Science in Mathematics and Statistics (thesis-based)
Master of Science in Community Health Sciences (thesis-based)
PhD in Mathematics and Statistics
PhD in Community Health Sciences

2. Admission Requirements

In addition to the home program requirements, all applicants must meet the following requirements:

In the case of the MSc Biostatistics Specialization, a bachelor's degree in statistics, or its equivalent, is usually required.
In the case of the PhD Biostatistics Specialization, a master's degree in statistics, or its equivalent, is usually required.
Students must also have a letter from a faculty member in the home program indicating an agreement to supervise the applicant. Students are strongly encouraged to approach potential supervisors in advance of applying for entry into the home program and Biostatistics specialization.

3. Application Deadline

The deadlines for applying for admission into the Biostatistics Specialization are those of the home graduate program. See Mathematics and Statistics or Community Health Sciences program descriptions.

4. Advanced Credit

The applicant should make requests for advanced credit at the time of application, as part of the admissions process. See Advanced Credit for further information.

5. Program Requirements

MSc (thesis-based)

Community Health Sciences 600: Introduction to Community Health Sciences (3 units);
Community Health Sciences 640: Fundamentals of Epidemiology (3 units);
Statistics 721: Statistical Inference (3 units);
Electives: A minimum of 9 units from List A or B, with at least 3 units from each of A and B;
and Biostatistics 600: Research Seminar course (1.5 units).

Doctor of Philosophy

Community Health Sciences 600: Introduction to Community Health Sciences (3 units);
Community Health Sciences 640: Fundamentals of Epidemiology (3 units);
Statistics 721: Statistical Inference (3 units);
Statistics 641 Statistical Learning (3 units) or STAT 631 Computational Statistics (3 units);
Electives: A minimum of 9 units from List A or B, with at least 3 units from each of A and B;
and Biostatistics 600: Research Seminar course (1.5 units).

In addition, PhD students in the Mathematics and Statistics program must pass two Preliminary Examinations in Statistics based on material for two of the following courses: Statistics 701, 721, 631, 635, 641.

N.B. PhD required courses (or equivalents) are based on courses taken across graduate studies; i.e., if the student has taken equivalent courses in an MSc program, they are not required to retake these courses. However, the elective requirements cannot be waived.

List A: Epidemiology and Health

Relevant topics courses and directed study courses may be approved by the graduate program director in consultation with the supervisor.

List B: Biostatistics / Statistics

Relevant topics courses and directed study courses may be approved by the graduate program director in consultation with the supervisor.

6. Additional Requirements

Students in the Community Health Sciences program must attend all CHS departmental seminars.

7. Credit for Undergraduate Courses

See requirements of home program.

8. Time Limit

Expected completion time is two years for full-time students in a thesis-based master's program and four years in a doctoral program.

The maximum completion time allowed for a thesis-based master’s program is four years. The maximum completion time allowed for a doctoral program is six years.

9. Supervisory Assignments

See requirements of home program.

10. Required Examinations

See requirements of home program (Mathematics and Statistics or Community Health Sciences), and the Faculty of Graduate Studies (Academic Regulations).

11. Financial Assistance

See home program.

12. Faculty Members / Research Interests

Faculty members associated with the Biostatistics specialization have wide-ranging research interests. A non-exhaustive list of research areas available to work in is given by:

statistical learning
data science and "big data" problems
computational statistics and Monte Carlo methodology
clinical trials
population health/ecology
statistical genetics
bioinformatics infectious disease modeling
disease surveillance
longitudinal data analysis
survival analysis
experimental design
Bayesian statistics
spatial and spatio-temporal data analysis.

Research topics for thesis-based MSc and PhD applicants should be decided in discussion with supervisors.

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