Concentration in Biostatistics

Description

The Master of Science in statistics, Concentration in Biostatistics at San Diego State University emphasizes statistical methods and applications in the biological, health, and medical sciences. This would be the appropriate program for a student who entertains the idea of working in the biotech or pharmaceutical industry. Local job opportunities are excellent.

Admission Requirements

Students entering the master's program should have three semesters of calculus, one semester of a calculus-based probability course, and one semester of linear algebra. Students should also have working knowledge of a computer programming language. Students lacking some of the above undergraduate background may be admitted conditionally and may make up this coursework during the first year of the program (these courses do not count toward the degree course requirements). Requirements concerning the GRE exam and GPA requirements are the same as for the other SDSU graduate programs. A GRE combined score (quantitative and verbal scores) of 950 and a GPA of 2.85 (3.0 GPA international) are expected.

Financial Aid

The Department of Mathematics and Statistics offers a limited number of research and teaching assistantships, applications for which should include transcripts and two letters of reference, to be submitted to the Department Chair. Off-campus professional employment may be obtained through a University Foundation work-study program, administered by the Placement Center.
These positions are half time during the academic year, full-time in the summer, and also subject to availability.

The Department maintains a web page with further information on admission and financial support.

Program Requirements

Candidates must complete 30 units of graduate level and approved upper division coursework, as described below.
1. Complete Stat 670A, 670B, 680A, 680B and 560 with a grade of B or higher in each course. These are core biostatistics courses.
2. Six units of graduate level courses in statistics and biostatistics, selected with the approval of the Biostatistics graduate adviser from Stat 510, 520, 570, 596, 671-679, 696, 720, 798.
3. Six units of graduate level courses from a science of application of biostatistics (i.e., bioscience, health science or medical science).
4. Plan A: complete three units of Stat 799A (thesis); or Plan B: complete at least two units of Stat 795, one unit of Stat 720 or 790 or one additional unit of 795, and pass a comprehensive written examination.

Thesis Requirements

General requirements for the master's thesis are as described in the graduate bulletin. As defined in the bulletin:

A thesis is the written product of a systematic study of a significant problem. It identifies the problem, states the major assumptions, explains the significance of the undertaking, sets forth the sources for and the methods of gathering information, analyzes the data, and offers a conclusion or recommendation. The finished product evidences originality, critical and independent thinking, appropriate organization and format, high level of writing competency, and thorough documentation.

Students should note that they must be advanced to candidacy before they will be permitted to form an official thesis committee and to enroll in Math 799A. In addition to the university requirements, the departmental requirements are as follows:

1. The chair of the thesis committee must be a faculty member from the Division of Statistics in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
2. One of the other two members of the thesis committee must be a faculty member from outside the Statistics Division. For students pursuing the Concentration in Biostatistics, the outside member must be a faculty member from a field of application (e.g., biology, public health).
3. The student must pass a public oral defense of the thesis.

Plan B (non-thesis option): Spring/Fall 2006

Students planning to take the Plan B option have to take at least 2 units of Stat 795, and one unit of Stat 720 or 790 or an additional unit of 795. In addition, the non-thesis option requires a two-part comprehensive examination in lieu of a thesis. Policies and procedures for the Plan B examination are given below.

Policies and Procedures for the Plan B examination:

Students in the Plan B option must pass a two-part comprehensive examination. Part 1 of the exam will cover theory and methods from core courses including Stat 670A, Stat 670B, Stat 680A, Stat 680B, and Stat 560. This is a four-hour closed-book written exam. Part 2 of the exam is a written report of a data analysis project. Each student will be given a data set and corresponding scientific questions. Students will have one week to complete the data analysis and to produce a written report, not to exceed 7 pages. Collaboration on the data analysis and report writing is not allowed. Any collaboration will be deemed as cheating and result in a failing grade.

The theory exam (part 1) will be given at 1-5pm on Wednesday before fall semester classes begin each year. The data analysis project (part 2) will be available on the web at 10 am on Monday of the 12th week of each spring semester (April 10, 2006). The written report is due on the following Monday before noon. (For purposes of these exams, the spring break is not counted as a week of the spring semester.)

Students should note that they must be advanced to candidacy before they will be permitted to take a two-part comprehensive exam.

Students must sign up for spring exams by March 1; for fall exam by July 1, at which time each student must choose the two electives for the theory exam.

To register for exams, email: mathhelp@sciences.sdsu.edu. Include your name, red id#, mailing address, phone#, and email address. Type in subject line: Biostatististics Masters Exam.

Cancellations should be done before these deadlines as well, or a failing grade will be given. At the time of the exam, each student will be given a random ID number to be used on the exams.

Students may take the two parts of the exam in any order. Each part of the exam may be taken by a student at most two times.

If you have filed for Advancement to Candidacy, and successfully passed two part comprehensive exams, please download and complete a copy of the Report of Final Examinations form: http://gra.sdsu.edu/file_upload/FinalExamForm.doc. Have your Academic Advisor sign the form, and then take the form to the Graduate Division Office.

Faculty

While coursework from other instructors may be counted towards the MS, the core faculty for the program consists of the statistics and biostatistics specialists within the Department. These are as follows:

Barbara Bailey, Kristen Duncan, Juanjuan Fan, Richard Levine,
C.D. Lin, K.J. Lui, Vladimir Rotar

C.D. (Joey) Lin serves as advisor for the program.