Program Overview
The PhD in Biostatistics at UMass Amherst equips students with advanced knowledge and skills in biostatistics for research and teaching careers in academia and leadership roles in health-related agencies. The program emphasizes quantitative aptitude, critical thinking, and communication skills, fostering students' understanding of biostatistics applications in various health research areas. Graduates are well-prepared for careers in academia, research, and public health, making significant contributions to the field.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
The PhD in Biostatistics at UMass Amherst is designed to prepare students for research and teaching positions in academic institutions, as well as leadership roles in health-related agencies. The program emphasizes quantitative aptitude and curiosity, offering both major and minor areas of concentration.
Objectives:
- To equip students with advanced knowledge and skills in biostatistics, enabling them to conduct independent research and contribute to the field.
- To develop students' critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills, preparing them for leadership roles in academia and health-related agencies.
- To foster students' understanding of the application of biostatistics in various health research areas, including disease causation, treatment effectiveness, and public health interventions.
Program Description:
The program's curriculum includes core courses in generalized linear models, Bayesian inference, survival analysis, and statistical theory. Students are encouraged to select elective courses based on their interests and background, in consultation with their academic advisor. The program emphasizes self-direction, independence, perseverance, and quantitative aptitude, which are considered important factors in the admissions process.
Teaching:
- Faculty: The program boasts a distinguished faculty with expertise in various areas of biostatistics, including forecasting, machine learning, time series, infectious disease modeling, Bayesian inference, statistical demography, global child, maternal, and reproductive health, metabolomic studies, pediatric HIV studies, measurement error in self-reported outcomes, study design, high-dimensional data, and analysis of biological networks.
- Teaching Methods: The program utilizes a variety of teaching methods, including lectures, seminars, workshops, and hands-on projects.
Careers:
- Potential Career Paths: Graduates of the PhD in Biostatistics program are well-prepared for careers in academia, research, and public health.
- Opportunities: Graduates may find positions as professors, researchers, data analysts, biostatisticians, or consultants in universities, government agencies, pharmaceutical companies, and other health-related organizations.
- Outcomes: The program aims to produce graduates who are highly skilled in biostatistics and capable of making significant contributions to the field.
Other:
- Funding: Many PhD students are supported with research assistant (RA) positions funded by faculty grants. Doctoral students are also provided financial support via teaching assistant (TA) positions. All full-time PhD students are currently fully funded.
- Research Opportunities: Students have access to a wealth of research opportunities through campus research centers, including the Institute for Applied Life Sciences and the Institute for Global Health.
- Accreditation: The School of Public Health and Health Sciences is fully accredited by the Council of Education for Public Health (CEPH), a key benefit of attending UMass.
