Biostatistics Academic Information
Admission Requirements
To be eligible for admission to the MS degree program, the applicant must hold a
baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. At least one year of college calculus
is required, and courses in linear algebra and computer programming are recommended.
To be eligible for admission to the PhD program, the applicant must hold a masters
degree in biostatistics or statistics. Academic transcripts, GRE scores, three letters of
recommendation and a statement of career goals must be submitted with the completed
application form. Ordinarily, students are admitted only for the fall semester.
For further details contact,
Dr. Freels, Director of Admissions, (312) 996 4763.
Course of Study
The course of study for the MS Degree covers a minimum of 32 semester hours. Courses
include basic statistics, regression, analysis of variance, probability and mathematical
statistics, categorical data analysis, multivariate analysis, survival analysis, statistical
consulting, and epidemiologic methods. At the end of the coursework, students must pass
a comprehensive exam to complete their degree work. The expected length of the
program is about 1 1/2 years. The course of study for the PhD degree covers a minimum
of 96 semester hours. Courses include advanced mathematical statistics, linear models,
and epidemiologic methods. At the end of the coursework, students must pass a
qualifying exam to attain candidacy. The expected length of the program is about 4 years.
Financial Assistance
Financial aid is available for a limited number of students. At present, students in the
Biostatistics curriculum are supported either by teaching or research assistantships,
traineeships, or university fellowships. Opportunities are available for assisting in the
Biostatistical Consulting Laboratory or with one of the many research projects ongoing in
the School.
Employment Opportunities
Employment opportunities are excellent for graduate in biostatistics, both in private
industry (especially the pharmaceutical companies) and in the public sector
(governmental agencies and educational institutions). In such positions, a biostatistician
may participate in work involving vital statistics, epidemiological studies of disease,
environmental monitoring, evaluation of new medical therapy, assessment of the
utilization of health care facilities, or other public health problems. The biostatistician
plays an important role in study design, in statistical analyses and interpretation.
This page was designed and created by Ramesh Ramakrishnan. For comments and suggestions please contact me at
ramesh1@uic.edu.