Public Health: Master of Public Health--Biostatistics (BIOS)

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Abstract

The Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics is pleased to offer a Master of Public Health program with a concentration in Biostatistics. Biostatistics is a science that addresses theory and techniques for describing, analyzing, and interpreting health data. Although biostatistics draws on quantitative methods from fields such as statistics, operations research, economics, and mathematics, the discipline is primarily focused on their applications to problems in the biological, health, and medical sciences.

The proximity of the University of Maryland, College Park to the nation's capital offers prospective students unparalleled opportunities for internships and research experiences in public health, including placements at the National Institutes of Health, the CDC Washington Office, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children's National Medical Center, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and many other national, state, and local health agencies. The diversity of cultural and socioeconomic groups, communities, industries, and health organizations provides a rich environment for learning, research, public policy analysis, and service.

Admissions Information

To apply to the MPH program with a concentration in Biostatistics, applicants must complete the University of Maryland Graduate School application and provide additional information as described below under "Application Requirements". The Graduate School application and instructions can be found online at http://www.gradschool.umd.edu/gss/admission.htm.

Application Deadlines

Type of Applicant	Fall	Spring
Domestic Applicants; US Citizens and Permanent Residents with foreign credentials; International Applicants seeking admissions under A, E, G, H, I and L visas and immigrants	Deadline: January 15
International Applicants seeking admission under F (student) or J (exchange visitor) visas	Deadline: January 15

Application Requirements

Applications for the MPH program with concentration in Biostatistics are reviewed with consideration to the following criteria:

1. Minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA
2. Undergraduate transcripts
3. GRE scores taken within the past 5 years
4. 3 letters of recommendation that address the applicant's academic capabilities and probability of success in graduate school
5. Statement of goals and interests and their congruence with those of the program
6. Relevant academic/work experience, including previous coursework in mathematics, statistical methods, and/or statistical software packages.

Applicants to the MPH program with concentration in Biostatistics should be sure to use the major code BIOS when selecting the program on the Graduate School Application.

Degree Requirements

Master of Public Health with concentration in Biostatistics (M.P.H.)

The Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in Biostatistics is a 43-credit professional degree, administered by the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. All MPH students with concentration in Biostatistics will complete 5 public health core courses, 8 courses in the biostatistics cognate area, an internship, and a capstone project or thesis. Students completing the project take 2 elective courses and students completing a thesis take 1 elective course (using the other 3 elective credits toward the thesis).

Facilities and Special Resources

The Department has research specializations in a variety of areas including:

1. Social determinants of health, with emphasis on the determinants of cardiovascular disease, obesity, sexually transmitted diseases, and health behaviors
2. Health disparities
3. Cultural competency in health care
4. Community-based physical activity interventions in adults and adolescents
5. Survival analysis, longitudinal data analysis, computational statistics, statistical genetics

Financial Assistance

Contact Information

Graduate Director, Brit I. Saksvig, PhD
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics School of Public Health 2234 School of Public Health Bldg.(#255)
University of Maryland College Park
MD  20742
Telephone: 301-405-2491
bsaksvig@umd.edu

http://sph.umd.edu/epib/

Courses: EPIB

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