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Department of Biostatistics: Master’s Programs
Harvard T.H. Chan
School of Public Health
Summer 2016
David Wypij Director of Master of Science Programs
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Department of Biostatistics: Master’s Programs
• SM in Biostatistics – 2-year (SM2, 80 credits) – 1-year (SM1, 42.5 credits) – 1.5-year (SM60, 60 credits) including
Master’s thesis • SM2 in Computational Biology and Quantitative
Genetics (joint with EPI), started in fall 2014 • SM60 in Health Data Science, to start fall
2017
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Department of Biostatistics: Eligibility
• Multivariable calculus (“Calculus III”) • Linear algebra / matrix methods • Knowledge of a programming language • Encouraged to have courses in probability,
statistics, advanced calculus, numerical analysis
• Students interested in bioinformatics are encouraged to have courses in biology, computational biology, and genetics
• (Not just math majors)
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Master’s Competencies
• Designing research studies in medicine and public health
• Analyzing and interpreting quantitative data • Using modern computational methods • Collaborating and communicating effectively
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SM2 (80 credits, 2 years)
• Area of interest in Biostatistics: 50 biostatistics credits with flexibility to develop an individualized program
• Area of interest in Bioinformatics: 55 credits of a more structured program with a focus on computational biology, genetics, and related areas
• Epidemiology / Research ethics • Other courses in allied public health fields
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Biostatistics Course Work
• Basics of probability and inference • Linear and logistic regression • Clinical trials and survival analysis • Longitudinal data analysis • Statistical computing • Statistical genetics • Bioinformatics / computational biology • Data science and machine learning • Decision analysis • …
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Allied Public Health Fields
• Epi of AIDS and infectious diseases • Cancer prevention, cancer epidemiology • Psychiatry and psychology • Environmental health • International/global health • Health economics • Molecular biology • ...
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Slide 8
Courses in Other Depts
• Statistics • Applied Mathematics • Computer Science • Epidemiology • ...
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SM1 (42.5 credits, 1 year)
• Master’s core courses (25 credits), at an intermediate to advanced level
• Epidemiology / Research ethics • Other courses in allied public health fields • Student must have a relevant prior graduate
degree and training sufficient to allow consideration for 1-yr program
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SM60 Program in Biostatistics (60 credits, 1.5 years)
• Biostatistics core program (25 credits) • Epidemiology / Research ethics • Other biostatistics electives (10 credits)
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SM60 Program in Biostatistics (60 credits, 1.5 years)
• After nine months of courses, students focus on a collaborative research practicum and write up and defend a Master’s thesis (10-20 credits)
• Students would be expected to finish in the fall of their second year (most likely)
• Some students take additional courses in the fall of their second year
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SM60 Program in Biostatistics (60 credits, 1.5 years)
• Practicum is designed to involve students in an extensive data analysis and statistical computing project, using methods going beyond standard course work
• The practicum could involve Biostatistics faculty projects with affiliated hospitals or external projects with pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies
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SM60 Program in Biostatistics (60 credits, 1.5 years)
• The SM60 program is primarily a terminal Master’s program aimed at students who want to work in hospitals, industry, or related positions (though some graduates may decide to pursue further graduate studies later)
• Students could request possibly switching between the 80 credit and 60 credit programs
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Comparisons of Master’s Programs
• The first year of course work for this SM60 program could be very similar to courses taken by first year students in the SM2 program
• Students in the SM2 program would take more advanced courses in biostatistics and allied public health fields in their second year, but do not have a thesis requirement
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Goals of SM Program
• Gaining biostatistical skills needed to work in an academic/hospital clinical research setting, the pharmaceutical/ biotechnology industry, or government
• Careers involve the design of studies, data collection/management of research studies, statistical analysis, writing of reports/publications, and consulting
• May be preparatory to a PhD program
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Where do Master’s Grads Go?
• Approximately ½ go to work in hospitals, universities, or academic research institutes
• Approximately ¼ go to work in private industry, e.g., pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, business
• Approximately ¼ go directly to a doctoral program (in biostatistics or statistics, as well as computational biology, environmental health, epidemiology, nutrition, medicine)
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SM2 Program in Comp. Biology and Quant. Genetics
• Designed to provide students with skills in biology, bioinformatics, computing, statistics, and epidemiology to manage and analyze large quantitative datasets (“Big Data”) arising in genomics and genetics
• Joint with the Department of Epidemiology
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SM2 Program in Comp. Biology and Quant. Genetics
• Intended as a terminal professional degree to launch career in bioinformatics, or possibly preparation for PhD studies in biostatistics, epidemiology, computational biology, or related fields
• Students would benefit by having some background in biology, computational biology, genetics, databases, and a scripting language
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SM2 Program in Comp. Biology and Quant. Genetics
• 55 credits of required and elective courses • Epidemiology / Research ethics • Collaborative research thesis project with
thesis defense
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SM60 in Health Data Sciences
• Our newest program, with students arriving in Fall 2017
• Focus on addressing research questions on massive datasets from electronic medical records, remote sensing of environmental exposures, data acquired by mobile devices, internet search engines, etc.
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SM60 in Health Data Sciences
• Required and elective courses in statistical inference, machine learning, and computer science with applications in health sciences
• Case-based approach in many courses • Culminating Health Data Science practicum –
project-based course
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Later applying to a PhD program
• Some Master’s students have gone on to doctoral programs in biostatistics, epidemiology, medicine, or public health
• Master’s students with interests in our PhD program typically apply during their second year
• Such students should have a very strong record in their program here, and should target their Master’s course work to satisfy doctoral requirements (especially in their second year)
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Sources of SM Student Support
• Loans and other resources from our Office of Student Financial Services
• Limited Department of Biostatistics funding • Outside support or scholarships • Possible part-time RA jobs (maybe during 1st year,
summer after 1st year, 2nd year) • Some grader or TA positions available (usually
summer or in 2nd year)
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Sources of SM Information
• Harvard Chan Admissions Office, Registrar’s Office, Office for Student Financial Services
• Biostatistics Student Handbook • Department Chair (Xihong Lin), Director of
Master of Science Programs (David Wypij), Manager of Academic Services (Jelena Follweiler)
• http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/biostatistics/