Program Completion Requirements

The PhD degree is a research degree and is not conferred solely as a result of formal coursework, no matter how superior and extensive. The program leading to the PhD degree represents more than the sum of time in residence, and the plans of study listed below are only a minimum. To receive the doctoral degree, the candidate must demonstrate evidence of proficiency and distinctive attainment in a special field and a recognized ability for independent investigation as presented in a dissertation based upon original research.

Comprehensive Examination

The comprehensive examination covers four first-year courses, namely BDS 721: Analytics, BDS 722: Advanced Analytics, BDS 741: Statistical Inference I, and BDS 751: Statistical Inference in Genetics. The comprehensive exam is offered in May to students who have completed the requisite coursework. Students must successfully pass this exam before undertaking the qualifying examination.

Qualifying Examination and Admission to Candidacy

The qualifying examination is given to graduate students in good academic standing upon completion of coursework and successful passage of the comprehensive examination. The qualifying examination must be successfully completed for admission to candidacy for the Doctor of Philosophy degree. This examination includes a 45-minute oral presentation of a biostatistics or data science project that the student completed under the mentorship of a program faculty member. The examination panel includes the research mentor and two additional faculty members from the Biostatistics and Data Science program.

Dissertation

The dissertation must show the originality of thought and demonstrate the results of independent investigation. It should contribute to the advancement of knowledge, exhibit mastery of the subject literature, and be written with an acceptable degree of literary skill. The dissertation, written according to the prescribed form, is prepared under the direction of the candidate's advisor and must be approved by the candidate's doctoral advisory committee and the Dean of the SOPH. This approval must be obtained, and all other requirements must be completed by the date given in the official academic calendar.

The oral dissertation proposal defense to the doctoral advisory committee and dissertation defense to the public are mandatory for the successful completion of the dissertation. The candidate's advisory committee will oversee the dissertation process.

Publication Requirement

A student enrolled in the Biostatistics and Data Science Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program must have the results of their co-author research accepted for publication and the results of their first-author research submitted for publication before the awarding of the degree, as outlined in the SOPH Student Publication Requirement policy.

Required Coursework

Students must successfully complete BDS 706: Ethics in Biostatistics and Data Science Research and Practice.

Plan of Study

*Electives will be chosen from the courses offered by the Department of Data Science or other graduate degree departments upon approval of the program director.

Electives

• BDS 714 – Statistical Methods for Clinical Trials (3 hours)

• BDS 715 – Intro to Sample Survey Analyses (3 hours)

• BDS 726 – Generalized Linear Models (3 hours)

• BDS 727 – Nonparametric Analyses (3 hours)

• BDS 728 – Multivariate Analysis (3 hours)

• BDS 742 – Statistical Inference II (3 hours

• BDS 743 – Theory of Linear Models (3 hours)

• BDS 752 – Advanced Statistical Genetics (3 hours)

• BDS 753 – Bioinformatics (3 hours)

• BDS 762 – Advanced Data Science (3 hours)

• BDS 763 – Database Systems (3 hours)

• BDS 764 – Data Visualization (3 hours)

• BDS 766 – Advanced Computational Methods (3 hours)

• BDS 767 – Deep Learning Applications (3 hours)

• BDS 791 – Special Topics (1-9 hours)

• BDS 793 – Seminar Series: Microtopics (1 hour)

• BDS 796 – Directed Research (3 hours)