Master of Science in the Field of Biostatistics | The George Washington University

Program Director: A. Elmi

The master of science program in biostatistics trains future leaders and practitioners in the application of statistics to public health and biomedical research. Students develop the necessary practical skills for innovative and advanced methods for data analysis, enabling them to effectively communicate scientific findings in public health and biomedical research. The program takes advantage of the rich biostatistical and data science resources at GW and in the nation’s capital. Students are prepared to become independent biostatistical collaborators in interdisciplinary research settings, such as those found in private industry, pharmaceutical companies, government organizations, academic institutions, and other organizations that employ biostatisticians and/or health data scientists. The program also helps build a strong foundation for students interested in pursuing doctoral degrees in biostatistics, epidemiology, or other quantitative disciplines.

Visit the Milken Institute School of Public Health website for additional information about academic programs and information about GWSPH. Graduate admissions information, including application requirements and deadlines, can be found on the GWSPH Graduate Admissions website.

The following requirements must be fulfilled: 36 credits, including 9 credits in core courses, 16 credits in biostatistics-specific courses, 7 credits in elective courses, 3 credits in advanced biostatistics selective courses, and 1 credit in research or thesis courses.

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Required core courses
9 credits
PUBH 6080	Pathways to Public Health ¹
PUBH 6862	Applied Linear Regression Analysis for Public Health Research
PUBH 6864	Applied Survival Analysis for Public Health Research
PUBH 6865	Applied Categorical Data Analysis for Public Health Research
Required biostatistics courses
16 credits
PUBH 6866	Principles of Clinical Trials
PUBH 6867	Health Data Visualization
PUBH 6869	Principles of Biostatistical Consulting
PUBH 6886	Statistical and Machine Learning for Public Health Research
PUBH 6887	Applied Longitudinal Data Analysis for Public Health Research
PUBH 8870	Statistical Inference for Public Health Research I
Electives
7 credits in pre-approved courses selected from the list below. Other courses can be approved by the advisor.
PUBH 6850	Introduction to SAS for Public Health Research
PUBH 6851	Introduction to R for Public Health Research
PUBH 6852	Introduction to Python for Public Health Research
PUBH 6854	Applied Computing in Health Data Science
PUBH 6856	Advanced SAS for Public Health Research
PUBH 6860	Principles of Bioinformatics
PUBH 6863	Applied Meta-Analysis
PUBH 8888	Advanced Topics in Clinical Trials
STAT 6197	Fundamentals of SAS Programming for Data Management
STAT 6215	Applied Multivariate Analysis I
Advanced biostatistics selective course
3 credits in courses selected from the list below. Additional courses taken from this list beyond the 3 credits required can be counted toward the elective requirement.
PUBH 8871	Statistical Inference for Public Health Research II
PUBH 8875	Linear Models in Biostatistics (permission of instructor required)
PUBH 8879	An Introduction to Causal Inference for Public Health Research
PUBH 6899	Topics in Biostatistics and Bioinformatics (Neural Networks in Biomedical Research)
PUBH 6899	Topics in Biostatistics and Bioinformatics (Advanced Survival Analysis—sections 1, 2, 3)
Final research project
1 credit (one course) selected from the following:
PUBH 6897	Research in Biostatistics and Bioinformatics
PUBH 6898	Master of Science Thesis (only for students who wish to complete a formal thesis)

¹Students without a prior degree from a Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)-accredited school or program of public health must successfully complete the 0-credit PUBH 6080 Pathways to Public Health within one year of matriculation. There is no fee for this course.