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Master of Science in the Field of Health and Biomedical Data Science
This program has a fall 2021 start date.
The master of science in the field of health and biomedical data science program positions graduates to be leaders and practitioners in public health and medicine. The program blends biostatistics and bioinformatics concepts with practical experience in health data analyses, with a focus on collaboration in interdisciplinary research.
As part of their program of study, students pursue one of two tracks:
Biostatistics track
The biostatistics track prepares graduates to conduct research, undertake evaluation studies, and monitor population health status in academic, government, private sector, and community health settings. Through this research, students gain an understanding of the risk factors for chronic diseases such as diabetes, and how infectious diseases, such as Zika, Ebola, HIV/AIDS, and COVID-19, spread. Graduates work with the most vulnerable communities in order to improve health outcomes.
Bioinformatics track
The bioinformatics track prepares students for work as data analysts, informaticians, and/or software developers with opportunities in governmental, academic, and private sector settings. Graduates are primed to pursue independent doctoral-level research at leading programs in bioinformatics and computational biology. Through this research, students gain an understanding of the risk factors for chronic diseases such as cancer and how infectious diseases, such as Zika, Ebola, HIV/AIDS, and COVID-19, spread and evolve.
The following requirements must be fulfilled: 36 credits, including 9 credits in required core courses, completion of one of two tracks for either 15 or 21 credits. Depending on which track is selected, students take either 4 or 9 credits in common and/or track-specific elective courses and either 2 or 3 credits in consulting, research, and thesis courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required | ||
| Core courses (9 credits) | ||
| PUBH 6080 | Pathways to Public Health | |
| 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 6860 | Principles of Bioinformatics | |
| PUBH 6899 | Topics in Biostatistics and Bioinformatics (Ethical and Professional Skills Training) | |
| STAT 6201 | Mathematical Statistics I | |
| Biostatistics track (21 credits) | ||
| 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 | |
| PUBH 6866 | Principles of Clinical Trials | |
| PUBH 6879 | Propensity Score Methods for Causal Inference in Observational Studies | |
| PUBH 6887 | Applied Longitudinal Data Analysis for Public Health Research | |
| STAT 6202 | Mathematical Statistics II | |
| Bioinformatics track (15 credits) | ||
| PUBH 6884 | Bioinformatics Algorithms and Data Structures | |
| PUBH 6859 | High Performance and Cloud Computing | |
| PUBH 6861 | Public Health Genomics | |
| PUBH 6885 | Computational Biology | |
| PUBH 6886 | Statistical and Machine Learning for Public Health Research | |
| Electives | ||
| For the biostatistics track 4 credits and for the bioinformatics track 9 credits in courses selected from the following: | ||
| Electives common to both tracks: | ||
| PUBH 6853 | Use of Statistical Packages for Data Management and Data Analysis | |
| PUBH 6856 | Advanced SAS for Public Health Research | |
| PUBH 6899 | Topics in Biostatistics and Bioinformatics (Data Visualization with R Only) | |
| PUBH 6899 | Topics in Biostatistics and Bioinformatics | |
| PUBH 8875 | Linear Models in Biostatistics | |
| PUBH 8877 | Generalized Linear Models in Biostatistics | |
| STAT 6223 | Bayesian Statistics: Theory and Applications | |
| Electives for the biostatistics track only: | ||
| PUBH 6003 | Principles and Practices of Epidemiology | |
| PUBH 6299 | Topics in Epidemiology (Cost Effectiveness in PH Research Only) | |
| PUBH 6861 | Public Health Genomics | |
| PUBH 6863 | Applied Meta-Analysis | |
| PUBH 6899 | Topics in Biostatistics and Bioinformatics (Advanced Clinical Trials Only) | |
| PUBH 6885 | Computational Biology | |
| PUBH 6886 | Statistical and Machine Learning for Public Health Research | |
| STAT 6227 | Survival Analysis | |
| Electives for the bioinformatics track only: | ||
| BIOC 6240 | Next Generation Sequencing | |
| CSCI 6221 | Advanced Software Paradigms | |
| CSCI 6231 | Software Engineering | |
| PUBH 6238 | Molecular Epidemiology | |
| PUBH 6244 | Cancer Epidemiology | |
| PUBH 6262 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | |
| PUBH 6263 | Advanced GIS | |
| PUBH 6276 | Public Health Microbiology | |
| PUBH 6278 | Public Health Virology | |
| PUBH 6894 | Research Analytics | |
| STAT 6202 | Mathematical Statistics II | |
| Consulting, research, and thesis | ||
| 2 credits for the biostatistics track and 3 credits for the bioinformatics track taken in the following courses: | ||
| PUBH 6869 | Principles of Biostatistical Consulting (1 credit, biostatistics track only) | |
| PUBH 6897 | Research in Biostatistics and Bioinformatics (2 credits, bioinformatics track only) | |
| PUBH 6898 | Master of Science Thesis (1 credit, biostatistics and bioinformatics tracks) | |