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Degree Requirements
Ph.D. in Statistics (Biostatistics Track)

 

Admission Requirements

Applicants must have completed the course requirements (or their equivalents) for the master's degree in statistics and at least one semester or two quarters of advanced calculus at a level equivalent to Mathematics 127AB and a quarter of linear algebra at a level equivalent to Mathematics 167. While students may be admitted to the program with a less complete background, they would be expected to achieve this level during the first year of graduate work. For more information, please see our Admissions Section.


Program of Study

This is a Plan A program with a defense examination. A Ph.D. student will select an area of specialization within Biostatistics and will choose a major professor/dissertation adviser in that area, usually in the second or third year of study. Financial support is contingent on normal progress towards the degree goal. The student’s program of study will be developed by the student jointly with the Graduate Adviser.


The required core courses are as follows:

  • Analysis of Categorical Data: Statistics 138 (4 units)
  • Statistical Computing: Statistics 141 (4 units)
  • Biostatistics: Survival Analysis: Statistics 222 (4 units)
  • Biostatistics: Generalized Linear Models: Statistics 223 (4 units)
  • Biostatistics: Clinical Trials and Advanced Topics: Statistics 224 (4 units)
  • Mathematical Statistics: Statistics 231A-231B-231C (4/4/4 units)
  • Applied Statistics: Statistics 232A-232B-232C (4/4/4 units)
  • Seminar in Statistics: Statistics 290 (1 unit, each quarter, to be taken until advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D., graded S/U)
  • Methods in Teaching Statistics: Statistics 390 (2 units, once, at the first offering of the course during residence, graded S/U)
  • Methods in Statistical Consulting: Statistics 401 (3 units, twice during program, graded S/U)

An additional 8 units of elective graduate level courses, in statistics, to be selected from the following or similar courses (with approval of the Graduate Adviser)

  • Statistics 235A/B: Probability Theory (3, 3)
  • Statistics 237A/B: Time Series Analysis (4)
  • Statistics 240A/B: Nonparametric Inference (4, 4)
  • Statistics 250: Topics in Applied and Computational Statistics (4)
  • Statistics 251: Topics in Statistical Methods and Models (4)

Breadth Courses:

An additional 6 units of breadth courses, to be selected as upper-division or graduate work in Biological and Environmental Sciences, Medicine, Epidemiology and Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural Sciences or Psychology/Sociology. At least one non-quantitative course and at least one course in Biological/Environmental Sciences or Medicine must be included. Credit for other similar courses is possible, provided the agreement of the Biostatistics Subspecialty Standing Committee is obtained. Please see the Graduate Program Guidelines for a full list of Breadth Course possibilities.


Ph.D. Written Pre-qualifying Examination

The Ph.D. Pre-qualifying Written Examination will be given at the beginning of each Spring Quarter and also at the beginning of each Fall Quarter. Students in the Ph.D. program must attempt the exam in the Spring Quarter immediately after they complete both the STA 231AB and STA 232AB core course series. If a student does not attempt the examination at this time, it will be recorded as a failure. Every Ph.D. student needs to pass the examination in a maximum of two attempts. In case of failure at the first attempt, the second attempt must take place at the next time the examination is offered, and if a student does not attempt the exam at that time, it will be counted as a second failure. Two failures to pass the examination will result in a recommendation to the Dean of Graduate Studies for discontinuation of the student in the Ph.D. program.

The Ph.D. Pre-qualifying Written Examination is a written exam with two parts: a theoretical part and an applied part. The duration of each part is about 3-4 hours. The applied part may be administered in a computer lab and may include the use of statistical software. Although the examination consists of two parts, it is considered one exam which is either passed or failed in its entirety.

The Chair of the Graduate Program in Statistics (GPS) will appoint an examination committee that will be responsible for preparing, administering and grading the examination. This committee will forward its recommendation to the GPS, which will make the final decision on each student.

 

Ph.D. Qualifying Examination

The Ph.D. Qualifying Examination is an oral exam. The exam will be attempted as soon as the Ph.D. Written Examination has been passed and all required coursework for the Ph.D. degree in Statistics has been completed. In accordance with university rules, students are requested to take their qualifying examination before the end of the third year to remain eligible for academic appointments such as Teaching Assistantship. The preparation for the exam will be done by working closely with a faculty mentor (independent study). The Ph.D. Qualifying Examination covers a special research topic assigned by an examining committee consisting of five faculty members. The examining committee will be appointed by Graduate Council at the recommendation of the graduate adviser who consults with the student prior to making the recommendation. The major professor is not eligible to serve as chair of the examining committee. Graduate Studies guidelines for Ph.D. Qualifying Examinations apply. These can be obtained from the Graduate Studies Website.


A student who passes the Ph.D. Qualifying Exam is promoted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. Title and abstract of the Ph.D. Qualifying Exam presentation will be distributed to all faculty and students of the Graduate Program in Statistics, who are invited to attend the presentation.


You can download a pdf of the complete Graduate Program in Statistics Guidelines here.