Admissions
Overview
The Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics is one of the graduate divisions within the SDSU School of Public Health. It offers the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree with concentration in Biometry.
The Biometry concentration is an applied biostatistics program to train health professionals in statistical methods and models appropriate for public health, medicine, and biology. The concentration provides students with the necessary training and background to function as practicing biostatisticians in government or industry. Some students have entered PhD programs in biostatistics upon completion of this degree.
There are three components to the program. First, students receive a basic background in public health issues and methodology through the core course requirements for the MPH degree. Second, a theoretical foundation in statistics is obtained through required courses in mathematical statistics. Third, a sequence of applied biostatistics courses along with computer applications provides students with the practical application of statistical methods to the analysis of public health and biomedical data. This approach is designed to train biostatisticians as part of a team of health professionals for addressing public health issues.
Curriculum
See also…
- Course Roadmap – MPH in Biometry (pdf, updated May 2018)
- Educational Objectives – MPH in Biometry (pdf)
Required Courses
The 51 unit program is listed below and is typically completed in two years by full-time students:
- Public Health Core Classes (15 units)
- PH 601 Epidemiology (3)
- PH 602 Biostatistics (3)
- PH 603 Behavioral and Social Science in Public Health (3)
- PH 604 Environmental Determinants of Human Health (3)
- PH 605 Health Services Administration (3)
- Biometry Concentration Courses (15 units)
- PH 623 Epidemiological Methods (3)
- PH 627 Advanced Statistical Methods in Public Health (3)
- PH 628 Applications of Multivariate Statistics in Public Health (3)
- STAT 551A Probability and Mathematical Statistics (3)
- STAT 551B Probability and Mathematical Statistics (3)
- Supervised Field Placement (3 units)
- PH 650R Required Community Practice (3) Cr/NC
- Prescribed Electives (6 units) – A minimum of six additional units selected with the approval of advisor from:
- PH 649 Border and Global Public Health Surveillance (3)
- PH 700A Seminar in Public Health: Epidemiology (3)
- PH 722 Seminar in Clinical Trials (3)
- PH 724 Advanced Methods in Epidemiology (3)
- PH 823 Case-Control Studies (3)
- PH 824 Cohort Studies (3)
- PH 826 Analysis of Case-Control Studies (3)
- PH 827 Analysis of Cohort Studies (3)
- Prescribed Electives (6 units) – A minimum of six additional units selected with the approval of advisor from:
- STAT 560 Sample Surveys (3)
- STAT 670A-670B Advanced Mathematical Statistics (3-3)
- STAT 672 Nonparametric Statistics (3)
- STAT 676 Bayesian Statistics (3)
- STAT 677 Design of Experiments (3)
- STAT 678 Survival Analysis (3)
- STAT 680A-680B Advanced Biostatistical Methods (3-3)
- Additional Electives (3 units) *
- PH 797 Research (3) Cr/NC OR three units to include any public health or statistics course with the approval of the faculty advisor
- Capstone Experience (3 units) **
- PH 799A Thesis (3) Cr/NC OR PH 798 Special Study (3) Cr/NC
See the SDSU Graduate Bulletin for descriptions and prerequisites for these courses.
Plan of Study
Students seeking a Master of Public Health in Biometry are required to file a formal Official Program of Study (list all the classes that will be taken to fulfill degree requirements) after completing at least 12 units of study, and before completing the last 9 units. The Official Program of Study must be approved by the graduate advisor.
*Additional Electives
To fulfill the additional elective requirement students are strongly encouraged to take PH 797 (Research). It allows them to earn units for the effort they put into researching their thesis or manuscript. Their committee chair will very likely require them to enroll in PH 797.
**Thesis or Manuscript
Students can complete their degree in the Biometry concentration by choosing either Plan A (Thesis) or Plan B (Manuscript). If students select Plan A, PH 799A is required for completion of their degree, accompanied by a final defense of their thesis. If students select Plan B, PH 798 (Special Study) is required, and a scientific manuscript based on their research must be prepared for completion of the degree.
Time Limitation
The school expects a student to complete the degree within seven years. Failure to complete the degree requirements within seven years will result in dismissal from the program.
