PhD in Biostatistics

• Develop and/or evaluate new biostatistical and data science methods.
• Apply advanced statistical techniques with rigorous evaluation of underlying assumptions.
• Contribute to the advancement of statistical theory, methodology and knowledge through communication of results.

Students seeking a doctoral degree from the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine must meet the school's general admission requirements and submit materials per the application requirements. All candidates must have completed a master's degree in biostatistics or a closely related field.

The Department of Biostatistics requires the following from prospective doctoral students: one year of college level calculus, including multivariate calculus; one formal course in linear algebra.

The PhD program requires a minimum of 72 post-baccalaureate degree credits, with at least 30 credits of doctoral study at Tulane SPHTM. Up to 42 credits may be applied from the MPH or equivalent master’s degree. Upon admission to the PhD program, faculty review the master’s degree coursework to determine credits that may be applied toward the PhD degree. If a prerequisite course or equivalent has not been fulfilled, the student must take the course in addition to the 30 credits of advanced doctoral study but may count toward the total 72 credits. All students in SPHTM without prior public health degrees are also required to take SPHL 6020 Foundations in Public Health that provides an overview of public health. See PhD Handbook.

The PhD must be completed within seven years of matriculation into the doctoral program. 

Prerequisite Coursework (from prior master's degree)
Students who do not have these prerequisites are required to take these or equivalent courses.

• SPHL 6020 Foundations of Public Health (3)
• BIOS 6040 Intermediate Biostatistics (3)
• BIOS 7060 Regression Analysis (3)
• BIOS 7080 Design of Experiments (3)
• BIOS 7150 Categorical Data Analysis (3)
• BIOS 7250 Principles of Sampling (3)
• BIOS 7300 Statistical Methods for Survival Data Analysis (3)
• SPHL 6060  Epidemiology for Public Health (3)
• BIOS 7040 Statistical Inference I or equivalent (3)
• BIOS 7050 Statistical Inference II or equivalent (3)

AND

• 12 credits of Biostatistics elective courses at the 6000 or higher level.

Required Doctoral Courses (at least 18 credits)

• BIOS 7270 Asymptotic Inference with Applications in Biostatistics (3)
• BIOS 8350 Clustered and Longitudinal Data Analysis (3)
• BIOS 8500 Monte Carlo and Bootstrapping Methods (3)
• BIOS 8800 Applied Data Analysis (3)
• BIOS 8820 Multivariate Methods (3)
• EPID 7120 Epidemiological Methods II (3) 

Elective Courses (minimum 12 credits)

Electives selected from relevant advanced level courses offered within the department, school, or university in consultation with an academic advisor. Additional credits may be needed to obtain a total of 72 credits. No more than 12 credits of special (independent) studies may be applied toward the doctoral degree.

Research Ethics

Students are required to take online research ethics training via CITI or another equivalent training program in research ethics. This certification must remain current throughout the program duration.

Comprehensive Exam (See Comprehensive Exam Procedures)

Students are required to pass a written comprehensive examination that demonstrates general knowledge of biostatistical methods and research applications. The department administers a written comprehensive examination upon completion of the required coursework. The exam is administered twice a year (October and March) and must be taken within a year after the completion of the coursework. The exam has two parts: an applied biostatistics component; and a probability and mathematical statistics component. Candidates must pass both parts to successfully complete the comprehensive exam requirement. Students have two attempts to pass each component of the examination; the second attempt must take place within a year of the first. (See GBDS PhD guidance from department) 

Doctoral Committee (See PhD Handbook)

After successful completion of the comprehensive examination, the student forms a dissertation committee and develops a prospectus. The committee must include a minimum of three members with at least two faculty from the Department of  Biostatistics  and one external to the school. 

Prospectus (See PhD Handbook)

Students work with their advisor and doctoral committee to determine a research hypothesis and prepare a prospectus of proposed dissertation research. The research prospectus is presented and defended at least one semester before the dissertation defense. Following the successful defense of the prospectus, students are admitted to PhD candidacy and proceed with dissertation research.

Dissertation (See PhD Handbook)

Students must conduct original research and defend a dissertation based on that research. The dissertation research demonstrates scholarly work and is the basis for the dissertation. The student defends the dissertation to their committee; the dissertation committee and SPHTM Executive Faculty approve the dissertation.

The PhD program requires a minimum of 72 post-baccalaureate degree credits, with at least 30 credits of doctoral study at Tulane SPHTM. Up to 42 credits may be applied from the MPH or equivalent master’s degree.  These credits will be reviewed and those that do not fulfill the PhD competencies may not be accepted. If a prerequisite course or equivalent has not been fulfilled, the student must take the course in addition to the 30 credits of advanced doctoral study, but may count toward the total 72 credits. 

The advisor works with the students in identifying the course of study in the doctoral program. If the doctoral student does not have a prior public health degree, they must obtain a grounding in public health. See Doctoral Student Handbook.

Prerequisite Coursework (from prior master's degree)

Students who do not have these prerequisites are required to take these or equivalent courses.

• BIOS 6040 Intermediate Biostatistics
• BIOS 7060 Regression Analysis
• BIOS 7080 Design of Experiments
• BIOS 7150 Categorical Data Analysis
• BIOS 7250 Principles of Sampling
• BIOS 7300 Statistical Methods for Survival Data Analysis
• EPID 6030 Epidemiologic Methods I
• MATH 6070 Introduction to Probability
• MATH 6080 Introduction to Statistical Inference

AND

• 15 credit hours of Biostatistics electives at 6000 level or above.

Required Courses (at least 19 credits)

• BIOS 7270* Asymptotic Inference with Applications in Biostatistics (3)
• BIOS 8350 Clustered and Longitudinal Data Analysis (3)
• BIOS 8500 Monte Carlo and Bootstrapping Methods (3)
• BIOS 8800 Applied Data Analysis (3)
• BIOS 8820 Multivariate Methods (3)
• EPID 7120 Epidemiological Methods II (3)
• SPHL 8500 Interdisciplinary Doctoral Seminar (1)

Elective Courses (minimum 11 credits)

Selected from courses offered within the department, school, or university in consultation with an academic advisor. Additional credits may be needed to obtain a total of 72 credits. No more than 12 credits of special (independent) studies may be applied toward the doctoral degree.

* Pending approval of the SPHTM Curriculum Credit

Research Ethics

Students are required to take online research ethics training via CITI or another equivalent training program in research ethics. This certification must remain current throughout the program duration.

Comprehensive Exam

Students are required to pass a written comprehensive examination that demonstrates general knowledge of biostatistical methods and research applications.

Prospectus

Students must prepare and defend a prospectus of proposed research.

Dissertation

Students must conduct original biostatistics research and defend a dissertation based on that research.

Department Chair: John Lefante, PhD

Program Director: John Lefante, PhD

Administrative Program Coordinator: Farhana Chaudhry

Email: bios@tulane.edu

Phone: (504) 988-2042