Overview

Second year students in the MS in Biostatistics program perform a substantial MS Data Analysis project as a culminating experience under the supervision of a Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics faculty member.

Students are encouraged to pursue projects based in outside sponsoring organizations, including healthcare facilities, government agencies, non-profit organizations, health insurance companies, consulting firms, pharmaceutical companies, and other academic departments.

Projects based in outside organizations should have a doctorally-prepared supervisor on site and should have approval from the faculty advisor.

The MS Data Analysis project allows students to demonstrate the following competencies:

1. Clearly understand the substance of scientific problems and be able to formulate them quantitatively
2. Be able to organize, enter in computer and manipulate data in a form ready for analysis
3. Choose appropriate statistical methods and understand the strengths and limitations of different methods
4. Conduct high quality data analysis that can stand review and criticism; and
5. Communicate the work in a clear and logical report and oral presentation

At the end of the MS Data Analysis project, each student submits a written report of the project that consists of the following:

1. Research question and background
2. Study design and data structure
3. Consideration of alternative statistical methods
4. Statistical methods used and data analyses conducted
5. Results and interpretation
6. Discussion and conclusion

At the conclusion of the project, the students makes a 25-30 minute research presentation about their work to the Department.