Biostatistics Program (MS)

Biostatisticians work in a variety of settings, including academia, pharmaceutical companies, research facilities, government organizations, hospitals, public health organizations, and other companies in the medical industry. Biostatisticians aid in the testing of new drugs using data to determine risks and effectiveness, study various risk factors leading to disease, use data to look at links that could highlight causes or cures of disease, design and evaluate results of clinical trials, and work with researchers to develop new procedures for improved health. The field of biostatistics is among the fastest growing in terms of job opportunities. In fact, there is a shortage of people with data analysis skills to work in academic and non-academic institutions. Fortune magazine and monster.com have both repeatedly ranked statistics as one of the top ten graduate degrees based on salary, growth, and job satisfaction over the past ten years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that overall employment of mathematicians and statisticians is projected to grow 30 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations.

The mission of the Biostatistics Program within the Department of Biostatistics and Data Science within the School of Public and Population Health at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston is to prepare students to develop and apply data analysis tools that drive biomedical research. Students will demonstrate competency or strong proficiency in theory, application, critical thinking, communication (verbal and written) and computing. These are learned skills that must be practiced and reinforced in classrooms, labs, consulting experiences, and research rotations.

MS Biostatistics Competencies

Our graduate program prepares students to:

  • Demonstrate a broad understanding of current statistical theory, methods, and practices in the health sciences
  • Effectively collaborate on a research team
  • Develop statistical designs for health science investigators
  • Write computer programs for the management and analysis of data sets
  • Prepare reports and publications resulting from health science studies
  • Effectively communicate key statistical principles to a non-statistical audience

Graduates of the MS in Biostatistics program will have a skill set attractive to local, state, and federal government organizations as well as academic research and the pharmaceutical industry. An MS in Biostatistics can also provide the foundation for students who wish to pursue a PhD in biostatistics.

Biostatistics - MS

  • Biostatistics MS Program Information

    The MS curriculum consists of 42 credits of coursework, including 9 required classes:

    • Biostatistics
    • Introduction to Probability Theory
    • Introduction to Linear Models
    • Categorical Data Analysis
    • Statistical Consulting
    • Correlated Data Analysis
    • Survival Analysis
    • Data Management
    • Research/Practicum
  • Biostatistics MS Coursework
    • Biostatistics+
    • Introduction to Linear Models+
    • Categorical Data Analysis+
    • Statistical Consulting+ (2 credits)
    • Correlated Data Analysis+
    • Survival Analysis+
    • Data Management+ (1 credit)
    • Research/Practicum+
    • Introduction to Probability Theory+
    • Clinical Trials
    • Introduction to Epidemiology
    • Survey Methods
    • Introduction to Machine Learning
    • Introduction to Big Data Visual Analytics (2 credits)
    • Foundations of Medical Informatics
    • Biomedical Informatics: Applied
    • Health Services Research Analyses (2 credits)
    • Epidemiology Methods
    • Research Rotation

    All classes 3 credits unless otherwise noted+Required classes for MS

SPPH Graduate Programs | University of Texas Medical Branch
301 University Boulevard, Galveston, Texas 77555-1110 | (409) 772-6635


Heidi Spratt, PhD
Associate Professor, Biostatistics & Data Science
Program Director, Master of Science Biostatistics Program
hespratt@utmb.edu


Christina Johnson, MBA
Program Manager, Student Affairs
Student Recruitment and Admissions
(409) 747-7584
cnross@utmb.edu