Biostatistics (PhD)

Graduate Committee
Dr. Christopher Wichman (Program Director), Dr. Ying Zhang, Dr. Su Chen, Dr. Hongying Dai, Dr. Ran Dai, Dr. James Dong, Dr. Yeogjin Gwon, Dr. Gleb Haynatzki, Dr. Jane Meza, Dr. Kendra Schmid, Dr. Lynette Smith, Dr. Fang Yu, and Dr. Cheng Zheng

The Ph.D. in Biostatistics is intended to develop the next generation of biomedical informaticians who will advance research and practice in contemporary information and knowledge management using innovative evidence based approaches to improve human health. The program is designed to provide students with the instruction and research experience necessary to become high quality academic faculty members, researchers and leaders in biomedicine and public health throughout Nebraska, the country, and the world. They may also choose careers as scientists in government and private research agencies. The expected completion time for the Ph.D. in Biostatistics is 4-5 years. 

PhD Curriculum

General Requirements

• successful completion of 60 semester hours of courses beyond the master’s level (including core, required, elective, cognate, and dissertation hours),
• successful passing of the qualifying exam at the PhD level, based on core courses,
• passing a comprehensive exam at the Ph.D. level,
• writing a doctoral dissertation, and
• oral defense of the dissertation

Coursework

Students pursuing the PhD in Biostatistics must complete the required courses listed below. No more than one-third of the credit hours for the Ph.D. may be master’s level or introductory courses (800-level with 600-level or lower counterparts). Examples of master’s level courses that may be taken by Ph.D. students include those in a cognate field, as well as the 800-level courses from the Biostatistics M.P.H. program, the latter being prerequisites for some of the Ph.D.-level courses.