Biostatistics
Ottawa-Carleton Collaborative Program in Biostatistics
Herzberg Physics 4318
Telephone: 613-520-2600x8020
Fax: 613-520-3536 ext. 8020
E-mail: cate_palmer@carleton.ca
math.carleton.ca
The Specialization
Coordinator, Mathematics and Statistics (Carleton
University): K. Cheung
Coordinator, Mathematics and Statistics (University of
Ottawa): R. Blute
Coordinator, Epidemiology (University of Ottawa): B. Wilson
Biostatistics is an interdisciplinary area of research
linking statistics, biology and medicine. This growing area
demands knowledge of the theory behind statistical procedures,
an ability to put that theory into practice, and an
understanding of the areas of application. The applications
range from clinical trials to population epidemiology and the
development of new procedures.
The Specialization in Biostatistics is intended to prepare a
student for a career as a biostatistician in health-related
industry, or for a doctoral program in biostatistics. This
program takes advantage of several resources particular to the
Ottawa area. The Ottawa-Carleton Institute of Mathematics and
Statistics offers a strong program in statistics. The
Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine at the
University of Ottawa offers a broad range of courses in
epidemiology. In addition, there are several research
institutes and teaching hospitals in the Ottawa area. These
resources provide students with opportunities to develop
analytic skills, to interact with practitioners and to work on
current research projects in a variety of areas.
The program is administered by a committee of
representatives from the primary departments which include: the
Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine at the
University of Ottawa, the School of Mathematics and Statistics
at Carleton University, and the Department of Mathematics and
Statistics at the University of Ottawa.
Members of the Specialization
The home department of each member is indicated by (C) for
the School of Mathematics and Statistics, Carleton University;
(O) for the Department of Mathematics and Statistics,
University of Ottawa; (EPI) the Department of Epidemiology and
Community Medicine, University of Ottawa.
- Mayer Alvo, Nonparametric statistics, sequential
analysis (O)
- N.J. Birkett, Dynamical systems in medicine (EPI)
- Miklós Csörgó, Probability and statistics
(C)
- D.A. Dawson, Stochastic processes and
probability theory (C)
- Patrick Farrell, Sampling, discrete data, applied
statistics (C)
- Roger Herz-Fischler, History and sociology of
mathematics (C)
- G.B. Ivanoff, Probability, point processes,
martingales (O)
- Daniel Krewski, Applied statistics in medicine (C)
- D.R. McDonald, Applied probability (O)
- S.E. Mills, Applied statistics, statistical methods,
inference (C)
- M. Mojirsheibani, Resampling, classification and
pattern recognition (C)
- R.C. Nair, Effects of blood and plasma transfusion
on certain groups (EPI)
- Chul Gyu Park, Statistics (C)
- J.N.K. Rao, Sample surveys theory and methods (C)
- A.K.Md.E. Saleh, Order statistics, mathematical
statistics (C)
- Avi Singh, Longitudinal time series and methods for
their analysis; categorical-data time series (C - Adjunct)
- S. Sinha, Biostatistics, longitudinal data analysis,
robust inference, time series analysis (C)
- R.A. Spasoff, Analysis of clinical trials (EPI)
- Barbara Szyszkowicz, Statistics (C)
- G.A. Wells, Clinical trial design and
analysis (EPI)
- Yiqiang Zhao, Applied probability (C)
Master of Science
Admission Requirements
The Specialization is open to suitable candidates enrolled
in a master's program in any of the participating departments.
There are two streams to the Specialization.
Students requesting admission through the Department of
Epidemiology and Community Medicine will normally have an
Honours B.Sc. with high honours standing (or the equivalent) in
health sciences or biology, and strong analytic skills.
Students admitted through the Department of Epidemiology and
Community Medicine follow a program with an emphasis on
population or clinical epidemiology.
Students requesting admission through the Ottawa-Carleton
Institute of Mathematics and Statistics, either through the
University of Ottawa or Carleton University, will normally have
an Honours B.Sc. with high honours standing (or the equivalent)
in statistics and experience in the analysis of data. Students
in this stream follow a program with an emphasis in clinical
trial design or epidemiologic methodology.
Students should normally apply for acceptance in the
Specialization in Biostatistics at the same time as they apply
for admission into the master's program in Mathematics or
Epidemiology. If accepted into the regular program, the student
will then be considered by the program coordinators for
admission into the Specialization. Students intending to apply
for admission to the Specialization should normally contact
prospective thesis supervisors before submitting the
application and establish a thesis supervisor and research
topic.
Program Requirements
In addition to fulfilling the requirements for the master's
program of the department in which they are enrolled, all
students in the Specialization in Biostatistics must complete
one of the two following optional program patterns:
Master's degree by thesis:
- 3.5 credits
- A compulsory 0.5 credit seminar, STAT 5902 (MAT
5992)
- A thesis equivalent to 1.0 credits
Students in the M.Sc. Mathematics program will normally
include EPI 5240, EPI 5241, EPI 6178, EPI 6278, MAT 5190 (STAT
5600), MAT 5191 (STAT 5501) and another course from the
Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the graduate
level.
Students in the M.Sc. Epidemiology program will normally
include EPI 5240, EPI 5241, EPI 5330, EPI 6276, plus two
approved courses at the graduate level in Mathematics and
Statistics, among their courses.
Master's degree by course work:
- 4.5 credits
- A compulsory 0.5 credit seminar, STAT 5902 (MAT
5992)
Students in the M.Sc. Mathematics program will normally
include EPI 5240, EPI 5241, EPI 6178, EPI 6278, MAT 5190 (STAT
5600), MAT 5191 (STAT 5501) and another course from the
Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the graduate level.
The degree awarded will in each case specify the discipline of
the participating unit with Specialization in
Biostatistics.
Most of the program requirements must be fulfilled in
English. Students may write papers, submit theses and write
examinations in both English and French.
Thesis
The thesis may contain new research in the area of
mathematics and statistics or provide a review of the
literature in one area. The thesis normally will be on
statistics applied to health or biology; for example, the
development of a new statistical procedure, the design of a new
experiment or the analysis of data. The thesis should extend
beyond the routine analysis of data. The supervisor and other
members of the examination board may be drawn from faculty
members in either epidemiology or mathematics and statistics or
in other related departments.
Graduate Courses
Not all of the following courses are offered in a given
year. For an up-to-date statement of course offerings and to
determine the term of offering, visit
central.carleton.ca
University of Ottawa course numbers (in parentheses, three
letters followed by four numbers) follow the current Carleton
course number and credit information.
- STAT 5902 [0.5 credit] (MAT 5992)
- Seminar in Biostatistics
- Students work in teams on the analysis of experimental
data or experimental plans. The participation of
experimenters in these teams is encouraged. Student teams
present their results in the seminar, and prepare a brief
written report on their work.
Mathematics and Statistics (see Mathematics and
Statistics for course descriptions)
- STAT 5600 (MAT 5190)
- STAT 5501 (MAT 5191)
- STAT 5902 (MAT 5992)
- MATH 5909 (MAT 7999)
Epidemiology
- EPI 5240 Epidemiology I
- EPI 5241 Epidemiology II
- EPI 6178 Clinical Trials
- EPI 6278 Advanced Clinical Trials
- EPI 5330 Vital and Health Statistics
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