This is the first version of the 2025–26 General Catalog. Please check back regularly for changes. The final edition and the historical PDF will be published during the fall semester.
Learning Outcomes
Students will:
- describe current statistical theory, methods, and practices used in health sciences;
- analyze data from experimental and observational studies;
- design modern modeling structures used in health sciences analyses and research;
- communicate research findings to various audiences in writing and through oral presentation; and
- interpret analytical results from health science studies.
The Doctor of Philosophy program in biostatistics requires a minimum of 79 s.h. of graduate credit, including credit from a master's degree. Students must maintain a UI cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.00. Those who receive a grade of C on 7 s.h. of coursework may be dismissed from the program.
All students must successfully complete a comprehensive examination and a dissertation. The research topic and content, which vary depending on the program of study, must be approved by a student's dissertation committee. Other degree requirements include approved electives chosen from the Department of Biostatistics and other University of Iowa courses.
The PhD in biostatistics requires the following work.
Master of Science Background
PhD students must take the following courses required for the Master of Science in biostatistics. Students who have completed equivalent coursework at other institutions may request waivers and/or transfers of credit. Students who earned a Master of Science with a major in biostatistics at the University of Iowa automatically receive credit for these courses.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| This sequence: | ||
| STAT:5100 & STAT:5101 | Statistical Inference I and Statistical Inference II | 6 |
| All of these: | ||
| BIOS:5510 | Biostatistical Computing (taken twice for 2 s.h. each; topics should be programming with R and programming with SAS) | 4 |
| BIOS:5710 & BIOS:5720 | Biostatistical Methods I and Biostatistical Methods II | 8 |
| BIOS:5730 | Biostatistical Methods in Categorical Data | 3 |
| BIOS:6610 | Statistical Methods in Clinical Trials | 3 |
| BIOS:7500 | Preceptorship in Biostatistics | 3 |
| EPID:4400 | Epidemiology I: Principles | 3 |
Public Health Requirement
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| This course: | ||
| CPH:6100 | Essentials of Public Health | 2 |
Responsible Conduct of Research Training
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| This course: | ||
| BIOS:7270 | Scholarly Integrity in Biostatistics | 1 |
Core Courses
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All of these: | ||
| BIOS:6810 | Bayesian Methods and Design | 3 |
| BIOS:7110 | Likelihood Theory and Extensions | 4 |
| BIOS:7210 | Survival Data Analysis | 3 |
| BIOS:7250 | Theory of Linear and Generalized Linear Models | 4 |
| BIOS:7310 | Longitudinal Data Analysis | 3 |
Electives
With the approval of their advisor, students choose 16–23 s.h. of courses according to their interest in biostatistics, statistics, genetics, computing, public health, or in other areas. No more than 5 s.h. in nonquantitative courses (e.g., epidemiology, environmental health) may count toward the electives requirement. Courses required for the MS that are not previously listed may also be used to satisfy the electives requirement, although BIOS:7800 Independent Study in Biostatistics does not generally count as an elective. At least 6 s.h. of elective coursework must be taken on an A–F graded basis.
These courses are recommended, but other coursework may be selected; students should consult their advisor.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOS:6420/EPID:6420 | Survey Design and Analysis | 3 |
| BIOS:6650/EPID:6655 | Causal Inference | 3 |
| BIOS:6720 | Statistical Machine Learning for Biomedical and Public Health Data | 3 |
| BIOS:7230 | Advanced Clinical Trials | 3 |
| BIOS:7240 | High-Dimensional Data Analysis | 3 |
| BIOS:7330 | Advanced Biostatistical Computing | 3 |
| BIOS:7410 | Analysis of Categorical Data | 3 |
| BIOS:7600 | Advanced Biostatistics Seminar (topics include model selection, spatial biostatistics, statistical methods in genetics/genomics, analysis of network data) | 1-3 |
| BIOS:7850 | Research in Biostatistics | arr. |
| BME:5335 | Computational Bioinformatics | 3 |
| STAT:6560 | Applied Time Series Analysis | 3 |
| STAT:7400 | Computer Intensive Statistics | 3 |
Dissertation
Students must enroll in the following dissertation course for at least two semesters in residence.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIOS:7900 | Thesis/Dissertation | 6-13 |
PhD/MD
Students may work toward the Doctor of Medicine degree and a PhD in biostatistics in a combined degree program offered by the Carver College of Medicine and the College of Public Health. Applicants must be admitted to both programs before they may be admitted to the combined degree program. See the Medical Scientist Training Program (Carver College of Medicine) in the catalog.
Applicants to the PhD program in biostatistics must apply through the Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS). After the SOPHAS application is verified, the applicant pays a supplemental Graduate College admission fee to University of Iowa Admissions. For detailed application information, visit Requirements and How to Apply to Biostatistics on the Department of Biostatistics website.
The biostatistics faculty considers several factors when evaluating applications for admission, including grade-point averages, letters of recommendation, intent and motivation for graduate study, and research interests.
All applicants must hold a bachelor's degree and have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.00.
All biostatistics applicants are required to have strong written and oral communication skills.
Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations on the Graduate College website.
PhD application deadlines are posted on the Department of Biostatistics website. Application deadline is Dec. 1. Visit Requirements and How to Apply to Biostatistics on the department's website.
The program prepares students for professional and academic careers in biostatistics, especially for positions that emphasize developing and applying statistical methodology to solve important biological and public health problems.
Sample Plan of Study
Sample plans represent one way to complete a program of study. Actual course selection and sequence will vary and should be discussed with an academic advisor. For additional sample plans, see MyUI.
Biostatistics, PhD
This sample plan is currently being reviewed and will be added at a later date.