MS

Master of Science in Biostatistics

The MS in Biostatistics is an academic degree program for students with a background in calculus and a strong interest in public health. The program emphasizes statistical theory and methods so that students are prepared to be effective statistical collaborators in interdisciplinary studies; and lead the design and execution of studies.

In addition to the main biostatistics master's curriulum, the department now offers concentrations in:

health data science (HDS) and
statistical and computational genetics (SGC).

Careers

Recent graduates hold the following positions:

Opioid compliance specialist, Georgia Dept. of Public Health
Actuarial analyst, Highmark Health
Biostatistician, Ichan School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai
Statistician, Mayo Clinic
Business analyst, PNC Financial Services
Biostatistician, University of Pittsburgh Dept. of Critical Care Medicine
Biostatistician, University of Pittsburgh Dept. of Orthopedic Surgery
Data analyst, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy
Statistician, University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work

Recent Thesis Titles

Browse titles in D-Scholarship , the institutional repository for research output at the University of Pittsburgh

MS Competencies

All graduates with an MS in BIostatistics will be able to...

Address health problems by appropriate problem definition, study design, data collection, data management, statistical analysis, and interpretation of results
Demonstrate mastery of the theory underlying statistical methods
Understand and implement innovative statistical approaches
Communicate biostatistical analyses to individuals with varying degrees of statistical knowledge
Apply research design principles to problems in public health
Recognize strengths and weaknesses of approaches, including alternative designs, data sources, and analytic methods
Determine the data best suited to address public health issues, program planning, and program evaluation

Requirements

40 credits, including:
Coursework in fundamentals of statistical theory and applications
A statistical consulting practicum
Coursework in epidemiology and public health
Thesis involving innovative data analysis or related to an internship experience

program information

MS Two-year Schedule (PDF)
MS Eighteen-month Schedule (PDF)
MS Degree Requirements Worksheet (PDF, 2019-20)
Student Handbook (PDF, 2019-20)

Admissions

Application Deadline

Applications for fall admission are due by April 1 for international applicants and July 15 for US applicants.

Apply online now

Using SOPHAS, the centralized application service for graduate schools of public health.

Questions?

biostat@pitt.edu

Why Pittsburgh?

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We’re in one of the best cities in the country, no lie... a “most livable” burgh, loved by tech nerds, foodies, outdoor adventurers, artists, and home-bodies.

Find out what's to love about
life in Pittsburgh.

PLAN A VISIT

Want to explore interest areas and career options, find the best fit among our degree programs and departments, and meet students and faculty?

Visit the school, participate in an information session, or attend our annual Open House each fall.

MS Student News

Clemons awarded Commonwealth Equity Scholarship

Clemons awarded Commonwealth Equity Scholarship

Arvon Clemons (BIOST '21) was awarded the Commonwealth Equity Scholarship for academic year 2019-20 based on academic merit. (12/17/2019)

DiSanto awarded Commonwealth Equity Scholarship

DiSanto awarded Commonwealth Equity Scholarship

Dominic DiSanto (BIOST '20) was awarded the Commonwealth Equity Scholarship for the academic year of 2019-20 based on academic merit. (12/17/2019)

Meet Ashika Mani, accelerated MS student in statistics and biostatistics

Meet Ashika Mani, accelerated MS student in statistics and biostatistics

Ashika Mani (BIOST MS '21) joined Pitt Public Health this year via our Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Program. “It was a pretty natural choice as I was looking to jumpstart my graduate studies early,” she said. “I was almost done with my undergraduate requirements.” She felt like she had so much m... (12/11/2019)

Meet Dominic DiSanto, MS student in health data science

Meet Dominic DiSanto, MS student in health data science

“I’m especially excited about my health data science concentration. It’s a very dynamic skill set and one that translates well to all different kinds of problems," said Dominic DiSanto (BIOST MS '21). "The curriculum in general looks like a very applied curriculum and the idea of having a consultin... (12/11/2019)

Meet Arvon Clemons, MS student in statistical and computational genomics

Meet Arvon Clemons, MS student in statistical and computational genomics

Part of what led Arvon Clemons to Pitt Public Health was the city of Pittsburgh. He felt a connection to a city that was similar to his hometown of St. Louis. His academic background doesn’t feel as congruous with his current study. But ultimately, both the city and the program are turning out to b... (12/09/2019)

Meet Lingyun Lyu, Pitt Biostats MS graduate and PhD candidate

Meet Lingyun Lyu, Pitt Biostats MS graduate and PhD candidate

Lingyun Lyu (BIOST PhD '22) is a second-year Ph.D. student in Biostatistics at Pitt Public Health. She came to Pitt in 2016 and earned her M.S. in Biostatistics in 2018. She loved the master’s program and thinks that it’s really well-designed. In addition to many essential statistical theory and ap... (12/09/2019)

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