Biostatistics

Once a student has advanced to doctoral candidacy the next step is to develop a proposal for the dissertation project, which may be the topic of their Oral Comprehensive Examination.

DrPH

The dissertation topic must deal with an important problem or issue in public health which can be addressed by the sound and original application of existing statistical methods. It must demonstrate that the candidate has engaged in independent and original research that has advanced our understanding of or knowledge about the public health problem, though the methods themselves need not be original. After the dissertation is successfully defended, the doctoral degree is awarded by the Mailman School of Public Health in the Faculty of Medicine.

PhD

The PhD dissertation is expected to contain original results of a mathematical and statistical nature in the solution of a problem in statistical theory or method which has relevance to a biomedical application. As a rule, the content of the dissertation should be adequate for publication in peer-refereed journals in the topic area of the dissertation. After the successful defense of the dissertation, the PhD is awarded by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.