Master's in Biostatistics (MA) - UC Berkeley Public Health

Many issues in the health, medical and biological sciences are addressed by collecting and exploring relevant data. The development and application of techniques to better understand this data is the fundamental concern of our program. We offer training in statistics and biostatistics theory, computer implementation of analytic methods, and opportunities to use this knowledge in areas of biological and medical research.

Berkeley Public Health and UC Berkeley’s Department of Statistics, together with other UC Berkeley departments, offer a broad set of opportunities to satisfy the needs of individual students. In addition, the involvement of faculty from UCSF’s Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology enriches our instructional and research activities.

Curriculum

Our master’s program is a two-year program consisting of 48 units with courses selected from biostatistics and statistics, public health, and biology.

The oral comprehensive examination is designed to test a candidate’s breadth of understanding and knowledge, as well as the ability to articulate and explain the basic concepts gained from the curriculum. Alternatively, a thesis may be submitted to fulfill requirements. However, the decision to submit a thesis rather than take the oral examination must be made early in the final semester of the program.

Students should take the following courses:

STAT 201A: Introduction to Probability at an Advanced Level
STAT 201B: Introduction to Statistics at an Advanced Level
PH C240A: Introduction to Modern Biostatistical Theory and Practice

In addition to Statistics 201A and 201B and PH C240A, students are expected to take PH252D (Introduction to Causal Inference) and at least two other courses from the following list:

PH C240B: Biostatistical Methods: Survival Analysis and Causality
PH 240C: Computational Statistics
PH 252E: Advanced Topics in Causal Inference
PH 244: Big Data: A Public Health Perspective
CS 294.150: Machine Learning and Statistics Meet Biology
PH C242C: Longitudinal Data Analysis
PH 290.X: Targeted Learning in Biomedical Big Data

Qualifications

Previous coursework in calculus and linear algebra is required.

Common undergraduate majors for admitted applicants include statistics, biomedical and biological sciences, mathematics, and computer science.

Employment

Some students pursuing the MA degree intend to continue directly into a PhD program, while others take research positions in tech companies, federal agencies, state and local health departments, health care delivery organizations, and private industry. MA students interested in continuing into the UC Berkeley Biostatistics doctoral program immediately following their MA degree should apply to the new degree program through the Online Application for Admission during their second year of study during the normal admissions cycle.

Funding and fee remission

Prospective students who are US citizens or permanent residents can find more information about applying for an application fee waiver for the Berkeley Graduate Application. Fees will be waived based on financial need or participation in selected programs described on the linked website. International applicants (non-US citizens or Permanent Residents) are not eligible for application fee waivers.

100% of biostatistics MA and PhD students who seek financial support through GSI and GSR positions have been successful in previous years. There are often more available positions than students, so our students have historically had most or all of their direct program costs funded. All PhD students are fully funded (including tuition and fees and a stipend or salary) with the exception of Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition (NRST) for the second year, if applicable. NRST is typically waived after the first year of study for PhD students when they advance to candidacy. Information on applying to GSI positions for biostatistics students can be found in the student handbook.

Fees not covered by funding provided by GSI/GSR appointments between 25% and 50%:

GSI and GSR appointments provide partial fee remission which covers the Graduate Tuition Fee, Student Services Fee, Health Insurance Fee, and $150 toward the Berkeley Campus Fee each semester you serve. For the 2020 – 2021 academic year, the total amount covered was $9276 which means students paid $687.75 out of pocket (not including NRST, see below).
Students who are not California residents are required to pay a Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition (NRST). NRST was $7551 per semester for the 2020 – 2021 academic year. This fee is covered for all PhD students in their first year and waived in future semesters once students advance to candidacy. This fee may also be covered for MA or MA/PhD students in their first year if indicated in the funding letter sent shortly after admission. Payment of NRST by the program, beyond any commitments in the funding letter, is not guaranteed and is based on funding availability. US citizens and Permanent Residents can apply for California residency after their first year and, once approved for residency, NRST will no longer apply. For more information, including the requirements for applying for residency, please see the Office of the Registrar website.

Tuition and fees change each academic year. To view the current tuition and fees, see the fee schedule on the Office of the Registrar website (in the Graduate: Academic section).

Please contact biostat@berkeley.edu if you have any questions about funding opportunities for the biostatistics programs.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The Division of Biostatistics is committed to challenging systemic inequities in the areas of health, medical, and biological sciences, and to advancing the goals of diversity, equity, and inclusivity in Biostatistics and related fields.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Biostatistics