To enter the Master of Biostatistics program, students must have

A formal application must be made using by applying on-line.

Qualifying programs are available for students who do not meet the standard entry requirements. Prospective students should note that all programs have English language requirements.

Entry to this program is available in March (Semester 1) only.

All coursework masters programs at UNSW are fee-paying. For sources of postgraduate course funding go to Commonwealth Supported Assistance.

For international students please refer to International Fees.

The program is intended for students who have completed a Mathematics or Statistics degree in a Science and/or Mathematics program, or a degree in a related area, and who wish to further their knowledge of biostatistics. It covers a wide range of statistical methodology and applications for students and practitioners who want to work in health-related fields, including medicine, biology, public health and epidemiology.

Biostatistics is the development and application of statistical science to research in health-related fields, including medicine, biology, public health and epidemiology. The field of biostatistics has become indispensable in improving health and reducing illness. Biostatisticians play essential roles in designing studies, analyzing data and creating methods to attack research problems as diverse as:

The science of Biostatistics is critical for the correct design of medical trials and obtaining ethics approval for their conduct. It is also essential in genetic research particularly in discovering key genetic mechanisms occurring in disease processes. The degree of Master of Biostatistics is internationally recognised and graduates from high quality programs are in high demand in industry and government, particularly by pharmaceutical companies and drug regulators as well as medical investigators and public health researchers and policy groups. A strong demand for biostatisticians in Australia and the neighbouring regions is expected. The program will provide advanced coursework training in biostatistical theory and methods using an on-campus delivery mode with a significant project component.

The program consists of ten lecture courses worth 6 units of credit (UOC) each, and a supervised project worth 12 UOC. The project is compulsory and full-time students are enrolled in it in the last two semesters of the program. Part-time students are expected to complete the project in two consecutive semesters. The core set of compulsory courses, listed below, is designed to provide students with the fundamental areas of biostatistics.

Students may choose the remaining courses from a wide variety of courses within the School of Mathematics and Statistics, or elsewhere within the University. Each candidate's proposed program of study requires the approval of the Head of the School or the Postgraduate Coursework Coordinator.

External Courses: With the permission of the Postgraduate Coursework Coordinatoror orHead of School Coordinator, a student may take courses from other disciplines at UNSW, other mathematics schools (for example, at University of Sydney), and external courses such as those taught at the AMSI Summer School.

Semester 2 Timetable

For the convenience of part-time and full-time students, classes are typically taught from 5:30pm to 8:00pm on weekdays during semester.

Students will have a 12 units of credit (UOC) project as a compulsory part of any master coursework program. The project involves writing a thesis on the chosen topic. The project could include a literature survey and a critical analysis of the topic area; or could be a small research project. This should prepare you for the problem-solving and report-writing aspects of future employment, or for progression to a research degree. Each student works under the supervision of one or more members of the School. Members of the School are flexible about the range of areas in which they will supervise students. Prospective students should start talking to staff members about possible topics well before they start on the project. An early decision about a topic will facilitate an early start with the project. Supervision by individual staff members is dependent on staff agreement and availability.

The project will be assessed for quality in four major areas (see below), each of which is important. The written thesis will be assessed by two or three markers, one of which may be the supervisor, and each marker will provide a written assessment and grade(s) based on the following:

The Department of Statistics at UNSW is one of the leading statistical Departments in Australia. Staff cover a range of areas of research in statistical science and stochastic processes. Several staff have particular expertise, experience and research interests in biostatistical work and collaborate directly with key groups on campus or associated hospitals. In particular there is ongoing collaboration with the Centre for Health Informatics, the Injury Risk Management Research Centre, the National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, medical researchers at the St George Hospital and in the School of Medical Sciences at UNSW, and the Garvan Institute of Medical Research. Collaboration occurs across a wide range of areas, including applications of biostatistical methodology to clinical trials, observational studies, microarrays and related technologies. For further information on the teaching staff and their research interests see the research groups.

The program is oriented towards graduates with a degree in an area with a significant quantitative component (such as Mathematics, Statistics, Science, Engineering, Finance, Economics, Actuarial Studies, Psychology, Epidemiology or Bioinformatics), who wish to develop their knowledge and skills in statistical and computational methods appropriate to biostatistics. It is an appropriate program for graduates who wish to work as biostatisticians. The program draws on contributions from specialists in Statistics and Public Health at UNSW as well as relevant UNSW Research Centres and Hospitals for which Biostatistics is essential.

After Semester 1 students may choose not to graduate from the Master of Biostatistics and instead apply to transfer to either the Graduate Diploma in Statistics or Master of Statistics Program provided the rules of admission into those degrees are satisfied. Students who initially satisfied the criteria for the Master of Biostatistics Program but enrolled into the Graduate Diploma in Statistics or Master of Statistics Program may transfer to the Master of Biostatistics Program after Semester 1. The Program Authority may approve transfer of credit for students who wish to transfer to the Master of Biostatistics Program from either the Graduate Diploma in Statistics or Master of Statistics.

Recent examples of master's projects (the projects listed below were completed within the Master Program in Statistics but had a biostatistics orientation):

Dr Donna Mary Salopek
School of Mathematics and Statistics
University of New South Wales
Sydney 2052 Australia
Phone: (02) 9385 7030
Fax: (02) 9385 7123

Inquiries via e-mail must be sent to pg.MathsStats@maths.unsw.edu.au