Biostatistics & Bioinformatics (STAT-BB)

The STAT-BB Concentration offers a Ph.D. degree for graduate study and research concentrations in Biostatistics and Bioinformatics. The Concentration is administered by the Statistics (STAT) Program within the Mathematics Department. Its faculty includes professors in the STAT Program, in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics (EPIB) and in the Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (CBCB) at UMCP. The program also includes participation of Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics (DBB) faculty at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (SOM). STAT faculty and EPIB faculty collaborate on program admissions decisions, academic policies and creating qualifying exams.

Students may select with advisement an appropriate sequence of courses and a research area to form an individual plan of study under the guidance of a faculty member from STAT, EPIB, or CBCB at UMCP or from the DBB/SOM at UMB. The program has the flexibility to accommodate student’s individual background and interests, and offers the opportunity to select courses to supplement the core coursework. Students in this program have opportunities to work on research projects directly with the faculty from the participating programs.

STAT-BB is administratively affiliated with the Department of Mathematics, which maintains the records of all students in the STAT-BB Concentration and handles correspondence with those applying for admission. Applicants for admission must indicate that the student wishes to enter the STAT-BB Concentration and the appropriate specialization, e.g., STAT-BB with (sub-) specialization STAT or (sub-) specialization EPIB. All participating faculty will be listed in all materials describing the STAT-BB program.

An Advisory Committee, consisting of STAT and EPIB faculty, with a representative from DBB, will advise the Statistics Program Director on all matters of program policies and operational decisions. STAT and EPIB faculty will also comprise an Admissions Committee and will collaborate on administering qualifying exams. The EPIB specialization will have a designated lead faculty member who will coordinate for the EPIB faculty. Students admitted to a (sub) specialization will normally matriculate in that (sub) specialization, and all student selections of advisor will require the approval of the Advisory Committee and the Statistics Program Director. Faculty from the participating programs will be eligible to advise dissertations and theses.