Graduate Programs in Biostatistics

Graduate Programs in

Biostatistics

2023-2024

Student and Advisor Handbook

Colorado School of Public Health

Biostatistics Graduate Programs | 2023 – 2024 Student and Advisor Handbook

Revised August 2023 2

Statement about COVID-19 at ColoradoSPH

The Colorado School of Public Health ended its vaccination requirement, effective July 1, 2023.

ColoradoSPH is operating on a hybrid model, with some areas operating remotely and in-person

activity permitted, as specified by the school or unit. Masks are not required of vaccinated and boosted

individuals at this time. ColoradoSPH students and ColoradoSPH at CU Anschutz staff and faculty are

no longer required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

For the latest updates related to university operations and for resources, please visit the COVID-19

page of your home campus' website.

CUAnschutz:

https://www.cuanschutz.edu/coronavirus

CSU: https://covid.colostate.edu/

UNC: https://www.unco.edu/student-health-center/health-topics/covid-information.aspx

The CU Anschutz Medical Campus guidance policies remains in effect for everyone – regardless

of vaccination status – who has COVID-19-like symptoms, tests positive or may have been

exposed to a COVID-19 case. Anyone fitting these categories is asked to follow the protocol

listed for each category under the Guidance section of the COVID-19 Protocols & Resources

website: https://www.cuanschutz.edu/coronavirus.

For the most up-to-date information about COVID-19 metrics, best practices, and data at the CU

Anschutz Campus, please visit https://www.cuanschutz.edu/coronavirus/covid-19-dashboard.

Colorado School of Public Health 
Biostatistics Graduate Programs | 2023 – 2024 Student and Advisor Handbook  
 
Revised August 2023    3 
 
 
Handbook Table of Contents 
 
Policy Regarding Changes to the Graduate School Handbook ................................................................ 4 
Message from the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs ..................................................... 5 
Colorado School of Public Health ............................................................................................................ 6 
Administration ........................................................................................................................................ 7 
Contact Information ............................................................................................................................... 8 
General Information ................................................................................................................................ 9 
Academic Policies ................................................................................................................................. 10 
Graduate School – Academic Policies ................................................................................................... 20 
Degree Plans ......................................................................................................................................... 22 
MS Program Guidelines ........................................................................................................................ 26 
PhD Program Guidelines ....................................................................................................................... 30 
Key Contacts ......................................................................................................................................... 39 
Appendix I ............................................................................................................................................. 41 
Biostatistics MS and PhD Comprehensive and Final Exam Rules and Checklists ............................ 38 
Appendix II ............................................................................................................................................ 41 
UCD Biostatistics Graduate Program Guidelines for Thesis, Research Paper or Dissertation ......... 41 
Written qualifying exams (June each year) .................................................................................... 42 
 
   

Colorado School of Public Health

Biostatistics Graduate Programs | 2023 – 2024 Student and Advisor Handbook

Revised August 2023 4

Policy Regarding Changes to the Handbook

This handbook complements the policies of the Graduate School. It includes information specific to the

Colorado School of Public Health and the Biostatistics MS and PhD Graduate Programs. Please retain it

for reference on academic policies, thesis, graduation, and other topics. Students are bound by

handbook rules corresponding to the year of joining the program. This handbook was accurate and up

to date when printed in August 2023. It does not constitute a contract with the University of Colorado

Denver, either expressed or implied. The Graduate School and the Biostatistics Graduate Programs

reserve the right at any time to change, delete, or add to any of the provisions at their discretion.

Furthermore, the provisions of this document are designed to serve as firm guidelines rather than

absolute rules, and exceptions may be made on the basis of extenuating circumstances.

Websites

School Site:

https://coloradosph.cuanschutz.edu/

Program Site:

http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/colleges/PublicHealth/Academics/departments/Biostatistics/Page

s/welcome.aspx

ColoradoSPH Academic and Student Affairs Resources:

https://coloradosph.cuanschutz.edu/resources/for-current-students

Graduate School Policies and Resources:

https://graduateschool.cuanschutz.edu/

Colorado School of Public Health

Biostatistics Graduate Programs | 2023 – 2024 Student and Advisor Handbook

Revised August 2023 5

Message from the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

Welcome to the Colorado School of Public Health!

This is an extraordinary time to be working on community and

population health. There is a rejuvenated realization that many

of the determinants of health lay not in medical care, but in our

social and physical communities, the exposures we receive

from the environment, the health care systems that we have

access to, and the choices we make in our daily behaviors.

We are a collaborative school of public health, with a strong

partnership between three major public universities, and also

with our ties to and belief in the importance of communities

using scientific evidence to develop their own priorities and

strategies for achieving health.

As you embark on your studies, I encourage you to reach out to faculty for mentorship. There are

vast opportunities for you to be involved in education, research and practice. I encourage you to

get involved beyond the classroom. It is our vision that together we will learn and work to allow all

members of our communities to reach their highest potential for healthy, productive lives.

As the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, I encourage you to explore all of the

opportunities that the Colorado School of Public Health has to offer.

Sincerely,

Danielle (Dani) R. Brittain, PhD

Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

Colorado School of Public Health

Biostatistics Graduate Programs | 2023 – 2024 Student and Advisor Handbook

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Colorado School of Public Health

Overview

The Colorado School of Public Health is a collaborative school of public health with the University of

Colorado, Colorado State University, and the University of Northern Colorado. It is the first school of

public health in a nine-state region of the Rocky Mountain West.

Emerging infectious diseases, chronic diseases, emergencies, lifestyles, the environment, disparities

and various other factors impact the health of our communities. The Colorado School of Public Health

aims to meet the challenges that our communities face by preparing a public health work force with the

skills, research, knowledge, and values necessary to advance the health of our communities. The

combined faculty, located at the three partner institutions, is at the forefront of various health issues

and research, proactively addressing and improving the lives of our children, adults and aging

populations.

As part of the commitment to meeting the training and research needs of the public health workforce,

the Colorado School of Public Health offers educational programs that include masters, doctoral,

residency, and certificate programs. Descriptions and materials are available through the Colorado

School of Public Health website.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Colorado School of Public Health is to promote the physical, mental, social and

environmental health of people and communities in the Rocky Mountain Region and globally. The

mission will be accomplished through collaborations in education, population-based research, and

community service that bring together institutions, agencies and diverse populations.

Vision Statement

The Colorado School of Public Health, a collaborative, multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional, learning,

research and service environment, will inspire academicians, practitioners and students of public health

to work collaboratively to assure that all people and communities are healthy and their environment

sustainable.

Diversity Statement

The Inclusion, Diversity and Health Equity mission of the Colorado School of Public Health is to build a

diverse and representative academic community, which recognizes the importance of social and

economic justice in relation to health. The ColoradoSPH will work to build an inclusive, culturally

competent institution, which includes the environment, policies and procedures, faculty, staff,

leadership and student body.

Accreditation

The Colorado School of Public Health received school-wide re-accreditation in June 2016 from the

Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). CEPH is an independent agency recognized by the U.S.

Department of Education to accredit schools of public health and public health programs outside of

schools of public health. As we are an accredited school of public health, graduates at the masters and

doctoral levels are eligible to sit for the Public Health Certification examination.

https://ceph.org/

Colorado School of Public Health

Biostatistics Graduate Programs | 2023 – 2024 Student and Advisor Handbook

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Administration

University Leadership & Academic Partners

Donald M. Elliman Jr.

Chancellor, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical

Campus

Andrew Feinstein, PhD

President, University of Northern Colorado

Amy Parsons, JD

President, Colorado State University

Colorado School of Public Health Leadership

Cathy Bradley, PhD

Dean

TBD

Associate Dean for Research

Dani (Danielle) Brittain, PhD

Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

Ned Calonge, MD, MPH

Associate Dean for Public Health Practice

Sam MaWhinney, ScD

Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs

Gary Heise, PhD

Interim Director

University of Northern Colorado

Christine Gillen, MS

Associate Dean for Finance and Administration

Tracy Nelson, PhD, MPH

Director

Colorado State University

Cerise Hunt, PhD, MSW

Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Michelle Kuba, MPH

Assistant Dean of Operations

Department Chairs

Mike Van Dyke, PhD, CIH

Interim Chair, Environmental and Occupational Health

Jill Norris, PhD, MPH

Chair, Epidemiology

Jenn Leiferman, PhD

Chair, Community and Behavioral Health

Glen Mays, PhD

Chair, Health Systems, Management & Policy

Debashis Ghosh, PhD

Chair, Biostatistics and Informatics

Colorado School of Public Health Staff

Laura Hager

Associate Director for Admissions & Students Affairs

Katie Guthmiller, MPH

Recruitment & Outreach Program Manager

Katherine Brumfield, MA

Career Services Manager

TBD

Executive Assistant to the Dean

Tonya Ewers

Director of Communications & Alumni Relations

Brenda Witt

Academic Affairs Program Manager

Kayla Gray

Student Lifecycle Manger

Thuy Nguyen, MPS

Assistant Director of Recruitment & Payroll

Rhonda Truesdale, MA

Director of Human Resources and Employee Well-

being

Amanda Showalter, MHR

HR/Faculty Affairs Senior Professional

Graduate School

Jennifer Richer, PhD

Dean

Teresa Bauer-Sogi

Manager of Academic Services

Colorado School of Public Health

Biostatistics Graduate Programs | 2023 - 2024 Student and Advisor Handbook

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Bruce Mandt, PhD

Associate Dean and Director

PostDoc Office & Career Development Office

Kristine Sikora, PhD

Associate Dean and Director

Recruitment, Marketing & Communications

Kathryn Wennertstrom

Director, Finance and Accounting

Patricia Goggans

Events Coordinator

Contact Information

Name: Phone Number Room

ColoradoSPH Office of Academic & 303-724-4613 Fitzsimons Bldg , Rm E3360

Student Affairs

Carsten Görg (Program Co-Director) 303-724-3355 Fitzsimons Bldg , Rm W4131

Brandie Wagner (Program Co-Director) 303-724-4478 Fitzsimons Bldg , Rm, W4136

Brenda Witt (Academic Affairs Specialist) Fitzsimons Bldg , Rm E3300

Rocío Vélez-Pesante (Program Administrator) Fitzsimons Bldg , Rm W4124

Campus Office: Phone Number Room

Bookstore 303-724-2665 Ed 2 S, 1st Fl

Bursar's Office 303-556-2710 Ed2 N, 3rd Fl

Campus Information 303-724-6245

CU Online Help Desk (Canvas) 303-315-3700

Disability, Access, and Inclusion 303-724-8428 Hlth Sciences Lib, V23-1409A1

Health Sciences Library 303-724-2152 12950 E. Montview Blvd.

Financial Aid Office 303-724-8039 Ed2 N, 3rd Fl

Graduate School 303-724-2915 Fitzsimons Bldg, 5

Floor

Ombuds

(Counseling Services/Conflict Resolution) 303-724-2950 Fitzsimons Bldg , Rm C7005

Parking 303-724-2555 Fitzsimons Bldg , 1st Fl West

Payroll 303-735-6500 Boulder Campus

Registrar 303 724-8059 Ed2 N, 3rd Fl

Student Assistance Office 303-724-7686 Ed2 N, 3rd Fl

Colorado School of Public Health

Biostatistics Graduate Programs | 2023 – 2024 Student and Advisor Handbook

General Information

Facilities

Research and study opportunities are enhanced through the various resources available to students,

including: student computing labs (Ed1 CTL P26-1501, Ed2 N CTL P28-2201 & RC1 N CTL P18-1309) and

student rooms in the Education 1, Education 2, and the Research 1 North Buildings. The library also

renovated the 2

floor and has several study spaces, study rooms and nap pods, some of which can be

reserved.

Student Mailboxes

Student mailboxes are used to send important information to students and should be checked on a

regular basis. The student mailboxes are located on the 3

Floor of the Fitzsimons Bldg to the left of the

main elevators.

Scheduling Rooms for Meetings or Defense

To schedule the conference rooms (Ward Darley, Teleconference Room, or Dean’s Conference Room)

on the 3

or 4

floors of the Fitzsimons Building or another room at the Anschutz Medical Campus for a

committee meeting or defense, please contact the B&I Team using the B&I Request Form

Program Library

Statistics books, theses/research papers, and dissertations are available to check out. The Biostatistics

and Informatics library is located in the Department space on 4

floor, Fitzsimons Bldg.

Biostatistics Seminars and Working Groups

Biostatistics department seminars feature students, faculty, or outside speakers. The days and times will

be announced early in the semester, but have been Wednesdays at 12:00. There are also special topics

working groups (Genomics, Causal Analysis, etc.) that meet monthly. All students are encouraged to

attend these activities. Please watch for email announcements and check the events and working group

webpages.

https://coloradosph.cuanschutz.edu/education/departments/biostatistics-informatics/events

https://coloradosph.cuanschutz.edu/education/departments/biostatistics-

informatics/research/working-groups

Accommodations for Disability: Virtual and In-Class

University of Colorado Anschutz is committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities

to students with documented disabilities (e.g., mental health, attentional, learning, chronic health,

sensory, or physical). To ensure access to this class, and program, please contact the Office of

Disability, Access, and Inclusion (disabilityaccess@cuanschutz.edu) for disability services to engage in

a confidential conversation about the process for requesting reasonable accommodations in the

classroom and clinical settings.

Accommodations are not provided retroactively. Students are encouraged to register with Disability

Resources and Services as soon as they begin their program. The Colorado School of Public Health

Colorado School of Public Health

Biostatistics Graduate Programs | 2023 - 2024 Student and Advisor Handbook

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encourages students to access all resources available through Disability Resources and Services for

consistent support and access to their programs. More information can be found online at:

https://www.cuanschutz.edu/offices/office-of-disability-access-and-inclusion

Academic Policies

Family Educational Rights and Privacy (FERPA)

Purpose of FERPA

FERPA deals specifically with the education records of students, affording them certain rights with

respect to those records. For purposes of definition, education records are those records, which are:

1. Directly related to a student and,

2. Maintained by an institution or a party acting for the institution.

FERPA gives students who reach the age of 18 or who attend a post-secondary institution the right to

inspect and review their own education records. Furthermore, the right to request amendment of

records and to have some control over the disclosure of personally identifiable information from these

records, shift from the parent to the students at this time.

FERPA applies to the education records of persons who are or have been in attendance in post-

secondary institutions, including students in cooperative and correspondence study programs, video

conference, satellite, internet or other electronic forms. FERPA does not apply to records of applicants

for admission who are denied acceptance or, if accepted, do not attend an institution.

Directory Information

FERPA directory information is information contained in your education record that generally would

not be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Under current CU Denver | Anschutz

policy, the following information is designated as directory information:

1. name

2. address, telephone number, and email address

3. dates of attendance

4. registration status

5. class

6. major

7. awards

8. honors

9. degrees conferred

10. photos

Although these items are designated by CU Denver | Anschutz as directory information, only a limited

amount of this information is routinely disclosed by CU Denver | Anschutz officials and the University

retains the discretion to refuse to disclose directory information if it believes such disclosure would be

an infringement of your privacy rights.

Colorado School of Public Health

Biostatistics Graduate Programs | 2023 - 2024 Student and Advisor Handbook

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Nondisclosure of Directory Information

Students may ask the University not to publicly disclose directory information. Please note, however,

that if you are seeking employment, the Registrar's Office cannot release your enrollment, degree

status or major to anyone unless you come to the Registrar's Office with a photo ID.

Forms to prevent disclosure of directory information can be obtained at The Anschutz Medical Campus

Registrar’s Office or via the Registrar’s website at: https://www.cuanschutz.edu/registrar/student-

resources/forms

Questions regarding your rights under FERPA should be directed to the Registrar's Office:

Anschutz Medical Campus:

Phone: 303-724-8059

Fax: 303-724-8060

Email: Registrar@CUAnschutz.edu

For additional information regarding FERPA, please visit the complete policy on the Registrar’s website

at:

https://www.cuanschutz.edu/registrar/student-resources/ferpa

Immunization Policy

To ensure that a minimum standard of public health and safety is provided for our faculty and students,

all students matriculating into any ColoradoSPH program are required to provide proof of

immunizations for measles, mumps, rubella, and tuberculosis through CastleBranch. Other

immunizations via CastleBranch are due at least two weeks prior to the start of a student’s first term in

the program. Students who do not submit immunization records at the specified time may experience a

hold on future registration and/or be administratively withdrawn from classes until proof of

immunizations has been received.

Health Insurance Requirement

Full-time students (definition of full-time for health insurance purposes varies from campus to campus)

are required to have a university student health insurance plan unless proof of comparable coverage

can be verified. Students are required to have insurance at their home campus only. If a student wishes

to waive the insurance requirement due to comparable personal coverage, they may do so by

petitioning the student health office at their home campus. Students at the Anschutz Medical Campus

enrolled in one or more credit hours are required to have health insurance. Part-time students at CSU

and UNC may also be eligible to purchase a student health insurance plan. Please check with the

student health office on your home campus for more

information. http://www.ucdenver.edu/life/services/student-health/insurance/Pages/default.aspx

Background Check Policy

Students matriculating into any ColoradoSPH program (including non-degree) are required to pass a

criminal background investigation. The background check is conducted during the admissions process

through CastleBranch. Students are required to pay a non-refundable processing fee for conducting the

background check. Students who work at the university also need to submit the processing fee and

complete the student background check, as additional criteria are specified beyond that required for

employment. This must be completed before course registration can begin.

Colorado School of Public Health

Biostatistics Graduate Programs | 2023 - 2024 Student and Advisor Handbook

Revised August 2023 12

Student Academic Honor and Conduct Code

Education at the Colorado School of Public Health (ColoradoSPH) is conducted under the honor

system. Matriculation at ColoradoSPH implies the acceptance of, and adherence to, the

ColoradoSPH Student Academic Honor and Conduct Code. All students who have entered graduate

and health professional programs should have developed the qualities of honesty and integrity, and

each student should apply these principles to his or her academic and subsequent professional

career. All students are expected also to have achieved a level of maturity always reflected by

appropriate conduct.

Although it is not possible to list every situation that violates the ColoradoSPH Student Academic

Honor and Conduct Code, the following examples provide a frame of reference.

1. Academic Honesty

Students should adhere to the highest standards of academic honesty and integrity. Examples of

behavior that violate these standards include, but are not limited to: plagiarism (including the

undocumented or improperly documented use of internet and web-based information), cheating,

copying solutions from solutions manuals or from tutors, and using it as your own work, citing

references not used in your work, illegitimate possession and/or use of examinations, violation of

the ethical standards for conducting research, and falsification of official records.

2. Professional Conduct

As future health professionals, students should also adhere to the highest standards of

professionalism. Examples of unprofessional conduct include misrepresentation of effort, credentials,

or achievement in either the academic or professional setting; any action that compromises the

quality or safety of patients, study participants, or the public; violation of patient or study participant

confidentiality; institutional review board (IRB) violations; forgery, alteration, or misuse of any

university document, record, or instrument of identification; disorderly, lewd or indecent conduct;

disrespectful communications in all forms including verbal, written, and email; failure to be

accountable or take

responsibility for one’s actions; and any other conduct unbefitting a professional public health

practitioner, researcher, or educator.

3. Alcohol and Drug Use

Excessive alcohol and/or drug use compromises the student's ability to learn and to practice as a

public health professional and thus is considered unprofessional conduct. Students who misuse

alcohol and/or drugs should seek assistance from services available on campus or elsewhere. The sale

of drugs or the possession of narcotics (unless prescribed by a medical doctor) is against the law. To

minimize the potential for excessive alcohol use at campus functions, students must adhere to current

University policy governing the consumption of alcohol on campus.

4. Respect for the Rights and Property of Others

Students should always conduct themselves in a manner that recognizes the rights and property of

others. Examples of prohibited behavior include theft, damage to University or personal property of

others, disruption of educational or other activities on campus, illegal use of University facilities,

sexual harassment, physical assault, violation of academic honesty standards in a way that affects

other students or faculty, such as in a group or collaborative project, and any conduct that threatens

the health or safety of others.

Colorado School of Public Health

Biostatistics Graduate Programs | 2023 - 2024 Student and Advisor Handbook

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5. Adhere to all state and local public health and safety orders and campus public health and

safety policies.

Students are responsible for knowing and following all health and safety orders and policies.

Examples include the wearing of face coverings, guidelines for social gatherings and events,

quarantines, isolation, orders to shelter in place, and any other public health and safety orders and

policies.

Any student found to have committed acts of misconduct (including, but not limited to cheating,

plagiarism, misconduct of research, breach of confidentiality, or illegal or unlawful acts) will be

subject to the procedures outlined in the Honor Code.

Additional information regarding the ColoradoSPH Honor Code can be found online

at: https://coloradosph.cuanschutz.edu/education/calendars-policies

Academic Grievance Policy

The Colorado School of Public Health (ColoradoSPH) recognizes that a student may

have grievances about different aspects of his or her academic program.

ColoradoSPH is committed to addressing these grievances promptly and

professionally and reaching a fair resolution through a formal and unbiased process.

In the statements below, “Associate Dean” refers to the Associate Dean for Academic

and Student Affairs.

Student Rights

1. All ColoradoSPH Students have the right to:

2. Competent instruction

3. Access to instructors outside of class during a specified set of office hours or by appointment

4. Clearly understand the grading system by which he or she will be judged, and expect that the

grading system as determined by the instructor will be adhered to for the duration of the

course

5. Be treated with respect and equality

6. Be treated fairly according to standards stated within the student handbook and each course

syllabus

If a student feels as if they have been denied one of the above rights, that student

may file a formal grievance with the school.

The full Academic Grievance policy can be found online at:

https://coloradosph.cuanschutz.edu/education/calendars-policies

Non-Discrimination Policy Statement

The University of Colorado, including ColoradoSPH, will not discriminate against any applicant,

student or employee because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, creed,

sexual orientation, or veteran status. The university and ColoradoSPH will take affirmative action

to ensure that applicants, students, and employees are treated without regard to their race,

color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, creed, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

The University of Colorado Non-Discrimination Policy can be found at:

https://www.cu.edu/regents/Policies/Policy10A.htm

Colorado School of Public Health

Biostatistics Graduate Programs | 2023 - 2024 Student and Advisor Handbook

Revised August 2023 14

Sexual Misconduct Policy Statement

It is the policy of ColoradoSPH to maintain the community as a place of work, study, and residence free

of sexual harassment or exploitation of students, faculty, staff or administrators. All forms of sexual

misconduct, including sexual harassment, are prohibited on campus and in any of the School’s

programs. ColoradoSPH is committed to taking appropriate action against any member of the

University community who violates the policy. No retaliation will be taken against any individual for

making a legitimate complaint. It is a violation of the ColoradoSPH policy to knowingly make a false

accusation. For more information, please refer to the Title IX overview:

https://www1.ucdenver.edu/offices/equity/university-policies-procedures

Policy on Pregnancy and Parenting

The Colorado School of Public Health does not discriminate against any student on the basis of

pregnancy, parenting status, or related conditions. Absences due to medical conditions relating to

pregnancy will be excused for as long as deemed medically necessary by the student’s doctor and the

student will be given the opportunity, wherever possible, to make up missed work. Students needing

assistance can seek accommodations from the Office of Disability, Access, and Inclusion

(disabilityac[email protected]u) or the Title IX Liaison for ColoradoSPH (Dani Brittain,

Danielle.Brittai[email protected]u).

Email Policy

Email is an official means of communication for ColoradoSPH students. All official email related to

enrollment at ColoradoSPH (including, but not limited to, financial aid, billing, transcripts, school

announcements) will be sent to each student’s assigned CU email address (name@cuanschutz.edu),

regardless of the student’s home campus. Students are responsible for checking their CU email on a

regular basis. The student Academic Honor and Conduct Code should be followed when using

university email and other forms of university electronic communication and devices.

Students with a home campus of CSU or UNC should also frequently check their home campus email

accounts, as any correspondence specifically from their home campus will be sent to that email

address.

For questions regarding your CU email account, please contact the Anschutz Medical campus OIT

Department at (303) 724-HELP or visit their website at:

https://www1.ucdenver.edu/offices/office-of-information-technology

Identification/Access Badges

Students are required to have an electronic security photo ID badge for the safety and protection of all

faculty, staff, and students on campus. Additionally, this badge allows students access to buildings and

computer labs after hours, as well as parking surfaces.

Badge applications for the CU Anschutz Medical Campus are issued to the ID Badge Office by the

education staff prior to the start of a student’s first semester in the program. Students should pick up

their badges at one of the badging pickup days or make alternate arrangements with the Office of

Academic and Student Affairs.

Colorado School of Public Health

Biostatistics Graduate Programs | 2023 - 2024 Student and Advisor Handbook

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Establishing Colorado Residency

There are three cases based on a student’s residency at the time of matriculation:

• Residency in one of the Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) member states

(Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New

Mexico, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah,

Washington, and Wyoming): After being admitted a student will apply to the WRGP

program and then qualify for in-state tuition. If the BIOS graduate program covers a

student’s tuition through a RA, the program will only pay the in-state tuition rate, and the

student is responsible to pay the differential if they don’t apply to the WRGP program.

Details about the application process are available

here: https://coloradosph.cuanschutz.edu/admissions/tuition-aid/western-regional-

graduate-program Students in WRGP member states should not petition the University for

residency.

• Residency in the US but not in one of the WRGP member states: If the BIOS graduate

program covers a student’s tuition through a RA, the program will cover the in-state and

out-of-state portions of tuition for the first year. Upon arrival in Colorado the student

should immediately begin the process of establishing Colorado residency. After one year in

Colorado the student must petition the University for residency (this is not an automatic

process). From year two on, the program will only cover the in-state tuition rate; the

student is responsible to pay the differential if they don’t establish residency in Colorado

and petition the University for residency. The requirements for establishing residency for

tuition purposes are defined by Colorado law. The statutes require that a qualified

individual must be domiciled in Colorado for the twelve (12) consecutive months

immediately preceding the term for which resident status is claimed.

• International students (not citizens or permanent residents): If the BIOS graduate

program covers an international student’s tuition through a RA, the program will pay the

resident and non-resident tuition costs, if the student is not eligible to establish residency

for tuition purposes.

A person's tuition classification status is initially determined from the Verification of Residency form

submitted during the application process for admission. If a person is classified as a “nonresident,” they

must wait until eligible for a change in tuition classification and then file a petition for the change.

Petitions that are denied may be appealed.

Rules and procedures for establishing Colorado residency are complex and rigid and the program does

not have any influence over them. Therefore, students should carefully follow all instructions in the

links below and consult those sources with questions.

WICHE (WRGP) website:

https://www.wiche.edu

CU Anschutz Medical Campus Registrar’s website:

https://www.cuanschutz.edu/registrar/residency

Colorado School of Public Health

Biostatistics Graduate Programs | 2023 - 2024 Student and Advisor Handbook

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Graduate School Resources and Policies: https://graduateschool.cuanschutz.edu/forms-

resources/resources

Tuition and Fees

ColoradoSPH students receive a single bill for tuition and fees from the CU Anschutz Medical Campus

Bursar’s Office, regardless of their home campus affiliation. All students are charged the university

matriculation fee, background check fee, and enrollment deposit (if applicable). Fees associated with

the student’s primary campus are also assessed. There are not additional general fees for taking

courses outside of the primary campus, but course-specific fees may still apply. All students, regardless

of their home campus, must follow university payment policies and deadlines. Additional information

regarding fee and billing policies can be found on the bursar’s website at:

https://www.cuanschutz.edu/student-finances/billing-payments

A breakdown of tuition and fees per campus can be found on the ColoradoSPH website:

https://coloradosph.cuanschutz.edu/admissions/tuition-aid/cost-of-attendance

Students must follow the published drop/add deadlines in order to receive a tuition refund for any

dropped courses. For dropped courses processed before the semesters drop/add deadline, full tuition

and fees will be refunded. Courses dropped after the semesters drop/add deadline will be considered

withdrawals, and will not be refunded tuition and fees. For more information on dropping or

withdrawing from a course, see “Registration Policies” section of this document.

The Academic Calendar, which specifies deadlines, including the drop/add deadline, can be found on

the ColoradoSPH website:

https://coloradosph.cuanschutz.edu/education/calendars-policies

For students who have been approved to take a course(s) at the downtown UCD campus, the

ColoradoSPH tuition rate will be charged for those courses, unless the student is enrolled in a dual

degree program with the downtown campus. The ColoradoSPH tuition rate may be different than the

downtown UCD campus rate.

Student funding

Students will typically be offered some form of funding during some or all of their time in the MS and/or

PhD programs. Funding will be coordinated by the program director(s) and department chair. Three

main types of positions are used to fund students:

Teaching Assistant (TA):

Teaching Assistants provide support to faculty members for teaching courses. Typical duties include

holding scheduled review sessions and office hours, and assisting with grading. TAs with experience

may help with course development and/or give some class sessions. TA positions pay $25/hour with no

tuition or benefits, and may be for up to 20 hours/week. A ‘standard’ TA position pays $4,320 for a

term, for a total of 144 hours of work (about 10 hours/week fall and spring, or 15 hours/week summer),

however positions of more or fewer hours/week may be available. TA pay rates and guidelines for

allocating hours is set by the ColoradoSPH.

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Research Assistant (RA) and Graduate Assistant (GA):

Students with appropriate experience in research and biostatistics may be offered a Research Assistant

or Graduate Assistant position, based on qualifications and availability of funding. All Research

Assistant (RA, stipend) positions are subject to the Graduate School Policies, including for Vacation and

Leave at https://graduateschool.ucdenver.edu/forms-resources/resources

These positions come with the expectation of on average 20 hours per week for 50 weeks per year of

work on collaborative and/or statistical research projects specified by the RA/GA supervisor. It is

recognized that different groups funding RA or GA positions may have different needs, therefore other

expectations such as work schedules, project deadlines, etc., may be specified by RA/GA supervisors.

An RA/GA position constitutes a full-time position and any additional paid employment within or

outside the university requires prior approval of the MS/PhD program director(s) and RA/GA supervisor.

Rearrangement of working hours, e.g. for travel or additional preparation for exams, is allowed subject

to agreement in advance with the RA/GA supervisor.

An RA/GA position is typically considered a one academic year commitment between the student,

RA/GA supervisor, and biostatistics graduate program. Deviations from this will be considered on a

case-by-case basis. RA/GA positions are “at will”, meaning either the student or RA/GA supervisor can

terminate employment at any time, however funding is typically continued during the program based

on satisfactory performance in the program and in the RA/GA position. MS students supported by RA

funding are expected to complete their degree within two years of enrollment, and funding is continued

beyond that only in cases of extenuating circumstances and with approval of the RA supervisor and

Biostatistics program director(s). Graduate Assistant (GA, hourly) positions have similar expectations.

RAs and GAs are subject to the rules and policies of the Regents of the University of Colorado, the

Student Employment Office, the University of Colorado Denver Graduate School, and the Department

of Biostatistics and Informatics.

RA and GA positions differ in their payment structure. RAs are paid an annual stipend based on rates

set by the UCD Graduate School, and tuition, fees, student health insurance, and two weeks (at 20

hours/week) of vacation are also covered. GAs are paid an hourly rate, but no tuition, fees or student

health insurance are covered. The rates are adjusted to provide on average similar compensation for 50

weeks/year (i.e., two weeks of vacation). The choice to use RA or GA funding mechanisms is based on

the type of funding available and is determined by the program director(s) and RA/GA supervisor. RA

stipend and GA hourly rates are based on achievement of program benchmarks (preliminary exam

results) and previous academic degrees (MS degree in relevant field). For more details, current stipend

and hourly rates, etc., see the program and human resources documents, or consult the program

director(s).

Students supported by RA or GA funding who also do TA work are paid by one of two means: a) Substitution of

equivalent percent of the RA/GA funding, tuition and insurance from TA funding sources, or b) Additional

payment according to the CSPH TA payment policy into a professional development account. Joint RA/GA

and TA arrangements are subject to approval by the Biostatistics program and RA/GA supervisor.

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Employee Tuition Benefit

Employees of the University of Colorado and their dependents may be eligible for up to nine credit

hours per year to be used towards University of Colorado courses. When employees are using the

tuition benefit, registration can only occur 7 days prior to the first day of the semester or on or after the

first day of classes. Students who intend to use employee tuition benefits (tuition waivers) should

carefully review all policies and procedures associated with this benefit. For the entire policy,

restrictions and forms, please visit the Payroll and Benefit Services website:

https://www.cu.edu/pbs/tuition-benefit/

By university policy, tuition waivers are accepted on a space-available basis. Some courses,

particularly core courses, have been reaching their enrollment caps with tuition-paying students,

therefore, there has not been space for students using tuition waivers. Students who wish to use a

tuition waiver and who must take these courses in a particular semester should consider paying tuition

for these core courses and using tuition waiver credits for other courses that have more space

available.

The courses that are likely to fill before waiver-using students can register include, but are not limited

to: EPID 6630, HSMP 6601, EHOH 6614, CBHS 6610, PUBH 6600, BIOS 6601, BIOS 6602, BIOS 6611,

BIOS 6612, and BIOS 6623. If you are considering using a waiver for a BIOS course please contact the

instructor prior to the course.

By university policy, tuition-paying students (including non-degree students) receive higher

registration priority than students using tuition waivers.

By university policy, students using tuition waivers must not register for courses until the first day

of classes. Violation of this policy can result in the student losing the ability to use a waiver for the

class. This is monitored and students should be careful not to violate this policy. When using the tuition

benefit, registration can only occur 7 days prior to the first day of the semester or on or after the first

day of classes in order for tuition to be waived. Students who violate this policy are at risk of losing their

tuition benefit. A new pilot program may allow dependents of employees to register with a tuition

waiver as of fall 2017. Please visit the tuition benefit website for additional information.

Please note that CU Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus waivers may only be applied to courses at CU

Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus. ColoradoSPH’s CU Denver students cannot use waivers for CSU and

UNC courses.

Employees on the CSU and UNC campuses using their employee tuition benefits may transfer in a

maximum of 20 credits of approved public health coursework taken at a ColoradoSPH partner

institution during the time of employment. Of these 20, a maximum of 10 non-degree credits are

allowed prior to program matriculation.

Please visit the employee tuition benefit webpage for more information:

http://www.cu.edu/employee-services/benefits/employee-tuition-benefit

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Financial Aid

All financial aid, regardless of a student’s home campus, is processed through the CU Anschutz Medical

Campus Financial Aid Office. All ColoradoSPH students interested in applying for financial aid should

do so through the CU Anschutz Medical Campus. Detailed information can be found at:

https://coloradosph.cuanschutz.edu/admissions/tuition-aid/financing-your-education

For financial aid purposes, full-time status is considered five credits per term; part-time is considered 3

credits per term.

Advisors

The program director or another assigned faculty member will serve as an advisor to each student upon

entry into the program. This is not a permanent assignment. Students may request to change advisors

and often do so when putting together their examination committees. The faculty member selected to

supervise the thesis, research paper or dissertation typically becomes the student's academic

advisor/mentor as well. Students should meet with their advisor/mentor at least once per semester

before starting work on a thesis/dissertation and should keep their advisor/mentor and the program

director informed of study plans.

Grading Policy

The program adheres to the Graduate School grading policies as outlined in the Graduate School

Handbook. In addition, the program has the following grading policies:

1. All course work must be completed on time. A student may be assigned an “I” (incomplete)

grade, with advance agreement from the instructor, which will convert to an F grade after one

year, if the coursework has not been completed.

2. MS Thesis, MS Research Paper, and Dissertation credits are assigned the grade IP until the final

written paper is complete. At that time, a letter grade will be assigned retroactively.

3. In order to maintain satisfactory academic progress, advance to candidacy, and earn a graduate

degree, students are required to maintain at least a “B” (3.00) average in all course work

attempted while enrolled in the Graduate School. Courses in which grades below “B-” (2.7) are

received are not accepted for any MS or PhD degree. Students that receive such grades may

repeat that course once within 24 months with the approval of the graduate program. All

grades received will appear on the student’s transcript and will be included in the GPA

calculation. If the course is a prerequisite for other courses, the student must obtain special

permission from the instructor to enroll in an advanced course in the sequence before retaking

the prerequisite.

4. MS and PhD students must obtain grades of B or above in the ‘core’ first year courses BIOS

6618/19 and 6631/32. Grades below B in these courses do not count toward the MS or PhD

degree.

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Leave of Absence Policy

Leaves of absence are arranged with and approved by the program director with the request, then

forwarded to the Graduate School for final approval. A leave of absence may be approved for a

maximum of one year. Students who fail to register or submit a Statement of Academic Intent after an

absence of one academic year will be required to reapply for admission to the Graduate School through

their program and be considered with all other applicants. A leave of absence does not automatically

extend the time limit set forth for graduation.

Graduate School – Academic Policies

Academic Policies

The faculty of the Colorado School of Public Health believes strongly in an apprenticeship mode of

learning. Much of the work is in the form of association with individual faculty members, leading to

achievement of a set of skills and competencies enabling the student to function comfortably in the

field.

Registration

Course offerings, academic year course book, academic calendar and registration dates are available on

the ColoradoSPH website:

https://coloradosph.cuanschutz.edu/education/courses-and-registration

All students should register for courses through UCD Access. Students must have a CU email address to

access the registration system. Students enrolling for the first time must meet with the program

director prior to fall semester for annual academic advising before they can utilize web-based

registration.

https://portal.prod.cu.edu/UCDAccessFedAuthLogin.html

Drop/Add Period

The drop/add period extends two weeks after the beginning of classes, except for summer semester

when the drop/add date extends one week after the beginning of classes. To drop or add a class during

the drop/add period, please log onto UCD Access Registration Portal. Dropping courses after the

drop/add deadlines will result in 0% tuition reimbursement and a corresponding grade of “W”

(withdrawal) will be reflected on the transcript. Permission to register or drop a course after the

add/drop period will be granted only in extenuating circumstances.

Intercampus registration procedures should be followed when registering for a course at another CU

campus. The procedures are:

1. Students may take no more than two courses or six semester hours (whichever is greater) off

campus per semester.

2. Students download the concurrent registration form from the Registrar’s Office website,

complete the form, obtain the signature/permission from their Program Director, the instructor

offering the course, the Assistant Dean of the Graduate School, then submit the form to the

Registrar’s Office.

3. Tuition and fees will be assessed at the UCD rate.

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Transferring Credits

Graduate School rules allow students to transfer up to 12 semester credits towards a MS degree and 30

semester hours toward the PhD degree for courses taken either at other universities or as a non-degree

student at UCD. Courses taken at any CU campus by students enrolled in a program are not considered

transfer credits.

Transfer of credit from other universities must meet the following criteria:

1. The course must be graduate level, i.e., offered within the degree program at the 5000-level or

above.

2. If offered outside the degree program, (including transfer credits), are 5000- equivalent level or

higher and are approved for a specific degree plan by the program.

3. The grade must be at least a B- for MS students and at least a B for PhD students.

4. The student must have at least a 3.0 GPA in our program after at least one semester in the

program.

5. The work must have been completed within the past five years or validated by the Program

Director to ensure that the content has not significantly changed since the courses were taken.

6. The student must submit an outline and/or syllabus from the course to the program director for

content review.

7. The request for transfer must be made on a form obtained from the Graduate School. The form

must be completed by the student, endorsed by the advisor and the program director, and sent

to the Graduate School along with an official transcript showing the course.

Foundational Public Health Knowledge Requirement

It is a requirement of the school’s accreditation that all ColoradoSPH MS and PhD students are

grounded in foundational public health knowledge. This is a curriculum requirement of both the

Biostatistics MS and PhD programs. To satisfy this requirement, all MS and PhD students must

complete the following courses:

• Foundations in Public Health (PUBH6600- 2 credits)

• Public Health Concepts for Non-MPH (EHOH 6601- 1 credit)

• Epidemiology (EPID 6630- 3 credits)

Students with a prior MPH degree or a graduate-level degree from a CEPH-accredited institution are

eligible to waive this requirement.

Biostatistics MS and PhD students who are approved to waive this requirement are not required to

replace these credits with additional elective coursework.

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Degree Plans

Coursework Requirements

Students who have had some of the required (or equivalent) courses prior to admission into the

program may be allowed to transfer in some of those courses to satisfy the program requirements. The

following tables list the credit hours required to complete the MS and PhD in Biostatistics.

Biostatistics MS Requirements

Course Requirements

Credits

Required Biostatistics Courses

20 total

Advanced Biostatistical Methods I (BIOS 6618)

Advanced Biostatistical Methods II (Bios 6619)

Statistical Consulting (BIOS 6621)

Advanced Statistical Methods and Analysis (BIOS 6624)

Statistical Theory I (BIOS 6631)

Statistical Theory II (BIOS 6632)

Longitudinal Data Analysis (BIOS 6643)

Required Public Health Courses

6 total

Foundations in Public Health (PUBH 6600)

Public Health Concepts for Non-MPH (EHOH 6601)

Epidemiology (EPID 6630)

Elective Biostatistics Courses*

6 total

Causal Inference (BIOS 6641)

Introduction to Python Programming (BIOS 6642)

Survival Analysis (BIOS 6646)

Statistical Methods for Genetic Association Studies (BIOS 6655)

Thesis /

Research

Paper BIOS

6950 / 6651

4 total

Total Program Credits

* Electives not listed here must be approved by the program director to be used to satisfy this

requirement. Some electives offered only in alternate years.

MS minor areas (Statistical Genomics and Genetics; Data Science Analytics)

Students pursuing the MS Biostatistics program have the option to pursue one of two minors

(Statistical Genomics and Genetics or Data Science Analytics). A “minor” is a small, optional grouping

of courses designed to provide specialization for the MS degree in a certain topic area. MS students

who choose a minor will have an official designation of specialization on their transcript, which may

provide an advantage for students seeking careers or other opportunities within these minor areas. A

separate document outlining each emphasis and the requirements and available courses will be

provided by the Program Directors. Briefly, requirements for a minor include:

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1. Three electives (8-9 credits). At least 5 credits must be from electives approved for the MS

degree, and at least 5 credits must be from electives approved for the minor. Lists of such

courses are given below. Courses not listed below may be acceptable, subject to program

director approval.

2. A thesis or publishable paper with focus in the minor area.

Contact the Program Directors and the Academic Affairs Specialist if you intend to pursue a MS minor,

and after completion so that it is included on your records.

Biostatistics MS Program Competency Statement

Biostatisticians are scientists with expertise in the theory and practice of the design, implementation,

analysis and dissemination of translational, clinical, biomedical and public health research. Successful

biostatisticians have a foundation in the fundamental aspects of statistics, including theoretical,

applied, and computational elements to their training. In addition, there is an emphasis on written and

verbal communication with those both inside and outside the field of biostatistics. This program strives

to balance these elements in the design of the curriculum and the other educational opportunities

created for students in the program.

No biostatistics or statistics professional organizations have developed a set of recommended

competencies for MS programs in biostatistics. Thus, our MS competencies were developed to reflect

the elements defined above in the various contexts in which biostatisticians work. Sources included the

opinions of the faculty and students in the program, along with a review of other biostatistics MS

programs’ competencies. This review identified four overarching themes in which we center our degree

specific competencies: biostatistical collaboration in study development; biostatistical modeling and

analysis; biostatistics in biology and public health; and communication.

Biostatistics MS Program Competencies

At the culmination of the MS program, each student should be able to exhibit the following

competencies:

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Biostatistics MS Competencies

MS BIOS 1- Carry out and explain calculations, derivations and proofs central to basic statistical theory, and

explain their use and implications in applied statistical work.

MS-BIOS 2- Apply statistical concepts of basic study designs including bias, confounding and efficiency, and

identify strengths and weaknesses of experimental and observational designs.

MS-BIOS 3- Carry out exploratory and descriptive analyses of complex data using standard statistical software

and methods of data summary and visualization.

MS-BIOS 4- Carry out valid and efficient modeling, estimation, model checking and inference using standard

statistical methods and software.

MS-BIOS 5- Demonstrate statistical programming proficiency, good coding style and use of reproducible

research principles using leading statistical software.

MS-BIOS 6- Demonstrate basic skills necessary for collaborating with non-biostatistical scientists, including

mapping study aims to testable hypotheses, carrying out basic power and sample size estimation and

evaluation, and identifying appropriate design, modeling and analysis methods to address study hypotheses.

MS-BIOS 7- Communicate, orally and in writing, simple and complex statistical ideas, methods and results in

non-technical terms appropriate for collaborator needs (e.g. preparation of analysis section of grant proposals

and methods and results sections of manuscripts).

Biostatistics PhD Requirements

Course Requirements

Credits

Required MS Biostatistics Courses

Elective MS Biostatistics Courses

Required Public Health Courses

Foundations in Public Health (PUBH 6600)

Public Health Concepts for Non-MPH (EHOH 6601)

Epidemiology (EPID 6630)

Required PhD Biostatistics Courses

Advanced Mathematical Statistics (BIOS 7731)

Theory and Algorithms in data Science (BIOS 7732)

Elective PhD Biostatistics Courses*

Statistical Methods in Genomics (BIOS 7659)

Information Visualization (BIOS 7719)

Model Selection (BIOS 7722)

Machine Learning for Biomedical Applications (BIOS 7747)

Elective Health Sciences Courses

Dissertation

Biostatistics Dissertation (BIOS 8990)

Total Program Credits

*Electives not listed here must be approved by the program director to be used to satisfy this requirement

Please note: The table above summarizes the requirements of the Biostatistics PhD program. Students

in this program must also satisfy the requirements of the Graduate School, i.e. students must complete

at least 30 credits of coursework, including transfer coursework or coursework taken in a MS program

at UCDenver.

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Health Science Electives

Health Science Electives can be replaced by other electives for students who have appropriate

backgrounds or coursework (e.g. an M.D., D.V.M. or R.N. degree, or a graduate degree in a subject such

as biochemistry, physiology, or immunology), with approval of the Program Director. Health Science

electives consist of a total of 3 semester hours of graduate level course work and in some cases

independent study. All doctoral students will be expected to acquire knowledge of at least one field of

human biology or medicine. Such fields include, but are not limited to, human genetics, biophysics,

medical physiology, clinical pathology, anatomy, human ecology, and health demography. The purpose

of this work, along with required coursework in Public Health and Epidemiology, is both to provide a

broader educational experience and to help prepare the student for the Graduate School

comprehensive examination. The work is intended to help the student develop the ability to

communicate and interpret quantitative and mathematical results to health professionals. BIOS

courses and courses approved for one of the BIOS minors do not count as HS electives. The HS elective

course should ideally be related to the topic of the dissertation. Course approval should be obtained by

the Program Directors prior to taking the course.

Biostatistics PhD Program Competency Statement

Biostatisticians are scientists with expertise in the theory and practice of the design, implementation,

analysis and dissemination of translational, clinical, biomedical and public health research. Successful

biostatisticians have a good foundation in the fundamental aspects of statistics, including theoretical,

applied, and computational elements to their training. In addition, there is an emphasis on written and

verbal communication with those both inside and outside the field of biostatistics. This program strives

to balance these elements in the design of the curriculum and the other educational opportunities

created for students in the program.

No biostatistics or statistics professional organizations have developed a set of recommended

competencies for PhD programs in biostatistics. Thus, our PhD competencies were developed to reflect

the elements defined above in the various contexts in which biostatisticians work. Sources included the

opinions of the faculty and students in the program, along with a review of other biostatistics PhD

programs’ competencies. This review identified four overarching themes in which we center our degree

specific competencies: biostatistical collaboration, biostatistical research, biostatistics in biology and

public health, and communication. At the culmination of the PhD program, each student should be able

to exhibit the following competencies:

Biostatistics PhD Competencies

PhD BIOS 1- Carry out and explain calculations, derivations and proofs central to advanced statistical theory,

and explain their use and implications in applied statistical work.

PhD BIOS 2- Carry out advanced statistical modeling using a range of statistical theory, methods and

computation.

PhD BIOS 3- Demonstrate advanced collaborative biostatistical skills, including formulating testable study

aims, identifying, designing and evaluating statistical analyses appropriate for study aims, reading and

synthesizing biostatistical literature relevant to study analyses, and suggesting new methods when existing

approaches are inadequate.

PhD BIOS 4- Carry out independent biostatistical research involving development and evaluation of novel

statistical methods and their application to problems of importance in health science research, and report the

methods and findings orally and in writing (e.g., a dissertation and publishable papers).

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Biostatistics Preliminary and PhD Qualifying Examinations

MS and PhD students will take a written departmental examination at the end of their Year 1

coursework covering material from BIOS 6618-6619 and BIOS 6631-6632. This examination will be

administered once a year, generally in June. Passing the exam is a requirement for completion of both

the MS and PhD programs. The exam is separated into two parts, a four hour closed book exam

covering theory (BIOS 6631-6632) and a one week take home exam covering methods (BIOS 6618-

6619). Each part is graded separately. A pass for both parts of the preliminary exam is considered good

for 3 years, or in special cases longer at the discretion of the program director(s). This is the Graduate

School Preliminary Examination for PhD students. Please see Graduate School rules for more

information:

https://graduateschool.cuanschutz.edu/forms-resources/resources

A student who fails the examination (or one part of the exam) is subject to immediate dismissal from

the program on the recommendation of the graduate program and concurrence of the Assistant Dean

of the Graduate School. At the program's discretion, a student who fails either or both parts of the

examination may retake the failed parts once.

PhD students take a second qualifying exam covering BIOS 6624, 6643, and 7731. This is not an official

Graduate School exam, but passing is a requirement for the BIOS PhD program. The same format (four

hour theory and one week take home) and rules for re-taking the exams as for the first year preliminary

exams apply.

MS students who would like to continue on to a PhD degree after the MS degree, or bypass the MS

degree and proceed directly to the PhD, may apply for admission to the PhD program and will be

evaluated by the admissions committee. The student’s admission is based on examination results along

with the student's entire record to date for admission into the PhD program. PhD students wishing to

transfer to the MS program may generally do so, subject to approval of the Program Director.

MS Program Guidelines

MS Thesis or Research Paper

After successful completion of the preliminary examination, the student should assemble a thesis or

research paper committee. The committee should have at least three members, and the majority of the

members, including the chair, must be from the Biostatistics core-training faculty (included in this

document). Students must receive approval of their committee from the Program Director at least

3 months prior to scheduling the thesis defense. The student should arrange committee meetings at

least twice a year to discuss progress and a timeline for completing the thesis or research paper, and

should meet with their mentor/chair often. First, a proposal is developed, 3-5 pages in length, outlining

the background, significance and specific aims for the proposed research along with any preliminary

findings. The proposal may be in the form of an early draft manuscript. The student then gives a short

(~30-40 minute) presentation of the proposal to the committee (this is not a formal Graduate School

exam so no paperwork is required). It is recommended that students and committee members set aside

2 hours for the proposal. When the proposal is approved by the committee, the members of the

committee sign the proposal acceptance form found at:

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https://coloradosph.cuanschutz.edu/resources/for-current-students/academic-forms

The acceptance form is forwarded to the Academic Affairs Specialist and placed in the student's file.

Further details of the rules and deadlines are given in Appendix 1. Some guidelines on the process are

given in Appendix 2. Both documents are located at the end of this document.

Note: At least 4 credits of MS Research Paper or MS Thesis is required. The option depends on which

sort of project you plan – research paper or thesis. This decision is made by the student, supervisor and

committee, once the project is well enough defined.

Application for Admission to Candidacy

Students must complete the application for admission to candidacy for the MS degree. The student

obtains signatures from the Advisor and Chair of the MS exam committee. The student then forwards

the form to the Program Director for verification of the courses listed that are to be applied towards the

degree and signature. The student then submits the form to the Academic Affairs Specialist at least

two weeks in advance, and by the Graduate School deadline for that term, whichever is earlier,

before scheduling the final exam. Once all signatures have been obtained, the Academic Affairs

Specialist will submit the form to the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to the exam or by the

Graduate School deadline for that term, whichever is earlier. The required form can be obtained

from the Graduate School website:

https://graduateschool.cuanschutz.edu/forms-resources/resources

To apply for graduation, students must have passed both parts of the written preliminary exam. In

addition to the Application for Admission to Candidacy, students must also submit an “Intent to

Graduate” form through the UCD Access student portal before the posted deadline for the graduation

semester.

MS Degree Final Examination

After all other requirements for the degree have been completed and approved for graduation; all

candidates for the MS degree are required to take a final examination. The student must be registered

for at least 1 credit the term they defend. The final examination is a presentation and defense of the

thesis or research paper, as well as questions from the committee. The research paper or thesis must

be submitted to and approved by the examining committee before scheduling the final examination.

The Request for Graduate Examination/Thesis Defense form is required. Students must obtain the

Program Director’s signature on the form. Students then submit the form to the Academic Affairs

Specialist at least three weeks before the exam date. The Academic Affairs Specialist will submit the

form to the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to the exam. The Request for Graduate

Examination/Thesis Defense form can be found on the Graduate School website.

https://graduateschool.cuanschutz.edu/forms-resources/resources

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Final Comprehensive Examination/Defense

The examination committee will conduct the final examination orally. The defense consists of a 40-50

minute seminar—generally open to the public unless otherwise specified—followed by an oral

examination by the committee. All members of the committee must be present for the examination.

One member, but not the chairperson or the student, may participate by interactive video. It is

recommended that students and committee members set aside 2 hours for the defense. Below is a list

of the possible outcomes:

Pass- You must receive the affirmative votes of the majority of the members of your committee in

order to pass.

Pass with conditions- The committee may feel that although you have passed the examination you

should complete additional work on the thesis. These conditions will be specified and must be satisfied

within 60 days of the defense. Failure to satisfy these conditions will result in failure of the examination.

Fail- If you fail the examination, per Graduate School rules you may be subject to immediate dismissal

from the program. At the program’s discretion, you may be allowed to retake the examination once.

The retake will be in a format designated by the committee and must be completed by the end of the

next academic semester, excluding the summer term. It is important to note that students will be

required to meet registration and enrollment requirements for the semester in which they re-take the

examination.

A MS thesis is submitted to the Graduate School according to their format by deadlines set by the

Graduate School. A MS research paper is submitted to a journal by the last day of the semester. If the

research paper is otherwise complete and in submission format but there are delays for submitting, for

example due to co-author holdup, or preparation of additional materials such as supplementary tables

or code, the thesis advisor, committee and Program Directors may upon request and on a case-by-case

basis approve the final product.

Graduation

Students must apply for a diploma for their intended semester of graduation by submitting an “Intent

to Graduate” form through the UCD Access student portal by the specified deadline.

Ceremonies

A campus-wide commencement ceremony is held twice a year in May and December for the CU

Anschutz Medical Campus. All graduates for that academic year are invited to attend. Students

graduating in May or the previous August or December can attend the Graduate School graduation

ceremony.. In addition, the ColoradoSPH offers a separate Convocation ceremony in May for the

ColoradoSPH graduates.

Official regalia must be worn to participate in these ceremonies. Additional details will be posted on the

website and emailed to students prior to the event.

Time Limit

MS students have five (5) years to complete all degree requirements, including the filing of the thesis or

submitting the research paper, for the degree. Students who fail to complete the degree requirements

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within the five-year time period are subject to termination from the Graduate School upon

recommendation from the Program Director and concurrence of the Assistant Dean of the Graduate

School. Requests for extension will be considered under extenuating circumstances only.

Departmental Copy of Thesis or Research Paper

The program requests that an electronic copy of the thesis or research paper be provided for the

department.

Transitioning to PhD program

Students interested in entering the PhD program following completion of their MS should consult with

program director(s) and apply to the PhD program through SOPHAS.

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PhD Program Guidelines

Teaching requirement

Biostatistics PhD students are required to be a Teaching Assistant (TA) for at least one semester. This

will be arranged individually through mutual agreement of the instructor, program director(s) and

student, and a variety of options may be considered, e.g. teaching in the CoSIBS program. The TA

work must be done at an acceptable level as assessed by the instructor and program director(s).

Students desiring more teaching experience may TA more than one semester with agreement of

program director(s) and RA/dissertation supervisor. Payment will typically be made by substituting TA

funds for RA funds. Students are allowed to TA one semester for payment into a professional

development fund rather than substitution.

Seminar/Working group requirement

Biostatistics PhD students are required to attend and participate in some department seminars and/or

working groups each year. Students must accumulate a total of 10 points each academic year (5 points

each year for part-time students). One point is earned for each research seminar or working group

attended, and 5 points are earned for each seminar or working group presented. This requirement is

self-documenting - each student is responsible for submitting a summary of their attendance and

participation in May at the end of each academic year. The summary consists of a brief (few sentences)

summary of each session attended, or the materials used for any presentations. In special

circumstances exceptions will be considered by program director(s).

PhD Comprehensive Examination and Dissertation Defense Committee

Students select at least five members to serve as an examination committee for the Comprehensive

Examination and Dissertation Defense. The majority of the members, including the chair and the

mentor, must be from the Biostatistics core-training faculty. Membership on these committees is not

required to be the same, though they typically are. This committee is required to meet at least twice a

year. Further details of the rules and deadlines are given in Appendix I. Some guidelines on the process

are given in Appendix II.

Application for Admission to Candidacy

Students must complete the Application for Admission to Candidacy form for the PhD degree. The

student obtains signatures from the Advisor and the Program Director. The Program Director verifies

the courses listed that are to be applied towards the degree. The student then submits the form to the

Academic Affairs Specialist at least two weeks in advance, and by the Graduate School deadline for

that term, whichever is earlier, before scheduling the comprehensive exam. Once the student

obtains all signatures the Academic Affairs Specialist will submit the form to the Graduate School at

least two weeks prior to the exam or by the Graduate School deadline for that term, whichever is

earlier. The required form can be found on the Graduate School website:

https://graduateschool.cuanschutz.edu/forms-resources/resources

To apply for candidacy, students must have passed both parts of the first year preliminary and PhD

qualifying exam.

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Scheduling the Comprehensive Exam

The Exam Request form is required to schedule the comprehensive exam. Students must obtain the

Program Director’s signature on the form. Students then submit the form to the Academic Affairs

Specialist at least three weeks before the exam date. The Academic Affairs Specialist will submit the

form to the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to the comprehensive exam date. The Exam

Request form can be found on the Graduate School website.

https://graduateschool.ucdenver.edu/forms-resources/resources

Comprehensive Examination

The Comprehensive Examination Committee will administer oral and written comprehensive

examinations when a student has chosen a mentor/advisor, a dissertation topic, and is ready to initiate

the project. The comprehensive exams must be taken no later than the end of the third year in the

PhD program, except under extenuating circumstances. The student prepares and circulates to their

committee a dissertation proposal of 10-12 pages and gives a presentation of 30-40 minutes to the

committee. Other biostatistics core-training faculty may attend the presentation, but students and

outside faculty members are not allowed. All members of the committee must be present for the

examination. It is recommended that students and committee members set aside 2 hours for the

comprehensive exam. Requirements for in-person exam meetings have been altered for an unspecified

amount of time due to COVID-19, so please check with your program director to determine the current

guidelines for video conferencing policies. The oral examination consists, primarily, of a presentation

and discussion of the student's dissertation proposal. In addition, the student should demonstrate in-

depth knowledge of the biological and methodological issues pertinent to the student’s project. When

both the written and oral parts of the comprehensive examination have been passed, and the other

Graduate School requirements are complete, students can proceed with their dissertation. The required

forms can be obtained from the Graduate School website:

https://graduateschool.ucdenver.edu/forms-resources/resources

Below is a list of the possible outcomes for your comprehensive exam:

Pass- You must receive the affirmative votes of the majority of the members of your

committee in order to pass.

Pass with conditions- The committee may feel that although you have passed the examination

you should complete additional work on the thesis. These conditions will be specified and must

be satisfied within 4 months of the comprehensive exam.

Fail- If you fail the examination, per Graduate School rules you may be subject to immediate

dismissal from the program. At the program’s discretion, you may be allowed to retake the

examination once. The retake will be in a format designated by the committee and must be

completed within 12 months. It is important to note that students will be required to meet

registration and enrollment requirements for the semester in which they re-take the

examination.

Continuous Registration Requirement - Post Comps

Following successful completion of the Graduate School comprehensive exam, students must register

for at least 5 dissertation credits, BIOS 8990, each semester (excluding the summer semester). If the

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comprehensive exam or dissertation defense is during the summer semester, the student must register

for dissertation credits for that semester. A maximum of 10 dissertation credits can be taken in any

semester, unless approval is received from the Assistant Dean of the Graduate School. It is

recommended that a maximum of 10 of the dissertation credits are taken prior to the comprehensive

examination, and that at least 20 dissertation credits, out of the 30, are taken after the

comprehensive exam.

Note: Once a student has completed 30 dissertation credits, then the student is only required to

registration is only required if the student plans to do their examination during summer semester.

Post-Comp Committee Meetings

Students are required to meet with their Dissertation Committee at least twice each year.

Dissertation

A dissertation based upon original investigation and showing mature scholarship must be written and

approved by the student’s examining committee. It must be submitted to the committee at least 2

weeks prior to the final examination.

The Exam Request form is required to schedule the dissertation defense. Students must obtain the

Program Director’s and Committee Chair’s signatures on the form. Students then submit the form to

the Academic Affairs Specialist at least three weeks before the exam date. The Academic Affairs

Specialist will submit the form to the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to the dissertation

defense date.

The Exam Request form can be found on the Graduate School website.

https://graduateschool.ucdenver.edu/forms-resources/resources

All Graduate School guidelines and specifications must be followed. Again, students must register for a

total of 30 semester hours of doctoral dissertation credit, with no more than 10 credits taken in any one

semester.

Defense

A final examination of the dissertation and related topics will be conducted orally by the examination

committee. The defense consists of a seminar of 40-50 minutes, open to the public, followed by oral

examination by the committee. All members of the committee must be present for the examination. It

is recommended that students and committee members set aside 2 hours for the final defense. Below

is a list of the possible outcomes for your defense:

Pass- You must receive the affirmative votes of the majority of the members of your

committee in order to pass.

Pass with conditions- The committee may feel that although you have passed the examination

you should complete additional work on the thesis. These conditions will be specified and must

be satisfied within 60 days of the defense.

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Fail- If a student fails the examination, s/he may not continue in the program.

Departmental Copy of Dissertation

The Program requests that an electronic version of the dissertation be provided for the department.

Receiving an MS while in the PhD program

Many students admitted to the PhD program without a previous MS in a related field choose to obtain

an MS while doing their PhD. The only additional requirement is the MS thesis or research paper. In

such cases the student should discuss their plans with the Program Director soon after passing the MS

qualifying exams, as special procedures are needed.

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Faculty and Courses

Biostatistics Faculty

All MS or PhD committee members must have, or be eligible for, a Graduate School faculty

appointment. A Graduate School faculty appointment listing is posted on-line at:

https://gs.ucdenver.edu/tbl_gradfac_curr.php

For any committee member who requires a Graduate School faculty appointment, the student must

forward the committee member’s current curriculum vitae to the Academic Affairs Specialist who will

process the appointment. For MS students, the chair and mentor may be the same person on the

student’s examining committee. For PhD students, the student's main technical advisor may not be the

Chair of the examining committee.

A MS or PhD committee must have an odd number of members, with a majority from the Biostatistics

Department. A PhD committee must have at least one member from another discipline (not from the

Biostatistics Department). If in doubt about committee composition or members, consult the program

(MS or PhD) director.

Organization & Content of Courses

Below is a list of courses offered by the Department of Biostatistics and Informatics. The most up to

date information is always found on the ColoradoSPH website, including brief course information in the

Coursebook and offerings for each semester/term in the Schedules:

https://coloradosph.cuanschutz.edu/education/courses-and-registration

N No credit for BIOS MS and PhD

M Required for BIOS MS

P Required for BIOS PhD (beyond MS)

EM Elective for BIOS MS

EP Elective for BIOS PhD

G Elective for BIOS MS minor in Statistical Genomics and Genetics (some courses from other

departments are also acceptable minor electives, subject to program director approval)

D Elective for BIOS MS minor in Data Science Analytics (some courses from other departments

are also acceptable minor electives, subject to program director approval)

These designations do not include the thesis, research paper, dissertation, special topics, independent

study, etc.

Designation

Course #

Name

Credits

BIOS 6310

Practical Clinical Research Informatics

BIOS 6420

Data Science and Analytics of Continuous Clinical Data

BIOS 6601

Applied Biostatistics I

BIOS 6602

Applied Biostatistics II

BIOS 6603

Statistical Computing – SAS

BIOS 6606

Statistics for the Basic Sciences

BIOS 6611

Biostatistical Methods I

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BIOS 6612

Biostatistical Methods II

BIOS 6618

Advanced Biostatistical Methods I

BIOS 6619

Advanced Biostatistical Methods II

BIOS 6621

Statistical Consulting

BIOS 6623

Advanced Data Analysis

BIOS 6624

Advanced Statistical Methods and Analysis

BIOS 6628

Latent Variable Analysis

BIOS 6629

Applied Survival & Longitudinal Data Analysis

BIOS 6631

Statistical Theory I

BIOS 6632

Statistical Theory II

BIOS 6640

R for Data Science

BIOS 6641

Causal Inference

EM/D/G

BIOS 6642

Introduction to Python Programming

BIOS 6643

Analysis of Longitudinal Data

BIOS 6644

Practical Data Wrangling

D/G

BIOS 6645

Predictive Analytics

BIOS 6646

Survival Analysis

BIOS 6648

Design & Conduct of Clinical Research

BIOS 6649

Clinical Trials: Statistical Design and Monitoring

BIOS 6650

MPH Research Paper

1 – 2

BIOS 6651

Masters Research Paper

1 – 6

EM/G

BIOS 6655

Statistical Methods for Genetic Association Studies

D/G

BIOS 6660

Analysis of Genomic Data Using R and Bioconductor

BIOS 6670

Special Topics: Biostatistics

1 – 3

BIOS 6680

Data Management Using SAS

BIOS 6681

Structured Query Language using SAS PROC SQL

BIOS 6685

Introduction to Public Health Informatics

BIOS 6840

Independent Study for MPH in Biostatistics

1 – 3

BIOS 6841

Independent Study for MS in Biostatistics

1 – 3

BIOS 6950

Master Thesis: Biostatistics

1 – 6

EP/D/G

BIOS 7659

Statistical Methods in Genomics

BIOS 7670

Advanced Special Topics – Biostatistics

1 – 3

BIOS 7712

Statistical Methods for Correlated Data

BIOS 7713

Missing Data in Longitudinal Studies

BIOS 7714

Advanced Statistical Computing

BIOS 7715

Stochastic Modeling

BIOS 7717

Bayesian Biostatistical Methods

BIOS 7718

Introduction to Biomedical Image Analysis

EP/D

BIOS 7719

Information Visualization

EP/D

BIOS 7722

Model Selection

BIOS 7731

Advanced Mathematical Statistics

BIOS 7732

Theory and Algorithms in Data Science

EP/D

BIOS 7747

Machine Learning for Biomedical Applications

BIOS 7899

Independent Study for PhD in Biostatistics

1 – 4

BIOS 8990

Doctoral Thesis

1 – 10

EPID 6630

Epidemiology

PUBH 6600

Foundations in Public Health

EHOH 6601

Public Health Concepts for Non-MPH

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Key Contacts

CU Anschutz Medical Campus Program/Concentration Directors

Bailey Fosdick, PhD

Concentration Director

Applied Biostatistics, MPH

Bailey.Fo[email protected]

Randi Johnson, PhD, MPH and Alison Abraham, PhD

Program Co-Directors

Epidemiology, MS & PhD

[email protected]

Carsten Görg, PhD

Program Co-Director

Biostatistics, MS & PhD

[email protected]

Brandie Wagner, PhD

Program Co-Director

Biostatistics, MS & PhD

[email protected]

Angela Brega, PhD

Concentration Director

Community & Behavioral Health, MPH

[email protected]

Molly Lamb, PhD

Program Director

Epidemiology, DrPH

[email protected]

Ashley Brooks-Russell, PhD, MPH

Program Director

Community and Behavioral Health, DrPH

[email protected]

Richard Lindrooth, PhD

Program Director

Health Services Research, MS & PhD

[email protected]

Charlotte Farewell, PhD

Program Director

Population Mental Health & Wellbeing, MPH

[email protected]

Beth McManus, PT, MPH, ScD

Concentration Director

Health Systems, Management & Policy, MPH

[email protected]

Alison Bauer, PhD

Concentration Director

Environmental & Occupational Health, MPH

[email protected]

Cathy Battaglia, PhD, MSHA, RN

Program Co-Director

Health Services Research, PhD

[email protected]

Beth Carlton, PhD

Program Director

Environmental and Occupational Health, DrPH

[email protected]

Mary Dinger, PhD

Concentration Director

Leadership and Public Health, MPH

[email protected]

Madiha Abdel-Maksoud, MD, PhD

Concentration Director

Epidemiology, MPH

Global Public Health Plus, MPH

[email protected]

Elizabeth Greenwell, Sc.D

Concentration Director

Maternal & Child Health, MPH

[email protected]

Department Chairs

Debashis Ghosh, PhD

Chair, Applied Biostatistics

[email protected]

Mike Van Dyke, PhD, CIH

Interim Chair, Environmental & Occupational Health

[email protected]

Jenn Leiferman, PhD

Chair, Community & Behavioral Health

[email protected]

Jill Norris, PhD, MPH

Chair, Epidemiology

[email protected]

Glen Mays, PhD

Chair, Health Systems, Management & Policy

[email protected]

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Office of Academic and Student Affairs

Danielle (Dani) Brittain, PhD

Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs

[email protected]

TBD

Student Affairs Specialist

Laura Hager

Associate Director for Admissions & Student

Affairs

[email protected]

Brenda Witt

Academic Program Manager

[email protected]

Katherine Brumfield, MA

Career Services Senior Specialist

[email protected]

General Inquiries:

ColoradoSPH.[email protected]

[email protected]

TBD

Student Lifecycle Manager

Katie Guthmiller, MPH

Recruitment & Enrollment Specialist

[email protected]

Tony Romero, MA

Assistant Director of Evaluation and Accreditation

Tony.romero@cuanschutz.edu

Colorado State University

Tracy Nelson, PhD, MPH

Director

[email protected]

Kendra Bigsby, MPH

Assistant Director

[email protected]

Lily Doniger

Administrative Assistant

Lily.Doniger@colostate.edu

Christina Pasana

Academic Support Coordinator

[email protected]

University of Northern Colorado

Gary Heise, PhD

Interim Director

[email protected]

Allison Cassidy

Assistant to Director

[email protected]

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Appendix I

Biostatistics MS and PhD Comprehensive and Final Exam Procedures and

Checklists*

* (Graduate School rules supersede these)

All Exams

The student should talk with the program Co-Directors Carsten Görg or Brandie Wagner prior to the

start of the semester they plan to take any of these exams, and for any assistance with the steps below.

Most of these deadlines are Graduate School rules and are not flexible. If you miss the deadline, then

you may not be able to take exams or graduate when expected.

MS Thesis Committee Final Exam Checklist

▪ At least 3 members and an odd number of members.

▪ At least a majority, including the chair, from Biostatistics core faculty.

▪ All must have graduate faculty appointments. People from other departments, schools, or

universities may need to have this arranged. Check with the Academic Affairs Specialist at least

3 months before the exam to make sure all of your committee members have appointments,

and to arrange for any who do not.

▪ The chair is responsible for running the exam, paperwork, reporting results, etc.

▪ Changes can be made to the committee, with approval of the program director. If a committee

change occurs after the paperwork has been submitted to the Graduate School, the Graduate

School must also be notified of the committee change.

PhD Dissertation Committee Checklist

▪ At least 5 members, and an odd number of members.

▪ At least a majority, including the chair, from Biostatistics core faculty.

▪ At least 1 member not from Biostatistics core faculty.

▪ All must have graduate faculty appointments. People from other departments, schools, or

universities may need to have this arranged. Check with the Academic Affairs Specialist at least

3 months before the exam to make sure all of your committee members have appointments,

and to arrange for any who do not.

▪ The chair and mentor cannot be the same person.

▪ The chair is responsible for running the exam, paperwork, reporting results, etc.

▪ Changes can be made to the committee, with approval of the program director. If a committee

change occurs after the paperwork has been submitted to the Graduate School, the Graduate

School must also be notified of the committee change.

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MS Final Exam/Thesis Defense

Student

▪ The MS final exam/thesis defense must be done within 5 years of officially beginning the

program.

▪ Be registered during the term the exam is taken. Students who schedule their exams after the

last day of a term must register in the subsequent term. Contact the Academic Affairs Specialist

for deadlines.

▪ Early in term of graduation, complete an “Intent to Graduate” form through the UCD Access

student portal.

▪ At least 3 months before exam: Request any graduate faculty appointments.

▪ At least 3 weeks before scheduling the exam file the Application for Admission to Candidacy

Form.

▪ At least 3 weeks before exam: File Exam Request form.

▪ At least 3 weeks before exam: Get paper or thesis draft to committee.

▪ After the exam and before the end of the term of the defense: Submit the thesis or paper (see

Graduate School graduation deadlines calendar for deadlines, they differ for theses and

papers).

Chair

▪ Before exam: Get exam paperwork from the Graduate School.

▪ After exam: Return exam paperwork to the Academic Affairs Specialist.

PhD Comprehensive (Oral) Exam

Student

▪ This exam should be done no later than one year after completing the PhD written qualifying

exam and completing all required coursework, and it must be done within three years of

officially entering the program. In exceptional cases these deadlines may be extended.

▪ Be registered during the term the exam is taken. Students who schedule their exams after the

last day of a term must register in the subsequent term.

▪ At least 3 months before exam: Request any graduate faculty appointments.

▪ At least 3 weeks before exam: File “Application for Admission to Candidacy” form.

▪ At least 3 weeks before exam: File “Exam Request” form.”

▪ At least 3 weeks before exam: Get proposal to committee.

Chair

▪ Before exam: Get exam paperwork from the Graduate School.

▪ After exam: Return exam paperwork to the Academic Affairs Specialist.

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PhD Final Exam/Dissertation Defense

Student

▪ The final PhD defense must be done within seven years of officially entering the program.

▪ Be registered for at least 1 dissertation credit during the term of the defense. Students who

schedule their examinations after the last day of a term must register in the subsequent term.

▪ Early in term of graduation, complete an “Intent to Graduate” form through the UCD Access

student portal.

▪ At least 3 months before exam: Request any new graduate faculty appointments.

▪ At least 3 weeks before exam: File Exam Request and Biosketch forms.

▪ At least 3 weeks before exam: Get Dissertation to committee.

▪ After the exam and before the end of the term of the defense: Submit the dissertation (see

Graduate School graduation deadlines calendar for deadlines). This requires the Thesis

Approval form signed by all committee members, which the student should print from the

Graduate School website and bring to the defense.

Chair

▪ Before exam: Get exam paperwork from the Graduate School. There are two forms to be

signed by the committee, one giving results from the exam and one approving the dissertation.

The first will be sent to you by the Graduate School, the latter the student should bring to the

defense.

▪ After exam: Return exam paperwork to the Academic Affairs Specialist.

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Appendix II

UCD Biostatistics Graduate Program Guidelines for Thesis, Research Paper or

Dissertation

The purpose of this document is to describe the general steps toward successful completion of the

research component (thesis, research paper, or dissertation) of an MS or PhD degree in Biostatistics. It

is important to approach these components systematically because they are of a different nature from

coursework and require a more active role of the student. In fact, the research component is as much

about learning the processes of research, writing, and managing large projects as it is about the

biostatistical content. Since this is a new (for most students) and less structured part of your education,

it is easy to get stuck at this point in the process. This document is intended to make that less likely.

General sequence

The general steps in completing the research components of the degrees are listed below. Roughly, the

steps for both MS and PhD degrees include completing coursework, passing written preliminary and

PhD qualifying examinations, selecting a research topic and supervisor, preparing a proposal, getting

the proposal approved, doing the work, writing the paper or thesis, and defending it. In some cases it is

possible to deviate from the order listed below – contact the Biostatistics Program Director(s) if you are

considering doing so.

General Timing Rules

If you have taken graduate-level coursework at another accredited university you may be able to

transfer those credits to UCD with approval from the Biostatistics Program Director(s). Credits can be

transferred after you have completed at least one semester of coursework, and prior to (not during) the

semester of your graduation. There are rules about what credits can and cannot be transferred. Some

of these rules are a bit flexible; some are not, so consult the director(s) for advice.

MS students have five years and PhD students have seven years from entry into the program to

complete all degree requirements. You must remain registered each semester (excluding summers). If

you do not register you may be dropped from the Graduate School and required to re-apply for

admission. If you need to take a break from your degree program for personal reasons, you may request

a leave of absence for up to one year. Approved leaves of absence do not automatically extend the time

limits for earning a degree, but they may be used as a reason to request an extension if needed.

MS students must enroll full-time at UCD for a minimum of two semesters however; at least four

semesters of credit must be earned for work performed while enrolled at UCD. For PhD students, the

requirement is six semesters beyond a BS degree. For PhD students, two semesters may be allowed for

a MS from another accredited institution. Full-time enrollment means a minimum of five credits of

coursework or at least 1 credit of MS Thesis, Research Paper, or Candidate, or for PhD students at least

1 credit of Dissertation (prior to the oral Comprehensive exam) or 5 credits of Dissertation (after passing

the oral Comprehensive exam) up to at least 30. After 30 dissertation credits, then ColoradoSPH PhD

students only have to register for 1 dissertation credit for fall and spring semester. Summer enrollment

is only required if you plan to take your comprehensive or final exam during summer semester.

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Written preliminary exams (May/June each year)

For an MS degree, both parts (theory and methods) of the first-year preliminary exam must be passed.

Students should plan to take these exams as soon as they have completed the required courses (BIOS

6618/19 and BIOS 6631/32). The exams may be taken separately, in different years, which is often the

case for part time students.

PhD

For a PhD degree, both parts (theory and methods) of the first preliminary exam must be passed. A

pass on the first-year preliminary exam is considered good for 5 years, or in special cases longer at the

discretion of the program director(s). This is the official Graduate School Preliminary exam. The second

set of qualifying exams must also be passed. Students should plan to take the second exam as soon as

they have completed the required biostatistics courses (BIOS 6624, 6643 and 7731). Students entering

the program with an MS degree from another university are required to take the first preliminary exam

at the end of their first year. Students with a previous relevant masters and coursework corresponding

to BIOS 6618/19 and/or 6631/32 may choose to take the preliminary exams the summer prior to

entering the PhD program. For this particular case, passing counts as an official pass, but a no pass does

not count as the first official attempt.

Students who do not pass either or both parts of the preliminary exams may, depending on the quality

of their other work in the program, be allowed to re-take the failed parts.

Research: Thesis and dissertation process

Students are encouraged to begin talking with potential research supervisors as soon as possible after

entry into the program, and do not have to wait until taking or passing these preliminary exams to

begin the other steps below.

1. Select a topic and/or a supervisor. We encourage students to talk with a number of faculty

members about possible topics. If you have not already done so, begin soon after the

preliminary exams. Contact faculty you think you may want to work with, or faculty in an area

that interests you. You are not making any commitment to work with that person, nor they

with you. Do not assume that you need to find a topic on your own, but also do not assume that

you will just be handed a topic to work on, you may be involved in developing the topic. It will

help very much if you have some interests or specific things to suggest. Topics, particularly for

MS theses and research papers, very often arise from student work or consulting, so watch for

projects that have interesting twists or issues, or things at work that you or your colleagues

have wanted to work on but never seem to find the time. You may want to talk with several

faculty members before deciding. It is fine and sometimes natural to work closely with two

faculty members in a joint supervision arrangement.

Technical issues: During this time students may register for MS Thesis or Research Paper credits or PhD

dissertation credits. A grade of "In Progress" (IP) will be assigned in all semesters until the final

examination or thesis is submitted to the Graduate School Office. The Graduate School will then obtain

the thesis grade, and all IPs then will be changed to this final grade.

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MS: Master’s students must register for a total minimum of four semester hours of thesis (BIOS 6950)

or research paper (BIOS 6651).

PhD: PhD students must register for a total of at least 30 semester hours of dissertation to complete

the requirements for the PhD degree. A student may not register for more than 10 dissertation credit

hours in any one term without permission.

2. Form a committee. When you and your likely supervisor(s) are fairly confident you have a good

topic or specific area, begin forming a committee. You and your likely supervisor should

determine other faculty you would like to work with and who would add expertise in your area.

When you have agreed, ask and probably meet with each of those people to describe your

proposed work. You and your committee should meet as a group at least once every six months

and the committee chair should place a note in your student file describing the meeting.

Technical issues: An MS committee must have at least 3 members with the majority, including the

chair, from the core Biostatistics training faculty. A PhD committee must have at least 5 members, a

majority (including the chair and mentor) from the core Biostatistics training faculty and at least one

who is not. A committee must have an odd number of members (to avoid ties). For PhD committees

the mentor and chair must be different. The committee chair is responsible for monitoring the

conditions and reporting their outcome to the Graduate School. The mentor(s) (sometimes referred to

as supervisor(s)) typically guides the research. All members of the committee must be present for the

comprehensive and final examinations. All members of MS and PhD committees must have

appointments in the UCD graduate school. Faculty from other schools or universities are often fine, but

will need to receive a special appointment to the Graduate School faculty. Members outside of

Biostatistics (e.g. clinicians or investigators in other fields) may need such an appointment too. This can

be done (subject to approval of the Program Director(s)) by contacting the Academic Affairs Specialist.

This must be done early and cannot be done retroactively. Changes can be made to committees,

subject to approval of the program director(s).

3. Draft a proposal. A proposal should describe your proposed topic, background and relevant

literature, basic theory and methods, and mainly your intended approaches. It is meant to be an

agreement between you and your committee, describing expectations on both sides. An MS

proposal should be about 3-5 pages, a PhD proposal about 10-12 pages. You and your

supervisor (and perhaps other committee members you are working closely with) should work

together to get this in good shape, and then circulate it to your committee for comments. The

PhD work and thesis should show originality on the part of the student and be of publishable

quality for a statistical journal. An MS thesis should involve an original application of statistical

methods at a level somewhat beyond what is typically covered in coursework and be of

publishable quality for a journal. In particular, an MS thesis or research paper need not contain

new statistical methods or be publishable in a statistical journal, though many MS theses do

and are published in statistical journals.

4. Oral comprehensive exam (PhD) or proposal approval (MS). The proposal must be approved

by your committee. The proposal is presented to the committee at an in-person meeting. The

written proposal should be provided to the committee 1-2 weeks prior to the in-person meeting

as indicated by the committee members.

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Technical issues: PhD students must apply for candidacy and the student’s advisor and program

director must approve the completed application form for admission to candidacy for the doctoral

degree at least two weeks before taking the PhD oral comprehensive examination. Students must be

registered at the time they take the comprehensive examination for the PhD degree. Students who

schedule their examinations after the last day of a given term must register in the subsequent term.

Before being admitted to candidacy, doctoral students must complete at least three semesters of

residence, complete or register for all program-required, non-thesis coursework, and pass the oral

comprehensive examination. The oral comprehensive examination must be completed no later than

the end of the student’s third year. With the recommendation of the program directors and

concurrence of the Assistant Dean, the examination may be taken during the fourth year. If a student

passes the examination with conditions, those conditions must be stated on the examination form and

satisfied within four months. At the program’s discretion, a student who fails the examination may

retake it once. The retake will be in the form designated by the committee and must be completed

within 12 months.

MS: For MS students this is a committee meeting but not a formal examination or presentation for the

Graduate School. It is recommended that the student give a short (~30) minute presentation of the

proposal to the committee The supervisor should place in the student’s file a copy of the accepted

proposal along with a note saying it was accepted.

PhD: For PhD students, this is the official Graduate School Comprehensive Exam. PhD students

present a 30-40 minute talk on the proposal to their committee and can be asked questions about it or

any other aspects of their course work or research area. It is recommended that students and

committee members set aside 2 hours for the comprehensive exam. The oral part of the

comprehensive examination is open to members of the Graduate Faculty. Upon successful completion

of the exam and acceptance of the proposal, the chair files a form with the Graduate school and places

a copy of the form and the proposal in the student’s file.

5. Do the work. Work with your supervisor and committee members to carry out what you

outlined in the proposal. As things develop there will likely be some variation from the

proposal, which is OK. Major changes in direction would best be considered as a new proposal.

For students, faculty, and investigators, research typically involves collaboration. Some people

prefer to meet regularly (e.g. weekly), others meet upon request. You should not spend long

periods of time working alone without talking with your supervisor -- this is a recipe for delay

and/or failure. Committees should meet at least once every six months, and a note of progress

put in the student’s file by the committee chair. The thesis must meet the formatting criteria

outlined in the UCD Thesis Specifications available on the Graduate School website. The MS

Research Paper must be in a form to be submitted to a journal.

6. Defend the thesis, research paper or dissertation. The defense is the official Graduate School

Final Exam for the MS or PhD degree. A final exam for MS or PhD in Biostatistics consists of a

40-50 minute presentation by the student that is open to the public, followed by questions and

then an examination by the committee only. It is recommended that students and committee

members set aside 2 hours for the final exam. The thesis, research paper or dissertation should

be essentially complete when the Final Exam is taken, and the student must submit finalized

draft copies to the committee at least two weeks before the examination date. You should

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consult the graduate school at least several months before you plan to graduate to make sure

you have filed the necessary paperwork.

Technical issues: Students must be registered at the time they take the final examination for MS or PhD

degrees. Students who schedule their examinations after the last day of a given term must register in

the subsequent term. The Graduate School must be notified on the appropriate forms at least two

weeks before the exam. Students must file an "Intent to Graduate” through the UCD Access student

portal no later than the posted deadline for the term in which they plan to have their degrees conferred.

All members of the committee must be present for the examination. If a student passes the

examination with conditions, those conditions must be satisfied within 60 days for the MS degree and

the PhD degree.