Master of Public Health (MPH)
Prevention. Promotion. Communication.

MPH Concentrations

Biostatistics

Concentration area director:
Dr. Lili Tian
Department of Biostatistics
247 Farber Hall
716 829-2715
ltian@buffalo.edu

Biostatistics is the application of statistical techniques to scientific research in health-related fields, including medicine, biology, and public health, and the development of new tools to study these areas. Statistical techniques are used in studies such as identifying the causes of diseases and injuries, evaluating public health programs to determine what works best in solving health problems, and designing mathematical models that describe the progression of diseases in populations. Biostatisticians collaborate with practitioners and researchers in clinical and public health and with local, state, and national health institutions. Biostatisticians also advise public health officials at the local, regional and national levels. Biostatisticians find employment in various types of organizations and settings, including local and state health departments, with the federal government such as at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or other divisions in the Department of Health and Human Services, and in academic settings, industry such as pharmaceutical companies, and health care providers including hospitals and managed care organizations.

Courses and Competencies

Other program items (school policies, waivers, credit transfers, multi-award degree programs, etc.)

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Courses and Competencies

Individual courses have a set of detailed competencies provided in course syllabi.  What follows are overarching statements that summarize these competencies.

Core Required MPH Courses

The required core courses taken by all MPH students are as follows. They address competencies established by the Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) for the five core areas of the MPH degree:  biostatistics, environmental health sciences, epidemiology, health policy and management, and social and behavioral sciences. NOTE: SPM 501 and STA 527 must be taken in the first semester of a student's program. (In extenuating circumstances, students can request a waiver to the first semester requirement from their concentration area director but the courses must be taken by the second year of the program.)

Total: 26 credits

See the course calendar for a schedule of required courses.

The required core MPH courses taken by all MPH students will enable students to:

  • Apply descriptive techniques to public health data; calculate and interpret epidemiologic measures of association, risk and disease frequency; define and apply the basic elements of epidemiologic study designs; describe bias, confounding and effect modification and the basic approaches for their evaluation in epidemiologic data; demonstrate appropriate inferences from epidemiologic data; evaluate epidemiologic reports; define the principles of a good screening program and calculate and interpret relevant measures; and describe disease outbreak investigations. (SPM 501)
  • Describe the components and major operational features of the U.S. health care delivery system from a population perspective, within a historical context of the technical, economic, political and social forces that continue to propel change. (SPM 507)
  • Understand the nature of public health as a profession, take into account the diversity of risk factors affecting population health as well as the options available to improve population health, and explain the public health strategy and its benefits and limitations for improving population health. (SPM 533)
  • Through the acquisition of basic knowledge in the biological sciences, evaluate and interpret the influence that the biological sciences have on population based health and public health programs and services. (SPM 535)
  • Explain the process of risk assessment and its utilization in decision-making to prevent and control environmental hazards, and describe and evaluate causes, effects, and amelioration of environmental health problems from an ecological or systems perspective. (SPM 549)
  • Through an understanding of the behavioral, social, and cultural factors related to individual and population health and health disparities over the life course, better develop, administer, and evaluate programs and policies in public health and health services directed at promoting and sustaining healthy environments and healthy lives for individuals and populations. (HB 527)
  • Plan, perform, and report basic statistical calculations and analyses and critically read public health and medical care journal articles. (STA 527)
  • Undertake effective data management, manipulation, and analyses and prepare graphic reports at a basic level using the statistical software package SAS. (STA 506)

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Concentration Courses

Required courses (6 credits):

Students take three of the following selective courses (9 credits):

See the course calendar for a schedule of required and selective courses.

Through the required and selective courses, the biostatistics concentration students will be able to:

  • Describe the roles biostatistics serves in the discipline of public health.
  • Describe basic concepts of probability, random variation and commonly used statistical probability distributions.  
  • Describe preferred methodological alternatives to commonly used statistical methods when assumptions are not met.
  • Distinguish among the different measurement scales and the implications for selection of statistical methods to be used based on these distinctions.
  • Apply descriptive techniques commonly used to summarize public health data.
  • Apply common statistical methods for inference.
  • Apply descriptive and inferential methodologies according to the type of study design for answering a particular research question.
  • Apply basic informatics techniques with vital statistics and public health records in the description of public health characteristics and in public health research and evaluation.
  • Interpret results of statistical analyses found in public health studies. 
  • Develop written and oral presentations based on statistical analyses for both public health professionals and educated lay audiences. 
  • Use and explain linear (simple and multiple) and logistic regression. (STA 503)
  • Use and explain group comparison procedures. (STA 504)
  • Use and explain statistical procedures for analyzing experiments using genomic data. (STA 509)
  • Use and explain distribution free inference procedures. (STA 515)
  • Use and explain procedures for categorical data. (STA 517)
  • Use and explain procedures for clinical trial data. (STA 526)
  • Use and explain common methods for survival data. (STA 575)

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Field Training

Important links:

The competencies acquired during field training will vary among field training experiences.  However, there are competencies which are addressed in most if not all field training sites irrespective of students’ MPH concentrations.  These are as follows:  

  • Articulate an achievable mission, set of core values, and vision.
  • Engage in dialogue and learning from others to advance public health goals.
  • Demonstrate transparency, integrity, and honesty in all actions.
  • Promote high standards of personal and organizational integrity, compassion, honesty, and respect for all people.
  • Appreciate the importance of working collaboratively with diverse communities and constituencies (e.g., individual clients, practitioners, agencies, organizations, and researchers).
  • Apply legal and ethical principles to the use of information technology and resources in public health settings.
  • Use information technology to access, evaluate, and  interpret public health data.
  • Describe the legal and ethical bases for public health and health services.
  • Develop enhanced awareness of basic concepts and as appropriate use skills involved in culturally appropriate community engagement and empowerment with diverse communities.

Students in the biostatistics concentration though their field training will be able to demonstrate competency in any of the following as appropriate to the particular field training experience:

  • Describe basic concepts of probability, random variation and commonly used statistical probability distributions.  
  • Describe commonly used statistical methods when normality assumptions are met.
  • Describe preferred methodological alternatives to commonly used statistical methods when assumptions are not met.
  • Distinguish among the different measurement scales and the implications for selection of statistical methods to be used based on these distinctions.
  • Apply descriptive techniques commonly used to summarize public health data.
  • Apply common statistical methods for inference.
  • Apply descriptive and inferential methodologies according to the type of study design for answering a particular research question.
  • Apply basic informatics techniques with vital statistics and public health records in the description of public health characteristics and in public health research and evaluation.
  • Interpret results of statistical analyses found in public health studies. 
  • Develop written and oral presentations based on statistical analyses for both public health professionals and educated lay audiences. 

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Integrative Project

Important links:

The purpose of the integrative project is for students to demonstrate they can develop an integrated approach that encompasses the academic discipline of a public health curriculum to address current issues that affect the public’s health.  It gives students the opportunity to incorporate what they learned from their courses and practice experiences or from prior work experience into a paper that focuses on a specific public health issue.  This also gives students experience in writing and critical thinking, and because they give a presentation on their project, in public speaking. 

Although the integrative project is only 2 credits, this is not an indication of the amount of effort required. In the integrative project students have the opportunity to master a topic of their own choosing, one they can proudly display to future employers and colleagues as an area where they have special expertise. The level of that expertise will be proportional to the effort expended.

The topics covered by the integrative project papers vary widely and likewise the competencies acquired can be expected to vary among projects.  However, there are competencies which are addressed in most if not all projects and these are:

  • Demonstrate effective written and oral skills for communicating with different audiences in the context of professional public health activities.
  • Demonstrate integration by identifying linkages between the specifics of the project topic and public health disciplines and applying methods and techniques acquired in the program to the specific topic

By the completion of the integrative project, students in the Biostatistics concentration will have demonstrated:

  1. The ability to integrate and apply principles, methods, and knowledge from preceding courses to address a specific biostatistical issue of public health significance.  The format for addressing the problem could be:
    • An analysis of the problem, including its nature and magnitude, possible causes and contributing factors, and prevention and intervention strategies.
    • A grant proposal for research into some dimension of the problem, such as causes, new prevention and intervention strategies, or evaluation of current strategies.
    • Implementation of a program for addressing the problem. This could be conduct of a research study or implementation of a prevention or intervention strategy in a specific target population.
    • A program evaluation proposal in which an evaluation mechanism is developed that addresses the problem.
    • An individualized project developed by the student in consultation with his or her faculty advisor.
  2. The particular core, interdisciplinary/cross-cutting, and concentration-specific competencies each student uses will vary by project, and the relevant competencies should be determined in consultation with the student’s project advisor and evident in the final written report. However, it is expected that the project will demonstrate that the student is able to do one or more of the following competencies as appropriate to the project:
    • Apply descriptive methodologies according to the type of study design for answering a particular research question or summarizing public health data.
    • Apply basic informatics techniques with vital statistics and public health records in the description of public health characteristics and in public health research and evaluation
    • Distinguish among the different measurement scales and the implications for selection of statistical methods to be used based on these distinctions.
    • Apply common statistical methods for inference.
    • Describe commonly used statistical methods when normality assumptions are met.
    • Describe preferred methodological alternatives to commonly used statistical methods when assumptions are not met.
    • Interpret results of statistical analyses found in public health studies.
  3. Demonstrate integration of preceding coursework by identifying linkages between the specific approaches used to address the health problem and the principles, methods, and knowledge base acquired in the program. This is demonstrated, both in execution of the project and in the final written and oral presentations by:
    • Application of core epidemiologic, biostatistical, environmental health, health behavior, or health services administration methods, data, or knowledge as appropriate to the topic.
    • Application of principles, methods, and knowledge from the biostatistics concentration required and elective courses as appropriate to the topic.
  4. Demonstrate effective written and oral skills for communicating with different audiences in the context of professional public health activities.
    • This will be demonstrated by writing a logical, sound, evidence informed, organized, and well-written paper, with acceptable English grammar, style and format.
    • It will also be demonstrated by a well-prepared oral presentation.
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