Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the program take to complete?

Just under two years, from July of the first year through May of the second year. All students must begin the program by taking the lead course P6104 Introduction to Biostatistical Methods. This intensive 6-week course begins in early July and ends in mid-August. Students attend classes four mornings per week (Mo-Tu-Th-Fr).

How much homework is there?

Our students tell us that, on average, the program requires about 12-20 hours of their time per week.

Are classes offered at night or on weekends?

No. While we work very hard to ensure clinicians are not in class more than three partial days per week, we do not offered classes at night or on weekends. Many classes required are offered in the mid-to-late afternoon.

What are the differences between the Patient Oriented Research (POR) and the Clinical Research Methods (CRM) tracks?

POR program is 30 credits, while the CRM is a 31-credit degree. The POR program offers full-tuition scholarships, while there is currently no scholarship support for the CRM track. The POR program culminates in a master's essay that consists of an NIH-style grant. The master's essay for the CRM program comprises a research article with comprehensive data analysis of publishable quality. In both programs, research projects are supervised by faculty from biostatistics and by mentor(s) from the student's own clinical field.