University of Southern California - Division of Biostatistics - Overview
Graduate Studies in Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Genetics, and Related Fields Based at USC's Keck School of Medicine
Graduate education at the University of Southern California (USC) prepares students for leadership in research, teaching, or professional practice in the private or public sector. Rigorous, individually tailored course work and research form the basis for the graduate programs.
Graduate studies in biostatistics, epidemiology, molecular epidemiology, and statistical genetics and genetic epidemiology are contained within USC's Keck School of Medicine. The university offers the Master of Science (M.S.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degrees.
The Ph.D. in biostatistics is designed to produce a biostatistician with a deep knowledge of statistical theory and methodology. The Ph.D. in statistical genetics and genetic epidemiology is a joint effort to combine biostatistics, epidemiology, statistical and molecular genetics, and computational methods in order to develop new and cutting-edge statistical methodology that is appropriate for human genomic studies.
Master's Degrees, PhDs, Joint Degree Programs Offer Various Ways to Enter the Field of Biomedical Research with USC
Master's degree studies in biostatistics focus on the theory of biostatistics, data analytic methods, experimental design (including clinical trials), statistical methods in human genetics, biomedical informatics, and statistical computing methods. The master's degree in applied biostatistics and epidemiology includes applied biostatistics, epidemiological research methods, and research applications, including cancer, infectious disease, chronic disease, and environmental epidemiology.
Doctoral studies cover the areas of biostatistics and data analysis; descriptive, genetic, and molecular epidemiology; computational methods; clinical trial methodology; and related fields of field research, such as population disease and treatment trials.
The Division of Biostatistics also offers a joint-degree program in either the M.S. or Ph.D. in molecular epidemiology in conjunction with the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The objective of the M.S. degree is to train students in the application of statistical methods to the design of biomedical research. The objective of the doctoral degree is to produce a molecular epidemiologist with in-depth laboratory, statistical, and analytical skills in both epidemiology and the molecular biosciences.
Graduate Students, "Co-Investigators" with Faculty Mentors, Participate in Cutting-Edge Biomedical Research Projects
Hands-on research alongside a faculty mentor is the norm at USC. Graduate students work alongside colleagues as co-investigators on epidemiological, clinical trial, and environmental research projects. Graduate students have myriad opportunities to participate in the latest clinical and biomedical research projects. Research teams gain expertise on study design as well as statistical methodology, data analysis, and manuscript preparation.
The university's Health Sciences Campus contains the Norris Cancer Center, the General Clinical Research Center, the Zilkha Neurogenetic Research Institute, and the Doheny Eye Institute Vision Research Center. USC has a dozen libraries to serve all the varied needs of its graduate students. Primary source materials include ongoing research projects and recent faculty and staff members' publications. In addition, electronic resources in hundreds of subjects plus online archives and Internet access are available for students through the library system.
Financial Aid in the Form of Loans, Work-Study, Assistantships, Tuition Waivers, and Stipends Makes It All Possible
Most graduate students who demonstrate financial need qualify for low-interest loans, work-study, or assistantships. Graduate assistantships are awarded on the basis of scholastic accomplishment and competence. Students exchange teaching and laboratory assistant time for tuition waivers and stipends.
The Sponsored Projects Information Network (SPIN) is a computerized database of funding opportunities - federal, private, and corporate - created to help faculty members identify external financial support for research and education. SPIN funds that are directed toward USC programs in biostatistics result in research funds and fellowships for graduate students.
Living and housing costs for the Los Angeles area are approximately $14,500 per year. Housing costs vary greatly, depending on the location and type of accommodations. There are ample housing facilities in the many communities surrounding the medical school.
Graduate Student Experience Is Diverse and Supportive, and "So Cal" Is a Good Place to Study, Visit, Work, and Live
There are approximately 2,300 graduate students at the University of Southern California and 120 in the biostatistics, epidemiology, and genetics programs. The relatively small size of the programs facilitates student-faculty member interchange and good accessibility for students to their professors and mentors, and creates a positive graduate student experience in and out of the classrooms, labs and residences.
USC's campuses are mostly centered around Los Angeles, with other facilities in nearby Alhambra, Pasadena, and Marina del Rey; on Catalina Island; and further away in Orange County to the south and Sacramento to the north. Los Angeles is the second-largest city in the U.S., a major port of call on the West Coast, and the nucleus of southern California. The scenic, sunny, and culturally diverse area of Los Angeles offers miles of beaches, acres of recreational and park areas, and some of the finest arts and cultural opportunities in the nation.
Top-Ranked Programs Put USC Graduates at the Head of the Class for Jobs in Academia, Industry, Research, and Government
University of Southern California graduate programs, as a whole, routinely rank at the very top of the lists compiled by the leading college catalogs and graduate school review publications. Graduates of the USC biostatistics program go on to various post-doctoral positions in industry, independent research laboratories, government agencies, and other educational institutions. USC alumni are well represented in the top schools around the world as teachers and researchers.