Master of Public Health in Biostatistics/Juris Doctor in Law
UCLA Fielding School of Public Health
The UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and the UCLA School of Law offer a four year concurrent degree program. The program includes three years at UCLA Law and one year at UCLA Fielding. Applicants interested in this concurrent program must apply separately to UCLA Law and the Office of Student Services at UCLA Fielding.
An MPH in Biostatistics is a natural direction for individuals with quantitative skills that offers exceptional opportunities to contribute to transforming public health. Graduates apply valuable statistical and computing skills to real-world problems ranging from disease outbreaks, environmental and industrial hazards, to development of social, psychological and medical interventions. This professional degree program includes coursework on biostatistical methods, statistical programming, data management all applied to public health, and courses spanning the multiple disciplines of public health. Students complete fieldwork in a practice setting.
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Degree Preparation
Mathematics preparation for the program should include at least one year of calculus:
- MATH 31A, B - Calculus and Analytic Geometry
- MATH 32A - Calculus of Several Variables
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Program Requirements
The program requires the completion of 62 quarter-credit units.
1. Course Requirements in Biostatistics (34 units)
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MPH students are required to take three core biostatistics methods courses in year one. Typically MPH students in Biostatistics meet this requirement by completing one of the three series below:
- BIOS 200A, 100B and 406
- BIOS 200A, 200B and 200C
- BIOS 200A, 200B and 406.
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The difference between the biostatistics methods sequences (200A, 100B, 406 vs. 200A, 200B, 200C) is that the 200 sequence has more technical and mathematical detail while the 100B/406 sequence focuses on more practical applications. The 200 sequence is taken by MS students in the Department of Biostatistics while the 100B/406 sequence is often taken by MPH students in other departments in the School of Public Health. The decision of whether the Biostatistics 200 sequence is an appropriate fit should be made in consultation with the student’s academic advisor, career goals and prior mathematical background. In order to register for the Biostatistics 200 sequence students will need a PTE (permission to enroll) number. To obtain a PTE number students should contact Roxy Naranjo (rlnaranjo@ph.ucla.edu) and the 200-course instructor.
- BIOS 200A, Methods in Biostatistics
- BIOS 100B, Introduction to Biostatistics or 200B, Methods in Biostatistics
- BIOS 406: Applied Multivariate Biostatistics or Biostatistics 200C, Methods in Biostatistics
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In addition to the three methods courses above, students are required to take:
- BIOS 201A: Topics in Applied Regression
- BIOS 201B: Topics in Applied Regression
- BIOS 203A: Introduction to Data Management and Statistical Computing
- BIOS 400: APEx in Biostatistics (4 units)
- BIOS 402A: Principles of Biostatistical Consulting (2 units)
- BIOS 595: Effective Integration of Biostatistical Concepts in Public Health Research
- And 12 units of biostatistics elective courses chosen from courses in the 200 series with course numbers of 203B and above or from the 400 series.
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Note: carefully check course prerequisites to ensure eligibility for the courses and consult with academic advisor.
Required courses for the degree must be taken for a letter grade.
2. Core Course Requirements in Public Health
- PH 200A and B: Foundations in Public Health
- PH 401: Public Health as a Profession
3. Comprehensive Examination
An MPH Culminating Written Report is required.
- Should demonstrate the application of the material in the curriculum to a public health problem
- Typically motivated by the APEx
- Draft must be submitted to committee at least 1-2 weeks prior to scheduling the Oral Exam
- Needs to be approved by the faculty supervising the report
- Examples of reports from recent graduates are available in the Biostatistics Library and via Box. Email the Student Services Officer for the link.
An Oral Presentation of MPH Culminating Report is required
- During the oral examination the student presents his/her work to the faculty committee (minimum of three members of the biostatistics faculty including the project advisor) and answers questions
- Must receive successful pass from the faculty committee.
The Oral Presentation and Written Report may be repeated only once.
4. Applied Practice Experience (APEx)
An APEx in an approved public health program of up to ten weeks is required of MPH candidates. A minimum of four units, but no more than eight units is required.
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Time to Degree
The MPH in Biostatistics is typically a two-year program (6 academic quarters), but can be completed in less time by well-prepared students.
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Career Outcomes
Biostatisticians have the potential to make enormous scientific impact in medicine, public health, life sciences, survey research, and computer science. There is tremendous variety in possible areas of application, including AIDS, cancer, genetics, imaging, bioinformatics, immunology, and public policy. Graduates of the program work in a variety of policy and management healthcare settings.
Examples of positions include:
- Biostatistician
- Data Analyst
- Statistician
- Data Manager
- Data Scientist
- Statistical Programmer
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Department Faculty
View a list of faculty in the Department of Biostatistics.
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Tuition & Fees
For the most up to date fees and more information on fee breakdown, visit the registrar's office.
Please see the cost and aid section of our website for information on awards, scholarships, training opportunities, employment, summer internship funding, and need-based aid. Please note that opportunities listed under 'Summer Internship Funding' are only applicable to MPH students.
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Admissions
Desired Qualifications
In addition to the University’s Minimum Requirements, most applicants for the MPH in Biostatistics have a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics, or in a Physical, Biological or Social Science. We also recommend some programming experience, some experience in Statistics or Biostatistics and some experience with a Statistics computer package.
Admissions Process
Visit the application guide to learn about our admissions process.
Application Guide
The information listed on this page include information specific to the degree offered by UCLA Fielding. For information regarding program requirements and other details specific to the Law JD, please contact UCLA Law.
UCLA LawPlease Note:
- This information is intended as an overview, and should be used as a guide only. Requirements, course offerings and other elements may change, and this overview may not list all details of the program.
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Admission requirements listed are departmental requirements, and are in addition to the University's minimum requirements. Many programs receive more applicants than can be admitted, so meeting the minimum requirements for admission does not ensure admission. Every effort is made to ensure minimum admissions requirements are up to date - for the most up-to-date information on the University's minimum requirements, please visit the UCLA Graduate Division.
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Fees are subject to change and should be used as a guide only. For the most up to date fees and more information on fee breakdown, visit the registrar's office.