Program
| Program | Expected Length | Project and/or thesis | Course based |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.Sc. | 2 years | ||
| Ph.D. | 4 years |
Biostatistics is the study of statistical techniques applied to medical, biological and agricultural data. Applications arise in areas such as public health, clinical medicine, veterinary medicine, health services, and occupational/environmental health.
The Biostatistics Program is a collaborative venture of the School of Public Health, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, and Department of Mathematics and Statistics. Through classroom participation, laboratory sessions, biostatistical consulting opportunities with core faculty members, and research, M.Sc. and Ph.D. students will have the opportunity to explore developments in theoretical statistics and the application of this theory in the life sciences. The Biostatistics Program provides students with opportunities to study and conduct research in such areas as:
- Design and analysis of clinical trials;
- Longitudinal data analysis;
- Analysis of complex survey data;
- Measurement error;
- Survival analysis;
- Computational statistics; and
- Multivariate statistics.
The program prepares M.Sc. graduates for positions that require expertise in data management, study design, and statistical modelling. The program prepares Ph.D. graduates to assume faculty or other research-oriented positions in academic institutions or to take leadership positions in organizations that conduct health-related research.
Research supervisors
We recommend that you contact the faculty that are doing research in an area that interests you before beginning a formal application.
| Name | Research areas |
|---|---|
| Lingling Jin | Bioinformatics; comparative genomics; computational genomics; formal language and automata theory; natural computing; plant genome evolution |
| Shahedul Khan | Bayesian Statistics; Biostatistics; Changepoint Data Analysis; Joint Modeling; Longitudinal Data Analysis; Recurrent Event Data Analysis; Survival Analysis |
| Bill Laverty | Computer Security; Experimental and Sampling Design; Multivariate Statistics; Spatial Statistics; Statistics; Time Series Analysis; applied statistical method |
| Longhai Li | Bayesian Classification and regression; Bioinformatics; Machine learning; Monte Carlo methods; Statistics; applied statistics; health; statistics in finance; statistics in genomics; statistics in health |
| Juxin Liu | Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methodology; Statistics; epidemiology; errors-in-variable models; genetics; integration models; missing data analysis; remote sensing; spatial statistics |
| Punam Pahwa | Statistical Modeling of Survival Data, Modeling of Missing Observations , Costs of Farm Injuries |
| Chris Soteros | Bioinformatics; Combinatorics; Computer Simulation; Monte Carlo simulation; Statistical Mechanics; Statistics; polymers |
| Raj Srinivasan | Applied probability; Markov chains; Queueing networks; Queueing theory; Statistics |
| Michael Szafron | Monte Carlo simulations , Computational biomodelling of the structure/function of biopolymers, Statistical methods for the health sciences |
| Li Xing | Analysis of Big Data, Bioinformatics, Machine Learning, Bayesian Methods, Longitudinal Data Problem, Biostatistics, Experiment Design |
Tuition and funding
Funding
There are a limited number of scholarships available to students in this program. When you speak with potential supervisors about the research you would like to do, ask about funding opportunities.
Graduate students at USask can receive funding from a variety of sources to support their graduate education.
Tuition
Thesis or project-based master's program
Graduate students in a thesis or project-based program pay tuition three times a year for as long as they are enrolled in their program.
| Term | Canadian students | International students |
|---|---|---|
| September 1 - December 31, 2023 | ||
| January 1 - April 30, 2024 | ||
| May 1 - August 31, 2024 | ||
| Total per academic year |
Doctoral program
Doctoral students pay tuition three times a year for as long as they are enrolled in their program. Both international and domestic PhD students pay the same rate.
| Term | |
|---|---|
| January 1 - April 30, 2024 | $1,644.00 CAD |
| May 1 - August 31, 2024 | $1,644.00 CAD |
| September 1 - December 31, 2023 | $1,644.00 CAD |
| Total per academic year | $4,932.00 CAD |
Student fees
In addition to tuition above, students also pay fees for programs like health and dental insurance, a bus pass, and other campus services. The amount you need to pay depends on if you are taking classes full time or part time, and if you are on campus or not. The table below assumes you are on campus full-time.
| Fall 2023 | Winter 2024 | Spring 2024 | Summer 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student fees | $497.88 CAD | $659.51 CAD | $35.00 CAD | $35.00 CAD |
Tuition information is accurate for the current academic year and does not include student fees. For detailed tuition and fees information, visit the official tuition website.
Admission requirements
- Language Proficiency Requirements: Proof of English proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English.
- A cumulative weighted average of at least a 75% (USask grade system equivalent) in the last two years of study (i.e. 60 credit units)
- A four-year honours degree, or equivalent, from a recognized college or university in an academic discipline relevant to the proposed field of studies such as mathematics, statistics, applied statistics, biostatistics, quantitative psychology, or any other discipline with a strong background in mathematics or statistics
- Language Proficiency Requirements: Proof of English proficiency may be required for international applicants and for applicants whose first language is not English.
- Master's degree, or equivalent, from a recognized university in a relevant academic discipline
- A cumulative weighted average of at least a 75% (USask grade system equivalent) in the last two years of study (i.e. coursework required in master's program)
- Completed course content in Mathematical Statistics, Statistical Inference or equivalent courses at the senior undergraduate level
To be eligible for admission as a Ph.D. student, an applicant must have taken the following courses (or equivalents) during their M.Sc. program: CHEP 800.3 (Epidemiology I), STAT 850.3 (Mathematical Statistics and Inference), and PUBH 842.3 (Current Topics in Biostatistics and Statistical Applications).
Application process
Find a supervisor
Before beginning a formal application for this program, you will need to be matched to a research supervisor who is currently accepting students. To indicate you wish to be considered, you should take the following steps:
- Learn about potential supervisors above, read about the work they are currently doing and their past publications, and make a list for yourself of the potential supervisor(s) you would be interested in working with.
- Create a USask admissions account, log in to your profile and access the Update profile
form. - Add the supervisor(s) you are interested in working with, as well as updating other required fields in the form, and submit it. Your information will be shared with the program and supervisor(s) you have indicated. If they are accepting students and are interested in working with you, they will contact you shortly and instruct you to begin a formal application for admission.
Submit an online application
Before beginning your online application, be sure that you have carefully reviewed all program information and admission requirements on this page.
During the application, you'll be asked for:
- Personal information such as your name, address, etc.
- Contact information of your three referees
- For your letters of recommendation, two of your referees must be academic contacts, and the third may be academic or professional
- Your complete academic history from all previous post-secondary institutions
The application takes about 30 minutes to complete. You may save your application and return to it later.
At the end of the application, you will need to pay a non-refundable $120 application fee. Your application will not be processed until payment is received.
Submit required documents
Once you've submitted your online application, you will have access to upload your required documents, and provide the contact information for your references. To do this, go to the "Supplemental Items & Documents" tab in your application, and upload the documents outlined below.
Preliminary Statement of Marks
- Once you have submitted your application for admission and paid the application fee, you will be required to upload unofficial PDF copies of your academic transcript(s) from each post-secondary institution attended. This requirement will appear as Preliminary Statement of Marks or Additional Prelim. Statement under admission requirements on your Application Summary when you check your application status.
- The uploaded transcript can be an unofficial copy of the transcript issued by the university or college, and must include a grading key/legend.
- All pages of a transcript must be uploaded as a single PDF document.
- Uploaded transcripts will be considered unofficial or preliminary. Official copies of your transcripts will be required only for applicants offered admission. This requirement will appear as Post-secondary Transcript under admission requirements on your Application Summary when you check your application status.
Post-secondary Transcripts
If you receive an offer of admission, you will then be required to have your official post-secondary transcripts sent (by mail in a sealed envelope directly from the institution) to the address below. Please do not send official documents until we request them.
College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Room 116 Thorvaldson Building, 110 Science Place
Saskatoon, SK CANADA S7N 5C9
- Transcripts usually indicate the institution’s name, grading scheme (typically on back of transcript), your name, course names, numbers, credits, and the grades you have received. Depending on the country or institution, some features may not be available.
- Transcripts in languages other than English must be accompanied by a certified translation.
- If you are a current University of Saskatchewan student completing your undergraduate program then a letter of completion of degree requirements will be required from your college.
For students who are required to provide proof of English proficiency:
- It is your responsibility to have completed a relevant test with the appropriate score before the application deadline.
- Tests are valid for 24 months after the testing date and must be valid at the beginning of the student's first term of registration in the graduate program.
- Applicants will be required to upload a PDF copy of any required language test score. Uploaded test scores will be considered unofficial or preliminary.
If you receive an Offer of Admission you may be required to have your official language test scores sent to the address below. Please do not send official documents until we request them.
College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Room 116 Thorvaldson Building - 110 Science Place
Saskatoon, SK CANADA S7N 5C9
In addition to the above official documents, please upload the following documents:
- A research statement that describes the individual's proposed area of research and how it links with the supervisor's area(s) of research expertise. This description should be 1,200 to 1,500 words in length
- A curriculum vitae or resume
- A writing sample of 1,000 to 1,200 words that includes a statement of education and employment history and how it relates to the study of biostatistics, a description of your educational and career goals, and an assessment of how the collaborative Biostatistics Program will help to achieve these goals.
- A letter of support from your proposed supervisor
The programs committee may invite the applicant for a personal interview.
Contact
Biostatistics Program
School of Public Health
104 Clinic Place
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK S7N 2Z4
Program Chair
Dr. Punam Pahwa
Email: thesis.admissions@usask.ca
Graduate Administrator
Darla Mitchell
Email: thesis.admissions@usask.ca
- School of Public Health
Learn more about the academic unit offering this program - Program and Course Catalogue
To view official admission and program requirements