Course information

This page contains an overview of BCA program requirements.

Further information can be found in the Future and Current Students pages.

Who is the program for?
Program of courses
Program Objectives
Who is eligible to apply?
How to enrol
Study planning
Curriculum

Who is the program for?

The program has been designed to provide advanced biostatistical training for a diverse range of students. The main thing is that you should have an aptitude for advanced mathematics, and a desire to learn biostatistics.

The program includes units designed to provide the background in mathematical and statistical theory to those without a first degree in mathematics or statistics. The compulsory unit in epidemiology introduces those unfamiliar with research in population health to the basic concepts and methods of investigation used in public health & clinical medicine.

Graduates with a health sciences background, e.g. Masters degree in Public Health or Clinical Epidemiology, will gain more sophisticated statistical skills, while those from a mathematical background will further their understanding of health issues and the application of statistics in the field. On completion of the Masters degree or Graduate Diploma, graduates will have attained the required skills for employment as a biostatistician, while those completing the Graduate Certificate will have a good understanding of the principles of epidemiology and some aspects of biostatistics.

The program of courses in biostatistics:

For the Masters, all units are core requirements, except that students may choose between Health Indicators & Health Surveys and Clinical Biostatistics. Students may be waived the requirement to complete either Epidemiology (most likely students coming from a background in health research), or one or both of the units, Mathematical Background for Biostatistics and Principles of Statistical Inference (students coming from a background in mathematics and/or statistics), if they have equivalent prior credits. This should leave room for the student to complete one or two electives in addition to the compulsory Workplace Project Portfolio unit (WPP), depending on the credit value placed upon WPP by the university at which they are enrolled.

*(Post)Graduate Diploma in Biostatistics (8 units of study)

For the Graduate Diploma, all units are compulsory, except the Work Placement Project Portfolio unit and a choice between wClinical Biostatistics, wSurvival Analysis and wHealth Indicators and Health Surveys, and with the understanding that some students may substitute electives for subjects such as Epidemiology, Mathematical Background for Biostatistics, or Principles of Statistical Inference, if they have equivalent prior credits. wat least one of these units is compulsory but students may chose among them

*(Post)Graduate Certificate in Biostatistics (4 units of study)

For the Graduate Certificate, only Epidemiology is a core requirement, if not already passed, allowing maximum flexibility (within the constraints of other subject-specific prerequisites, as indicated).

* Program title can differ between universities. Program content is, however, the same across universities.

Program Objectives

• Masters Degree
• (Post)Graduate Diploma
• (Post)Graduate Certificate

Who is eligible to apply?

• a Bachelor degree in Statistics, Mathematics, Science, Psychology, Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Economics, Health Sciences or other appropriate discipline from an approved university (or equivalent qualification);
• a proven aptitude for advanced mathematical work, indicated for example by a high level of achievement in high school or undergraduate mathematics;
• already passed an introductory course in statistics, covering at least the estimation of means and proportions with confidence intervals, and the comparison of means and proportions between two groups using hypothesis tests (i.e. t-tests and chi-squared tests for 2x2 tables).

How to enrol

Study planning

Future students:
contains information for prospective students, including details about how studying via a consortium of universities works (the BCA Consortium Outline); BCA Program guides, showing required units for each course, co/prerequisites, semester availability, and how to apply for exemptions and/or credits; and textbook and software requirements.

Please note that BCA courses are designed to be studied part-time. In order to plan your study, it is important to consult the Curriculum Table and Study Schedules in the 2008 Program Outline.

Curriculum