Health Data Science - PHD
The PhD Program in Health Data Science trains the next generation of data science leaders for applications in public health and medicine. The program advances future leaders in health and biomedical data science by: (i) providing rigorous training in the fundamentals of health and biomedical data science, (ii) fostering innovative thinking for the design, conduct, analysis, and reporting of public health research studies, and (iii) providing practical training through real-world research opportunities at research centers and institutes directed by departmental faculty such as the Biostatistics Center (BSC), the Computational Biology Institute (CBI), and the Biostatistics and Epidemiology Consulting Service (BECS).
The PhD program consists of two concentrations; Biostatistics & Bioinformatics Concentration. Biostatistics is the science of designing, conducting, analyzing, and reporting studies aimed at advancing public health and medicine. Bioinformatics is the science of developing and applying computational algorithms and analysis methodologies to big biological data such as genetic sequences. Together they are foundational sciences for public health research and decision-making and essential to educating the next generation of leaders in health and biomedical data science.
The program takes advantage of the rich biostatistical and bioinformatics resources at GW and in the Nation’s Capital. Faculty in the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics are engaged in a diverse research portfolio that includes areas such as diabetes, infectious diseases, mental health, maternal-fetal medicine, cardiovascular disease, emergency medicine, and oncology. Methodological interests of the faculty include the design and analyses of clinical trials including group-sequential and adaptive design, SMART trials, pragmatic trials, multiple testing, and benefit: risk evaluation; machine learning; meta-analyses; missing data; randomization tests, longitudinal data; the use of real-world data including electronic medical records; and research in biostatistics education methodologies. The Washington DC area is a hub for biostatisticians and bioinformaticians in government and industry, providing a rich source of adjunct faculty with relevant experience. Specifically, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have considerable human resources in these disciplines, many with world-class reputations. Several leading biostatisticians from the NIH are currently serving on doctoral committees and teach courses in the Milken Institute School of Public Health (GWSPH).
The program features a modernized applied curriculum, unique in its emphasis on cutting-edge data science techniques while retaining the rigor of traditional Biostatistics and Bioinformatics programs. The program prepares students to be independent researchers and effective collaborators in interdisciplinary studies.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: DECEMBER 1
Program Co-Directors: Dr. Keith Crandall (Bioinformatics Concentration)
Dr. Guoqing Diao (Biostatistics Concentration)
Dr. Toshimitsu Hamasaki (Biostatistics Concentration)
GWSPH Doctoral programs admit students for the Fall term each academic year. Applications will be accepted beginning in August and are due no later than December 1st for the next matriculating cohort beginning in the following Fall term. Find GWSPH graduate admissions information here.
All applicants for the Biostatistics Concentration are required to submit current GRE scores (within five years of matriculation date). Applicants for the Bioinformatics Concentration are strongly encouraged to submit a GRE score.
Meeting the minimum requirements does not assure acceptance. Applicants must provide evidence of the completion of their undergraduate and/or graduate work before registration in GWSPH is permitted.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: DECEMBER 1
Concentration-Specific Prerequisites
| Applied Biostatistics | Bioinformatics Concentration |
Additional advanced courses in mathematics and calculus-based probability are encouraged but not a requirement for admission. |
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Transfer Credits
Graduate courses taken prior to admission while in non-degree status may not be transferable into GWSPH programs. The PhD program is designed to serve students coming directly from an undergraduate degree. Students completing a master’s degree prior to admission to the PhD degree program may be eligible to transfer up to 24 credits toward the PhD coursework requirements. Depending on how many transfer credits are accepted, at minimum, 48 credits of additional coursework and dissertation research will be required.
- PhD Core Requirements
PUBH 6080 | Pathways to Public Health (0 credits)*
PUBH 6850 | Introduction to SAS for Public Health Research (1 credit)
PUBH 6851 | Introduction to R for Public Health Research (1 credit)
PUBH 6852 | Introduction to Python for Public Health Research (1 credit)
PUBH 6860 | Principles of Bioinformatics (3 credits)
PUBH 6886 | Statistical and Machine Learning for Public Health Research (3 credits)
PUBH 8001 | PhD Seminar on Cross-Cutting Concepts in Public Health (1 credit)
PUBH 8413 | Research Leadership (1 credit)
PUBH 8475 | Research Ethics and Integrity in Domestic and International Research (1 credit)* For information on PUBH 6080, click here.
CORE TOTAL: 12 CREDITS
- Biostatistics Concentration
PUBH 6864 | Applied Survival Analysis for Public Health Research (3 credits)
PUBH 6866 | Principles of Clinical Trials (3 credits)
PUBH 6887 | Applied Longitudinal Data Analysis for Public Health Research (3 credits)
PUBH 8870 | Statistical Inference for Public Health Research I (3 credits)
PUBH 8871 | Statistical Inference for Public Health Research II (3 credits)
PUBH 8875 | Linear Models in Biostatistics (3 credits)
PUBH 8877 | Generalized Linear Models in Biostatistics (3 credits)
PUBH 8879 | An Introduction to Causal Inference for Public Health Research (3 credits)
PUBH 8880 | Statistical Computing for Public Health Research (3 credits)BIOSTATISTICS CONCENTRATION-SPECIFIC TOTAL: 27 CREDITS
- Bioinformatics Concentration
PUBH 6854 | Applied Computing in Health Data Science (3 credits)
PUBH 6859 | High Performance Cloud Computing (3 credits)
PUBH 6861 | Public Health Genomics (3 credits)
PUBH 6868 | Quantitative Methods (3 credits)
PUBH 6884 | Bioinformatics Algorithms and Data Structures (3 credits)
PUBH 8885 | Computational Biology (3 credits)BIOINFORMATICS CONCENTRATION-SPECIFIC TOTAL: 18 CREDITS
- Electives
For both concentrations, elective selections must include at least:
- 3 Credits in Biostatistics
- 3 Credits in Bioinformatics
- 3 Credits in a Cognate Area
All students are expected to work with their Advisor in the selection of their elective coursework. Pre-approved elective courses are shown in the program guide for each category.
BIOSTATISTICS ELECTIVES TOTAL: 12 CREDITS MINIMUM
BIOINFORMATICS ELECTIVES TOTAL: 18 CREDITS MINIMUM
- Dissertation
PUBH 8999 | Dissertation Research (12-24 credits)
BIOSTATISTICS DISSERTATION TOTAL: 12 CREDITS MINIMUM
BIOINFORMATICS DISSERTATION TOTAL: 12 CREDITS MINIMUM
- Non-Academic Requirements
Graduate Teaching Assistant Program (GTAP)
All PhD students must enroll in UNIV 0250- Graduate Teaching Assistant Certification, administered by the University. Successful completion of this Certification is a pre-requisite/co-requisite to taking on a role as a Teaching Assistant, which is a requirement of the program. The University does not allow students to be Teaching Assistants unless this certification is completed. The 1-credit, online certification is paid for by GW, and does not count toward the credit requirements for the PhD.
Professional Enhancement
Students in degree programs must participate in eight hours of Professional Enhancement. These activities may be Public Health-related lectures, seminars, or symposia related to your field of study.
Professional Enhancement activities supplement the rigorous academic curriculum of the SPH degree programs and help prepare students to participate actively in the professional community. You can learn more about opportunities for Professional Enhancement via the Milken Institute School of Public Health Listserv, through departmental communications, or by speaking with your advisor.
Students must submit a completed Professional Enhancement Form to the student records department at gwsphrecords
gwu [dot] edu (gwsphrecords[at]gwu[dot]edu).Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Training
All students are required to complete the Basic CITI training module in Social and Behavioral Research prior to beginning the practicum. This online training module for Social and Behavioral Researchers will help new students demonstrate and maintain sufficient knowledge of the ethical principles and regulatory requirements for protecting human subjects - key for any public health research.
Academic Integrity Quiz
All Milken Institute School of Public Health students are required to review the University’s Code of Academic Integrity and complete the GW Academic Integrity Activity. This activity must be completed within 2 weeks of matriculation. Information on GWSPH Academic Integrity requirements can be found here.
- Past Program Guides
Students in the PhD in Health and Biomedical Data Science program should refer to the guide from the year in which they matriculated into the program. For the current program guide, click the "PROGRAM GUIDE" button.
Program Guide 2024-2025
Program Guide 2023-2024
Program Guide 2022-2023
Program Guide 2021-2022
Students pursuing a PhD in Health Data Science have access to a world-class faculty with relevant expertise and diverse experience in all sectors of public health and medical research. Areas of interest and research experience for professors and lecturers in the program include: clinical trials, statistical modeling, machine learning, computing and software development, survival analysis, and finite population sampling, with applications in infectious diseases (including COVID-19, HIV, and bacterial superbug infections), mental health, diabetes, maternal-fetal medicine, and cardiovascular disease. Learn about the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics faculty here.
View our PhD Student Profiles here.