Is there usually a path to move from a Biostatistics department to a Statistics department within the same school?

[lazo]

I'm a Master's student at one of the top 3 Biostatistics department (graduating this year) who is finding out that Statistics is a better fit for my interests/career path. In particular, I am interested in becoming a professor and I would prefer the Statistics funding path (where you have more teaching obligations and are funded by the department) over the Biostatistics funding path (where you are mostly funded by soft money and need to write a lot more grant proposals). I also have found that my research interests are a better match for Statistics departments than Biostatistics departments for a variety of reasons. I have already been unofficially accepted to the Ph.D. program in Biostatistics at my university (as in my adviser has told me that they're 99% confident that the department will accept me), but I have also applied to multiple Statistics Ph.D. programs, including the one at my university (which is generally regarded as a great Statistics department). I have not heard anything from the Statistics department at my university yet.

I was wondering if there is generally a pipeline for Biostatistics students to transition to the Statistics department at the same university, or is applying to the Statistics department basically the same as applying from the outside? And if Statistics departments take into account the fact that I am coming from the Biostatistics department, will they see this as a positive or a negative? Could they potentially want to discourage inter-departmental moves between the two departments? I unfortunately don't know a lot of professors in the Statistics department, and I have not talked to anyone in the Statistics department about my application either. Is there someone in the Statistics department that I should contact to let them know that I am interested in making the switch? I feel like there isn't a terribly strong connection between the two departments at my school, and I am wondering if switching departments within the same school is something that can be done.

Edited January 15, 2019 by lazo

[bayessays]

No. You would generally have to completely reapply.  If somehow you managed to start doing research with someone in the other department, you might be able to swing that into an easy transfer, but that's a big risk. I'd recommend starting in a statistics department rather than taking this risk - the culture of biostatistics and statistics departments are generally pretty different.

[lazo]

On 1/15/2019 at 6:29 PM, bayessays said:

No. You would generally have to completely reapply.  If somehow you managed to start doing research with someone in the other department, you might be able to swing that into an easy transfer, but that's a big risk. I'd recommend starting in a statistics department rather than taking this risk - the culture of biostatistics and statistics departments are generally pretty different.

I understand that I'll have to reapply to the Statistics department, but my question was more oriented towards "How would the Statistics department consider the fact that I already have a M.S. from the Biostatistics department?" I have never gotten a grade lower than an A in any of my courses in graduate school, so I like to think that my M.S. would make me more competitive, but it could also be that the Statistics department wants to discourage inter-departmental moves... In addition, is there someone I should contact in the Statistics department regarding my application? So far, I haven't contacted anyone yet, but is sending an email to the director of graduate studies (in the Statistics department) appropriate for someone in my situation?

[bayessays]

Sure, contact the DGS and ask them. They will almost certainly give you the answer I just gave you, which I think you misunderstood. I didn't simply mean that you would have to literally fill out an application, but that your application will be considered just like anyone else who has a MS from a similar school. The only advantage is they might be able to ask one of your recommenders who they know more personally whether you would succeed.

[lazo]

33 minutes ago, bayessays said:

Sure, contact the DGS and ask them. They will almost certainly give you the answer I just gave you, which I think you misunderstood. I didn't simply mean that you would have to literally fill out an application, but that your application will be considered just like anyone else who has a MS from a similar school. The only advantage is they might be able to ask one of your recommenders who they know more personally whether you would succeed.

What about if the applicant had already done a good deal of the coursework required for the Ph.D. in Statistics and received good grades in those courses? (Since sometimes Biostatistics students take courses in the Statistics department) Would that affect how the Statistics admissions committee considers the applicant? (Not saying this applies to my scenario, just a hypothetical)

Edited January 21, 2019 by lazo

[bayessays]

1 hour ago, lazo said:

What about if the applicant had already done a good deal of the coursework required for the Ph.D. in Statistics and received good grades in those courses? (Since sometimes Biostatistics students take courses in the Statistics department) Would that affect how the Statistics admissions committee considers the applicant? (Not saying this applies to my scenario, just a hypothetical)

These all boil down to one thing - the professors. If you take a class with a professor in the statistics department, do research with a professor in the statistics department, or get a good recommendation from a professor who is a colleague of someone on the admissions committee, yes that will help you.  But Harvard statistics is not going to give preferential treatment to someone who got their MS in biostatistics there (outside of the above factors, which only incidentally are related to having the biostatistics degree from Harvard).