ms stat@UC-Davis vs msph biostat@Emory, seeking for advice...

[lynnlynn]

Hi everyone, I'm an international student and I got admission from these two programs and I don't know where to choose, so I'm seeking for advice here. I want to find a job after graduation. 

 

biostat @Emory: biostat rank#38 overall rank#20 Rollins School of Public Health rank#6

 located in Atalanta, near CDC(which might be easier for me to find an internship), about 20 students will be enrolled in MPH/MSPH program evey year. Internship and thesis are required.I think the career service in emory is better than UC-Davis.

 

stat@UC-Davis: stat rank#27 overall rank#38 

located in Davis,CA, near San Francisco, I checked the coursers plan online and also asked student who attend there now and found that the coursers may be too theoretical, actually I want to find a program more practical and more useful for me to find a job. Besides, the secretary of this program told me that this year there will be about 45-50 students be enrolled in this program>20 students in emory, I also worry about too many people. The program doesn't require thesis.

 

Actually I think the statistics program is better for finding jobs than biostatistics program since the studying of statistics includes biostatistics. And I studied economic statistics as an undergraduate so I know nothing about biostatistics. Someone told me that if you don't know whether you are interested in biostatistics or not, then choose statistics..

 

Now I'm completely confused and I really want to hear some suggestions from you. Thank you very much!

[ParanoidAndroid]

since the studying of statistics includes biostatistics. 

 

Actually the converse is true. 

Edited April 5, 2014 by ParanoidAndroid

[Y.T. Safire]

Actually the converse is true. 

 

Hi, thanks for sharing. But could you possibly explain what you mean by "the converse is true"? Do you mean biostats programs help more in job hunting or the study of biostats includes stats or both? Thanks!

[ParanoidAndroid]

Hi, thanks for sharing. But could you possibly explain what you mean by "the converse is true"? Do you mean biostats programs help more in job hunting or the study of biostats includes stats or both? Thanks!

 

Sorry I referring to the latter part of that sentence: "...since the studying of statistics includes biostatistics." 

[Y.T. Safire]

Sorry I referring to the latter part of that sentence: "...since the studying of statistics includes biostatistics." 

 

I see. Sorry that I did not notice that you only quoted the second part of the sentence.

[lynnlynn]

Actually the converse is true. 

Thank you for sharing. Do you mean that the studying of biostatistics also includes statistics so there is no big difference between choosing statistics or biostatistics as major?

[ParanoidAndroid]

Thank you for sharing. Do you mean that the studying of biostatistics also includes statistics so there is no big difference between choosing statistics or biostatistics as major?

 

I meant to say that in biostats, you are typically required to take courses that a stats major would take, at least at the masters level. From this thread:  cyberwulf posted:

 

 

Stat and biostat are generally pretty similar at the MS level; the typical program will offer a first-year graduate-level course sequence in mathematical statistics, along with various more applied courses in regression, survival analysis, experimental design, etc.

 

Being in biostat shouldn't preclude you from moving into a non-health science area later on.

 

It also depends on what kind of jobs you're looking for. If you're into finance, then stats is probably better suited for you. If you're looking to work in the public health industry, then biostats is probably ideal. 

[lynnlynn]

I meant to say that in biostats, you are typically required to take courses that a stats major would take, at least at the masters level. From this thread:  cyberwulf posted:

 

 

 

It also depends on what kind of jobs you're looking for. If you're into finance, then stats is probably better suited for you. If you're looking to work in the public health industry, then biostats is probably ideal. 

Thank you for telling me this, it really helps.

[literaryreference]

I heard a negative review of Davis MS Stat program from a current student. He indicated that there was a lot of change in the department and some of the current students were unhappy. Also stated that coursework was pretty theoretical.