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Biostatistics (POPH90013)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

Availability
Semester 1
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This subject is compulsory for students enrolled in the Master of Public Health, Master of Epidemiology and the Master of Science (Epidemiology). Students should enrol in this subject early in their program of study.

The subject introduces the fundamental concepts of statistics and the essential methods required to equip students to perform basic statistical analyses and interpret research findings in the public health setting.

Intended learning outcomes

At the completion of the subject, students should be able to:


  • Distinguish basic data types (categorical, continuous) and summarise them appropriately using tables and graphs;
  • Calculate and interpret:

- Summary measures of statistical distributions
- Confidence intervals for means and proportions
- Confidence intervals for comparison of means, comparison of proportions, risk ratio and odds ratio
- P-values for comparison of means and proportions;


  • Explain the central role of sampling variability in statistical inference;
  • Distinguish between statistical significance and clinical or public health relevance;
  • Use Mantel-Haenszel methods to control for confounding in statistical analyses;
  • Describe the importance of statistical power and perform simple sample size calculations;
  • Use statistical software ‘Stata’ for basic statistical analyses.

Generic skills

Upon completion of this subject students will have developed skills in:

  • Critical thinking and analysis,
  • Finding, evaluating and using relevant information,
  • Problem-solving,
  • Written communication,
  • Using computers.

Last updated: 3 November 2022

Eligibility and requirements

Prerequisites

None

Corequisites

None

Non-allowed subjects

-

POPH90142 POPH90143

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.

Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home

Last updated: 3 November 2022

Assessment

Additional details

  • A written assignment of not more than 8 pages due in the 7th week of the subject (30%)
  • A written assignment of not more than 8 pages due in the 11th week of the subject (40%) and
  • A 2-hour open-book examination (administered by the University) to be held during the examination period (30%).

Last updated: 3 November 2022

Dates & times

  • Semester 1
    Principal coordinatorEnes Makalic
    Mode of deliveryOn Campus (Parkville)
    Contact hours32 hours: 1 hour lecture and 1 hour tutorial per week plus four blocks of 2 hour computing practicals
    Total time commitment170 hours
    Teaching period 4 March 2019 to 2 June 2019
    Last self-enrol date15 March 2019
    Census date31 March 2019
    Last date to withdraw without fail10 May 2019
    Assessment period ends28 June 2019

    Semester 1 contact information

    emakalic@unimelb.edu.au

    Melbourne School of Population and Global Health

    OR

    Currently enrolled students:

    Future Students:

Time commitment details

170 hours

Last updated: 3 November 2022

Further information

Last updated: 3 November 2022