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Biostatistics Research Project - S (POPH90149)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Dual-Delivery (Parkville)
To learn more, visit 2023 Course and subject delivery.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
OR
Currently enrolled students:
- General information: https://ask.unimelb.edu.au
- Email: Contact Stop 1
Future Students:
- Further Information: https://study.unimelb.edu.au/
Semester 2
megha.rajasekhar@unimelb.edu.au
Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
OR
Currently enrolled students:
- General information: https://ask.unimelb.edu.au
- Email: Contact Stop 1
Future Students:
- Further Information: https://study.unimelb.edu.au/
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 - Dual-Delivery Semester 2 - Dual-Delivery |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
The aim of the capstone project is to deliver to the student a practical experience in a health and medical research work setting. The focus is on the application of knowledge and skills learnt during the core and elective coursework subjects. In this subject, students will learn to address the types of challenges that the practising biostatistician and their collaborator(s) typically face.
The statistical analysis of real data almost always requires compromises, since no single method is always guaranteed to be superior and more than one approach may be reasonable. Students will gain experience in applied, biostatistical work. This will require an iterative approach, involving refinement of the research question, planning and conducting statistical analyses, and presenting and discussing results and conclusions in close collaboration with subject-matter experts.
Effective communication with subject-matter experts is an important part of the biostatistician’s role in the workplace and, therefore, of the capstone project. Under the guidance of a biostatistical supervisor, students have the opportunity to work with subject-matter experts to apply appropriate statistical methods to answer proposed research questions. Students will give an oral presentation describing their methods and results, and provide a written report.
In this research project a single research question is addressed. The alternative capstone options, POPH90151 and POPH90288/POPH90289, both allow more breadth or depth: two distinct research projects or one large project with multiple challenges.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, students will be able to:
- Apply the knowledge and skills learned from coursework by participating in a substantive, collaborative project in health and medical research;
- Work with collaborators to translate a research question into a statistical question that can be answered by analysing available data;
- Develop a statistical analysis plan and execute the analyses proposed in that plan using existing statistical software;
- Interpret and explain the results of a statistical analysis of data including contextualising them by comparison with the published results of other studies; and
- Disseminate results in the form of an oral presentation and a written report aimed at colleagues in health and medical research who do not have specialised knowledge of statistics.
Generic skills
- Communicate effectively to a range of audiences.
- Think critically to answer research questions in the medical/health field.
- Effectively organize, time manage and plan.
- Demonstrate the technical skills for professional practice.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
a minimum of 50 credit points of study, inclusive of:
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
MAST90102 | Foundations of Regression | July (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
MAST90101 | Introduction to Statistical Computing | Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Corequisites
Non-allowed subjects
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: 31 January 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Portfolio or minor dissertation
| During the examination period | 80% |
An oral presentation
| Week 11 | 20% |
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Coordinator Koen Simons Mode of delivery Dual-Delivery (Parkville) Contact hours Contact hours will vary depending upon the project and host organisation, and will be negotiated with the project supervisor. Meetings: 30 minutes to 2 hours per week. Lab (on-site analysis of statistical data may be required by ethics): maximum two days per week. Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 27 February 2023 to 28 May 2023 Last self-enrol date 10 March 2023 Census date 31 March 2023 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 May 2023 Assessment period ends 23 June 2023 Semester 1 contact information
Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
OR
Currently enrolled students:
- General information: https://ask.unimelb.edu.au
- Email: Contact Stop 1
Future Students:
- Further Information: https://study.unimelb.edu.au/
- Semester 2
Coordinator Megha Rajasekhar Mode of delivery Dual-Delivery (Parkville) Contact hours Contact hours will vary depending upon the project and host organisation, and will be negotiated with the project supervisor. Meetings: 30 minutes to 2 hours per week. Lab (on-site analysis of statistical data may be required by ethics): maximum two days per week. Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 24 July 2023 to 22 October 2023 Last self-enrol date 4 August 2023 Census date 31 August 2023 Last date to withdraw without fail 22 September 2023 Assessment period ends 17 November 2023 Semester 2 contact information
megha.rajasekhar@unimelb.edu.au
Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
OR
Currently enrolled students:
- General information: https://ask.unimelb.edu.au
- Email: Contact Stop 1
Future Students:
- Further Information: https://study.unimelb.edu.au/
Time commitment details
170 hours
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
There are no specifically prescribed or recommended texts for this subject.
- Subject notes
This subject is not available in the Master of Public Health.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Master of Biostatistics - Links to additional information
Last updated: 31 January 2024