Biostatistics (POPH90317)

Please note: this subject is delivered wholly online and only open to students enrolled in the wholly online Master of Public Health or Graduate Certificate in Public Health. Subjects in this course are delivered in an online accelerated learning model and therefore, students typically enrol in one 12.5 credit point subject per online teaching term.

This subject will introduce students to the fundamental concepts of statistics and the essential methods required to equip students to perform basic statistical analyses and interpret research findings. The focus is on data from public health and medical research settings, and all examples are provided in this context. 

Intended learning outcomes

On completion of this subject, students should be able to:

• Explain the key principles of statistical inference including demonstrating an understanding of sampling variability;
• Prepare and present data to communicate key features, including statistical summaries and simple relationships, using tables and graphs;
• Calculate and interpret confidence intervals for key target parameters such as mean values and average causal effects;
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of the concepts of hypothesis testing, p-values and statistical significance;
• Outline the principles underlying choice of sample size for research studies including the concept of statistical power;
• Explain key concepts, in particular that of confounding, that need to be addressed to avoid bias in statistical analysis;
• Perform simple statistical analyses using appropriate software.

Generic skills