Statistics (Biostatistics) - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Mathematics 3 Building

Mathematics 3 (M3) building on Waterloo's main campus

Become a biostatistics expert with the PhD in Statistics (Biostatistics) program.

If you have completed a master’s or bachelor’s degree in statistics, actuarial science, mathematics, or other quantitative disciplines, this program will develop your research skills to solve a wide range of problems arising in health, biology, and the environment.

The demand for statisticians is high in both Canada and around the world, and our graduates typically find employment in pharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations, regional or national centres for health research, academic centres, and public health agencies.

Research areas include, analysis of life history data, causal inference, clustered data, design and analysis of clinical trials, epidemiological methods, event history analysis, generalized linear models, longitudinal data analysis, methods for dealing with incomplete data and measurement error, stochastic processes, statistical computing, and studies of biological systems.

Research fields

  • Biostatistics
  • Computational Statistics
  • Probability
  • Statistical Theory and Methods

Program overview

Department/School: Statistics and Actuarial Science
Faculty: Mathematics
Admit term(s): Fall (September - December)
Delivery mode: On-campus
Program type: Doctoral, Research
Length of program: 48 months (full-time)
Registration option(s): Full-time, Part-time
Study option(s): Thesis

Application deadlines

  • December 1 (for admission in September of the following year)

Key contacts

Request more information

Chris Salahub

...I’ve learned so much in this field. Waterloo has given me so many opportunities to tell stories with data, and I’m excited to see where it takes me.

Chris Salahub, Actuarial Science, PhD

Supervisors

  • Review the finding a supervisor resources.
  • Before applying to the program, students are strongly advised to establish contact with potential supervisors.

Admission requirements

  • A master's degree in statistics, actuarial science, or mathematics, completed or expected. 
    • Note: graduates of other quantitative and mathematically oriented programs are also encouraged to apply; this includes, but is not restricted to, graduates of commerce, economics, engineering, finance, and any of the physical sciences. The department graduate committee will determine the suitability of each student’s background for success in this program.
  • Students with an undergraduate degree in statistics, actuarial science, or mathematics may apply for admission directly to the PhD program. Successful applicants will have an outstanding academic record, and very strong letters of recommendation.
  • At least an overall 78% average from a Canadian university (or its equivalent).
  • An interview may be required.

Degree requirements

Application materials

  • Resume
  • Statement of interest
    • A statement of maximum 500 words explaining your interest in and fit for the program you’re applying to, uploaded as a supporting document in the online application. Review the writing your personal statement resources for helpful tips and tricks on completion.
  • Program-specific questions (PSQ)
    • These are questions specific to the program you’re applying to. They can be viewed once you’ve started an application and are completed through a form in the online application.
  • Transcript(s)
  • References
    • Three references, normally from academic sources.
  • Proof of English language proficiency, if applicable
    • TOEFL 90 (writing 25, speaking 25), IELTS 7.0 (writing 6.5, speaking 6.5)

Tuition and fees