Admissions to the Biometry M.S. have been suspended as of fall 2021 and will be discontinued as of fall 2023. If you have any questions, please contact the department.
Program Requirements
A) General
Graduate School entrance, residence and general requirements must be fulfilled. Specific requirements are listed below. The background courses in biology are a bare minimum; it is anticipated that almost all successful applicants will have a strong background in some area of biological science. Under extenuating circumstances, students may appeal to the Executive Committee for exemptions to prerequisites or requirements.
B) Prerequisites
1. Undergraduate calculus (Math 221, 222, and 234 or equivalent).
2. Course in statistics (For/Hort/Stat 571 and 572 or equivalent one year sequence).
3. Background courses in biology (e.g. Bot 130, Zool 101 & 102, Biology 151 & 152).
C) Required coursework
Each student must complete 30 credits of required courses as enumerated in the four categories below. At least 16 of these credits must be earned while the student is enrolled at the UW-Madison. Courses used to satisfy requirements must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a grade of B or higher. A minimum of 9 of the 30 credits must be completed while enrolled in the program. A grade of B or better must be received in any course used to fulfill the required and elective course requirements.
1. Six credits of Intro Math Stat (Stat309-310 or 311-312, or equivalent one-year sequence).
2. Six credits in Statistics courses numbered above 600 (excluding 641, 698, 699, 756, and 990).
3. Three additional credits in Stats courses numbered at the 500 level or above (excluding 571, 572, 698, and 990) which are specifically designed for graduate students. Credits from suitable quantitative courses taught in other (non-biological) departments (e.g. mathematics) may be substituted.
4. Nine credits in biological courses numbered 300 or above (excluding introductory statistics courses and research) so that: at least six credits are taken in a single discipline or in closely related disciplines, at least six credits are taken at the 700 level and above, or in courses specifically designated by the relevant department as “graduate” courses, and maximum of three credits are obtained in statistically oriented courses (e.g. MAS 610, Agron 770 or Agron 811).
D) Consulting experience
Students must complete 3 credits of Statistics 699 (Directed Study — S/U grade) by consulting in the CALS Statistical Consulting Service. (These credits cannot be used for meeting requirements in section C.) This consists of supervised consulting and will provide exposure to statistical issues surrounding a broad range of problems in biology, provide awareness of practical issues such as experiment management, data collection, data recording, etc., and provide experience assisting others in designing experiments and analyzing data. One credit is roughly equivalent to a single project that can be completed in one semester, and involves about 20-30 hours of effort, including meetings with consulting clients, background research, data analyses, etc.
E) Biometry project
Each student must complete a project that represents an original contribution to biometry. Examples of such contributions may include a novel analysis of some interesting biological data, the creation and evaluation of a useful experimental design, or the development and/or comparison of statistical methods. The project results are to be presented in a manuscript with emphasis on the integration of statistics and science. The manuscript should be of a quality that can lead to a publication. This requirement will be formalized by enrolling in at least three credits of “Research” (e.g. Hort 990) in the department of one of the co-advisors. (These credits cannot be used for meeting requirements in section C.) For a student seeking a double M.S., a joint thesis would satisfy this requirement.
F) Final oral examination
Upon completion of course work and project, a three-member committee composed of the student’s co-advisors plus an additional faculty member from Statistics will examine the student orally. This examination will cover the student’s project and course work. For a student seeking a double M.S., a combined examination is acceptable. If failed, the oral examination may be repeated once.
At least three weeks prior to the final oral exam, you must fill out an MS Warrant Form with the Graduate Coordinator in Statistics. Please pick up the warrant from the Graduate Coordinator on the day of your oral exam.
G) Requirements for students seeking more than one degree
1. Students seeking two M.S. degrees (both research degrees) must recognize Graduate School requirements that at most 25% of the credits used for one degree can be applied towards the other. Students pursuing a professional degree may seek a Biometry M.S. but may not use courses required for a professional degree to count towards the Biometry M.S. degree.
2. There are no Graduate School limitations on applying credits towards both a M.S. and a Ph.D. degree. Credits used to satisfy the Biometry M.S. can also be used towards satisfaction of requirements for a Statistics minor, subject to approval by the appropriate minor certification committees. It should be noted that the Graduate School will not grant dissertator status on the Ph.D. program until completion of all requirements for the Biometry M.S. degree except for the final project. Upon reaching dissertator status, the student will register for research or thesis credits (they will have completed all coursework). The student should make application for both the Master’s and PhD degrees during the semester in which they defend.
Program Admissions and Financial Support
Prospective students may apply for admission to the Biometry Program without application to any other program. Prospective students may also apply simultaneously with application to another program or after admission into another program. It is anticipated that most students enrolled in the Biometry Program will be enrolled concurrently in another program.
If a student is already enrolled in the Graduate School, follow these instructions:
1. The appropriate addition of major form.
2. Transcripts from all previous post-secondary schools attended.
3. A 1-2 page statement of purpose indicating your reasons for applying to the Biometry M.S.
4. A minimum of two letters of recommendation.
5. Identification of two co-advisors, one statistical and one biological (see below).
Other interested applicants not enrolled in the Graduate School at UW should submit the following:
1. Application to the Graduate School.
2. Transcripts from all previous post-secondary schools attended.
3. A 1-2 page statement of purpose indicating your reasons for applying to the Biometry M.S.
4. A minimum of two letters of recommendation.
5. Identification of two co-advisors, one statistical and one biological (see below).
The Program Faculty will evaluate applicants on the basis of academic achievement and promise, cooperative work skills, communication skills, and the perceived potential for success in the Program. For prospective students who intend to pursue another program concurrently, the Biometry Program will seek a good fit between the two programs. Acceptance of a prospective student by a statistical and biological co-advisor, who should be identified at the time of application, is necessary for admission into the Program and input from prospective co-advisors will be sought in the admissions process.
It is expected that most students will be supported through a biological department or program or with their own funds. Opportunity for financial support for the Biometry M.S. Degree are extremely limited. A particularly outstanding student can be considered for a Graduate School Fellowship upon recommendation from the Biometry Program. On rare occasions, a student with strong quantitative background may be able to obtain support as a teaching assistant in Statistics.
Program Faculty
Cécile Ané, Botany
Brian S. Yandell, Horticulture
Jun Zhu, Director, Entomology