Academics

Doctor of Philosophy Course Electives

Review PhD Courses & Timeline for additional important details about elective requirements.

Elective List One: Methodological Emphasis

AMATH 351 Introduction to Differential Equations and Applications (3)
Offered: Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer
AMATH 584 Applied Linear Algebra and Introductory Numerical Analysis (5)
Offered: jointly with MATH 584; Autumn
AMATH 585 Numerical Analysis of Boundary Value Problems (5)
Offered: jointly with MATH 585; Winter
AMATH 586 Numerical Analysis of Time Dependent Problems (5)
Offered: jointly with MATH 586; Spring
BIOST 524 Design of Medical Studies (3)
Offered: jointly with STAT 524; Spring
BIOST 526 Bayesian Biostatistics (3)
Offered: jointly with EPI 540/PHARM 526; Spring
BIOST 527 Nonparametric Regression and Classification (3)
Offered: jointly with STAT 527; Spring
BIOST 529 Sample Survey Techniques (3)
BIOST 531 Statistical Methods for Analysis with Missing Data (3)
Offered: jointly with EPI 531; Winter
BIOST 534 Statistical Computing (3)
Offered: jointly with STAT 534; Spring
BIOST 536 Categorical Data Analysis in Epidemiology (4)
Offered: jointly with EPI 536; Autumn
BIOST 537 Survival Data Analysis in Epidemiology (4)
Offered: jointly with EPI 537; Winter
BIOST 540 Longitudinal and Multilevel Data Analysis (3)
Offered: Spring
BIOST 545 Biostatistical Methods for Big Omics Data (3)
BIOST 546 Machine Learning for Biomedical and Public Health Big Data (3)
Offered: Winter
BIOST 550 Statistical Genetics I: Mendelian Traits (3)
Offered: jointly with STAT 550; Spring
BIOST 551 Statistical Genetics II: Quantitative Traits (3)
Offered: jointly with STAT 551; Autumn
BIOST 552 Statistical Genetics III: Design and Analysis (3)
Offered: jointly with STAT 552; Winter
BIOST 555 Statistical Methods for Spatial Epidemiology (3)
Offered: jointly with EPI 555/GH 534; Spring
BIOST 565 Statistical Evaluation of Biomarkers (3)
BIOST 576 Statistical Methods for Survival Data (3)
BIOST 578 Special Topics in Advanced Biostatistics (*-*, max. 30)
Offered: jointly with STAT 578; Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer
CSE 528 Computational Neuroscience (3)
E E 578 Convex Optimization (4)
Offered: jointly with A A 578/CSE 578/M E 578; Winter
HSERV 522 Health Program Evaluation (1-5, max. 5)
HSERV 523 Advanced Health Services Research Methods I: Large Public Databases; Big Data (4-5)
STAT 516 Stochastic Modeling of Scientific Data (3-*)
Offered: Autumn
STAT 517 Stochastic Modeling of Scientific Data (*-3)
Offered: Winter
STAT 521 Advanced Probability (3)
Offered: jointly with MATH 521; Autumn
STAT 522 Advanced Probability (3)
Offered: jointly with MATH 522; Winter
STAT 523 Advanced Probability (3)
Offered: jointly with MATH 523; Spring
STAT 535 Statistical Learning: Modeling, Prediction, and Computing (3)
Offered: Autumn
STAT 538 Statistical Learning: Modeling, Prediction, and Computing (3)
Offered: Winter
STAT 542 Multivariate Analysis (3)
STAT 554 Statistical Methods for Spatial Data (3)
Offered: jointly with CS&SS 554/SOC 534; Winter
STAT 566 Causal Modeling (4)

Elective List Two: Biology or Public Health Emphasis

BIOL 449 Applied Phylogenetics (3)
BIOL 472 Community Ecology (5)
BIOL 553 Applied Phylogenetics (3)
BIOST 504*

Foundations of Public Health for Biostatistics (2)
Credit/no-credit only. Offered: Autumn
*This course does not count as an elective for PhD or Thesis students entering in 2024 or later. BIOST 504 or PHI 500 is a requirement for this cohort. Students should register for either BIOST 504 or PHI 500, not both.

BIOST 516 Statistical Methods in Genetic Epidemiology (3)
ENV H 511 Environmental and Occupational Health (4)
Offered: Spring
ENV H 517 Children's Environmental Health (3)
Offered: Spring
ENV H 533 Molecular Toxicology (3)
Offered: Spring
ENV H 552 Environmental Chemistry of Pollution (4)
Offered: Winter
ENV H 570 Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology (3)
Offered: jointly with EPI 570; Spring
ENV H 577 Risk Assessment for Environmental Health Hazards (3-4)
Offered: jointly with CEE 560/PB AF 589; Autumn
EPI 511 Introduction to Epidemiology (4)
Offered: Autumn
EPI 512 Epidemiologic Methods I (4)
Offered: Autumn
EPI 513 Epidemiologic Methods II (4)
Offered: Winter
EPI 514 Application of Epidemiologic Methods (5)
Offered: Spring
EPI 517 Genetic Epidemiology (3)
Offered: jointly with PHG 511; Spring
EPI 519 Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Disease (3)
Offered: Autumn
EPI 520 Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases (3)
Offered: Winter
EPI 524 Cancer: Epidemiology and Biology (3)
Offered: Winter
EPI 527 Vaccines (3)
Offered: Autumn
EPI 529 Emerging Infections of International Public Health Importance (3)
Offered: jointly with H SERV 536; Winter
EPI 530 AIDS: A Multidisciplinary Approach (2)
Credit/no-credit only. Offered: jointly with G H 562/MED 530; Autumn
EPI 532 Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases in Resource-Limited Countries (3)
Offered: Spring
EPI 533 Pharmacoepidemiology (3)
Offered: jointly with PHARM 533; Spring
EPI 538 Nutritional Epidemiology (3)
Offered: jointly with NUTR 538; Autumn
EPI 539 Research and Evaluation Methods in Global Health (3-4)
Offered: jointly with G H 531; Winter
EPI 541 Introduction to Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis of Evidence (3)
Offered: jointly with BIME 541/HSERV 529/PHARM; Spring
EPI 542 Clinical Epidemiology (2)
Offered: Spring
EPI 546 Psychiatric Epidemiology (3)
Credit/no-credit only. Offered: jointly with PBSCI 546; Spring
EPI 549 HIV/STI Prevention Research Methods (3)
Offered: jointly with G H 563; Spring
EPI 554 Introduction to Epidemic Modeling for Infectious Diseases (3)
Offered: Autumn
EPI 571 Neuroepidemiology and Environmental Risk Factors (3)
Offered: jointly with ENV H 571; Winter
EPI 573 Methods and Issues in Using Biological Measurements in Epidemiologic Research (3)
Offered: jointly with ENV H 573; Autumn
EPI 590* Selected Topics in Epidemiology or International Health (1-6, max. 6)
Offered: Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer
*Approved on a case-by-case basis. Contact biogpd@uw.edu.
G H 501 Core Topics in Global Health (1)
Offered: Autumn
G H 502 Contemporary Issues in Global Health (1)
Offered: Winter
G H 503 Multidisciplinary Perspectives in Global Health (1)
Offered: Spring
G H 511 Problems in Global Health (*-4, max. 4)
Offered: Autumn
G H 539 Methods, Tools, and Data in Global Health (2)
Offered: Autumn
G H 590* Selected Topics in Global Health (1-5, max. 15)
Offered: Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer
*Approved on a case-by-case basis. Contact biogpd@uw.edu.
GENOME 361 Fundamentals of Genetics and Genomics (3)
Offered: Winter, Spring, Summer
GENOME 371 Introductory Genetics (5)
Offered: Autumn
GENOME 372 Genomics and Proteomics (5)
GENOME 453 Genetics of the Evolutionary Process (3)
GENOME 540 Introduction to Computational Molecular Biology: Genome and Protein Sequence Analysis (4)
Offered: Winter
GENOME 541 Introduction to Computational Molecular Biology: Molecular Evolution (4)
Offered: Spring
GENOME 551 Principles of Gene Regulation ()
GENOME 552 Technologies for Genome Analysis ()
Offered: Autumn
GENOME 553 Advanced Genetic Analysis ()
GENOME 555 Protein Technology ()
GENOME 561 Molecular Population Genetics and Evolution ()
GENOME 562 Population Genetics (4)
Offered: Winter
GENOME 565 Advanced Human Genetics (4)
Offered: Winter
GENOME 570 Phylogenetic Inference (3)
Offered: Winter
HSERV 510 Social and Behavioral Sciences in Health Program Planning and Implementation (3)
HSERV 511 Introduction to Health Services and Public Health (3-4)
HSERV 541 Topics in Maternal and Child Health I (3-*)
HUBIO 512P Mechanisms in Cell Physiology (5)
Offered: Autumn
HUBIO 514P Biochemistry I-A (4)
Offered: Autumn
HUBIO 524P Biochemistry I-B (4)
Offered: Winter
IMMUN 441 Introduction to Immunology (4)
Offered: Autumn
MICROM 301 General Microbiology (3)
Offered: Autumn, Spring, Summer
NEURO 501 Introduction to Neurobiology (3)
NEURO 502 Introduction to Neurobiology (5)
NEURO 503 Cognitive and Integrative Neurobiology (4)
PABIO 551 Biochemistry and Genetics of Pathogens and Their Hosts (4)
Offered: jointly with G H 566; Autumn
PCEUT 501 Advanced Pharmacokinetics I (4)
PCEUT 502 Pharmacokinetics of Drug Metabolism (4)
PCEUT 510 Drug Interactions (3)
PHG 513 Basic Concepts in Pharmacogenetics and Toxicogenomics (3)
Offered: jointly with ENV H 513/PCEUT 513; Winter
PHG 519 Statistical Methods in Genetic Epidemiology (3)
PHG 536 Bioinformatics and Gene Sequence Analysis (3)
Offered: jointly with BIME 536/PABIO 536; Spring
PHI 500*

Public Health Practice, Science and Knowledge (1)
Credit/no-credit only. Offered: Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer
*This course does not count as an elective for PhD or Thesis students entering in 2024 or later. BIOST 504 or PHI 500 is a requirement for this cohort. Students should register for either BIOST 504 or PHI 500, not both.

PSYCH 421 Neural Basis of Behavior (5)
To request an unlisted UW course to count towards an elective requirement.

Email the to Biostatistics Graduate Director

  1. Name of the UW course you wish to take
  2. Reason for your request, and
  3. Course syllabus (You may need to contact the course instructor to obtain the syllabus.) 

Note: Course syllabus is required  for your request to be considered.