Statistics Courses in the Department of Health Sciences, University of York

Our M.Sc. modules can be done as stand-alone continuing professional development courses or as part of our masters’ programme. We currently offer the following statistics courses:

Introductory courses

These courses are suitable for people who have never studied statistics before or who would like a refresher course that starts at the beginning.

M.Sc. Module: Introduction to Health Statistics

This 10 credit module runs in the autumn terms, on Tuesday mornings. It includes an introduction to the fundamental ideas of statistical analysis with practical analysis using SPSS. We start by looking at how statistical methods are used in published health research, using papers in the British Medical Journal and the Lancet. We then go on to see how can carry out some of these analyses using SPSS. It is 9 half days and is assessed by an examination.

M.Sc. Module: Understanding Clinical Statistics

This runs each year in the summer term. It provides a more extensive introduction to the ideas of statistical analysis than does either Introduction to Health Statistics, concentrating on the understanding the use of statistical methods in the health research literature. It is 9 half days and is assessed by an open-book examination. Apart from the examination, it is done entirely by remote learning, using the University’s Yorkshare virtual environment. There is an optional weekly tutorial on Tuesday afternoons.

Understanding Statistics in Clinical Research (for vets)

This is a version of Understanding Clinical Biostatistics intended for vets. It runs as an intensive four-day course, with further online material. There is no assessment at present. This is run in response to demand from vets and we have no plans to repeat it at the moment.

Two day course in Statistics for Clinical Trials

This runs each year, usually in September, and precedes the three day Clinical Trials Management course. It covers an introduction to the fundamental ideas of statistical analysis with special application to clinical trials. There is no assessment.

More advanced courses

These courses are for people who have already followed an introductory course in statistics.

M.Sc. Module: Health and Social Statistics I

This module runs in the spring term, on Tuesday afternoons. It follows the introduction to the fundamental ideas of statistical analysis in the Introduction to Health Statistics module and teaches further statistical methods with practical analysis using SPSS.

Health and Social Statistics I is a module lasting 9 half days and is assessed by a data analysis assignment.

M.Sc. Module: Health and Social Statistics II

This runs each year in the summer term, on Tuesday mornings. It follows on from the M.Sc. module Health and Social Statistics I and develops the ideas of statistical analysis further, with practical analysis using Stata. We would expect anyone attending this to have attended Health and Social Statistics I or an equivalent course. It is 9 half days and is assessed by an open-book data analysis examination.

M.Sc. Module: Measurement in Health and Disease

This runs each year in the summer term. It shows how the ideas of statistical analysis can be applied to the study of measurement. It concentrates on understanding the use of statistical methods in the health research literature rather than practical data analysis. We would expect anyone attending this to have attended Introduction to Health Statistics, Understanding Clinical Statistics, or an equivalent course. It is 9 half days and is assessed by an open-book examination. Apart from the examination, it is done entirely by remote learning, using the University’s Yorkshare virtual environment. There is an optional weekly tutorial on Wednesday mornings.

M.Sc. Module: An Introduction to Applied Multilevel Analysis

This module aims to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge to facilitate multilevel analysis of data by means of lectures and hands-on analysis of data from real studies, using the statistical software package STATA. The module covers multilevel modelling for the following types of response data: continuous, binary, count and time-to-event data. It also covers Cluster Randomised Controlled Trials.

The course commences with a four day teaching event at the University of York. This will be followed by a period of private study and an assessment (computer lab ‘open-book’).

One week introductory/refresher course in Epidemiology and Statistics

We have twice run a one week introductory/refresher course in Epidemiology and Statistics for public health staff. There are no plans to repeat this, but we could do so if there were demand.

Our M.Sc. modules run on half days on either Tuesday or Wednesday in term time, unless stated to be otherwise. For further information on some of these courses, see M.Sc. course material for students at York.

Anyone from outside the Department of Health Sciences who is interested in attending any of our courses should contact our business manager Sasha Singh on sasha.singh@york.ac.uk for further information.

To Martin Bland’s home page.

This page maintained by Martin Bland.
Last updated: 11 August, 2015.