This program follows all School of Medicine policies in addition to the policies below.

Attendance Policy

Students are required to attend and participate in all class sessions according to the expectations set forth by individual course instructors. In the absence of a specific course attendance policy, students should assume that attendance is expected and that absences require consultation with the instructors regarding arrangements for missed work.

Registration and Drop/Add Policy

Registration in the master of biostatistics program is processed in accordance with instructions distributed by the Office of the Registrar in the School of Medicine prior to official registration periods.

As the Master of Biostatistics Program is designed for full-time study, dropping and adding courses is at the discretion of the director of graduate studies. Please note that courses taken outside the department must be approved by the director of graduate studies prior to enrollment.

Audits

Any student who wishes to audit a course in the Master of Biostatistics Program must receive permission of the instructor as well as the director of graduate studies.

Grades

All courses will be graded on a five-letter grade scale (A, B, C, D, F) with +/- grades assigned at the course instructor’s discretion.

The only exceptions are BIOSTAT 720, 801, and 802 which are graded on a Pass/Fail scale.

An I (Incomplete) indicates that some portion of the student’s work is lacking for a reason acceptable to the instructor at the time grades are reported. Students will not be permitted to enroll in any course for which they have an unresolved I in a prerequisite course. A grade of I must be resolved no later than the end of the following academic semester, unless the course director specifies an earlier date by which the student must make up the deficiency. In exceptional circumstances, an Incomplete that is not resolved within the designated period may be extended for a specified period with the approval of the course instructor and the director of graduate studies. If an Incomplete is not resolved within the approved period, the grade of I becomes permanent and may not be removed from the student’s record. If an Incomplete is resolved within the specified period, the I is removed from the transcript.

A student’s enrollment as a degree candidate can be terminated if she or he receives a single grade of D or F or two grades of C or C- in the program. For these purposes, a permanent I is considered a failing grade. The decision to terminate the student’s enrollment is the responsibility of the director of graduate studies.

In the case of a student withdrawing from a course after the drop/add period, the student will receive a grade of W, WP (withdraw passing), or WF (withdraw failing), as determined by the director of graduate studies and the course instructor.

Graduation Requirements

To receive the master of biostatistics degree, students must successfully complete 44 credits of coursework as outlined in this bulletin, a practicum experience, a qualifying examination, plus a master’s project for which 6 course credits are given. Candidates for the master of biostatistics degree must apply to graduate through Duke Hub in keeping with the instructions and deadlines announced by the Office of the Registrar in the School of Medicine. Failure to do so may delay conferral of the degree and issuance of the diploma, even if all degree requirements have been met.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory academic progress for full-time students in the Master of Biostatistics Program consists of the successful completion of all requirements necessary to advance toward completion of degree requirements within the six-year time limitation. This includes successful completion of the qualifying examination (see above) as well as meeting the requirements and standards for completion of the practicum and the master’s project as described in program guidelines. Students must also maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.70 in order to maintain satisfactory academic progress.

For non-degree students, satisfactory academic progress consists of successful completion toward attainment of individual training goals, within the constraints imposed by course prerequisites.

Academic Probation Policy

A student who receives two grades of C+ or lower or one grade of D+ or lower in any course(s) may automatically be placed on academic probation. When a student is placed on academic probation, an individualized remediation plan will be developed and approved by the standing committee on academic reviews. Input from the faculty, the student, and the director of graduate studies will be considered. The student will sign the remediation plan. The remediation plan will specify conditions which will lead to either removal of academic probation or dismissal from the program. The terms of the remediation plan will be based upon the academic needs of the student. If the terms of the remediation plan are not met, there will be multiple layers of review. First, the standing committee on academic reviews will assess the situation: for example, considering possible extenuating circumstances. If the recommendation is to suspend or to dismiss, it will be reviewed by the director of graduate studies. If the director of graduate studies concurs, the recommendation will be forwarded to the Vice Dean of Education. Appeals may be submitted to the director of graduate studies and then to the Vice Dean of Academic Affairs. The School of Medicine registrar will be notified of the student’s academic status and it may be noted on the student’s transcript at the completion of the semester(s) during which the status is assigned. Once the student has been removed from probationary status, the notation on the student’s transcript will be removed.

Leave of Absence Policy

A master of biostatistics student, after presenting a written request to the director of graduate studies, may be granted an official leave of absence for personal, medical, or academic reasons for a period not to exceed one calendar year. If the leave of absence is approved, the director of graduate studies provides written notification including applicable beginning and ending dates to the student and the Office of the Registrar and the Office of Financial Aid in the School of Medicine. The student must notify the director of graduate studies in writing of his/her/their wish to return to the Master of Biostatistics Program or to extend the personal leave at least sixty calendar days prior to the anticipated date of re-entry. The student desiring an extension beyond one calendar year may be required to apply for readmission to the program. When a leave of absence is taken, the director of graduate studies may require the student to repeat some or all of the courses completed prior to the leave of absence. In all cases of leaves of absence, the student is required to complete the full curriculum to be eligible to earn the master of biostatistics degree.

Withdrawal

If a student withdraws, including involuntary withdrawal for academic reasons, tuition is prorated according to the following schedule:

Before classes begin:	100%
During first or second week:	80%
During third to fifth week:	60%
During the sixth week:	20%
After sixth week:	None

Student fees are nonrefundable after classes begin.

Voluntary withdrawals are typically initiated at the request of the student. Working with the director of graduate studies, a mutual decision is reached regarding the effective date of the withdrawal and any academic penalty to be assessed. The director of graduate studies will notify the Offices of the Registrar and Financial Aid in the School of Medicine. The Office of the Registrar will process the withdrawal and remove the student from any current and/or future enrollments. The Office of Financial Aid may revoke any financial aid that has been disbursed. The student should also contact these offices to ensure that they have fulfilled any responsibilities regarding this process.

Readmission after Program Withdrawal

Students who wish to re-enter the Master of Biostatistics Program after withdrawing must provide a statement detailing the following to the director of graduate studies:

how the issues relating to the withdrawal have been addressed; and
why the student is re-applying to the program, including information concerning changes in situation and an explanation as to the chosen time for return.

Students must also provide an updated curriculum vitae and a transcript of any academic courses taken since the withdrawal.

The applicant will then be scheduled for an interview with the director of graduate studies. After this meeting takes place, the director of graduate studies will make a final decision.

Time Limitations

A degree candidate is expected to complete all requirements within six calendar years of matriculation. Degree credit for a course expires six years after the course is completed by the student; in this case, degree credit can be obtained only be retaking the course.

Reporting of Inappropriate Treatment in the Teacher-Learner Relationship

Perceived inappropriate treatment of a learner, either experienced or witnessed, should be reported by using one or more of the following methods:

verbally or in writing to the course director of the learner’s course
verbally or in writing to the advisory dean or personal advisor of the learner
in a mandatory end-of-course evaluation
in other internal surveys done by the learner’s program
on the Adverse Events website for the SOM (can be anonymous)
to a member of the Committee on Appropriate Treatment of Learners (CAT)
to the SOM or University Ombudsperson
to the Duke University Office of Institutional Equity

Computer Technology

All students are expected to have access to a laptop computer during class with the following capabilities:

Running an internet browser (e.g., Safari, Google Chrome, Firefox, etc.)
Running Microsoft Word (or another type setting software that is compatible with .docx files)
Running the R software (r-project.org)
Running the SAS software (support.sas.com/en/documentation/system-requirements.html)

A-BST-M - Master of Biostatistics

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