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Master Program in Biostatistics

Master's Theses

Prerequisits

It is necessary to have passed all compulsory modules before starting a master thesis.

Finding a Topic and Supervisor

To find a supervisor and a topic to their own liking and interest, students may take the following steps:

  • Check out the open topics. The list is however not exhaustive and also other topics that have been discussed with a supervisor can be tackled in the master thesis.
  • See the list of ongoing and completed master theses to get an impression on potential topics.
  • Look at potential supervisors' publication records to get an impression of their research interests.
  • Contact a potential supervisor (only one at a time to avoid misunderstandings).

In general any lecturer of a program module of the Master Program in Biostatistics can be the supervisor of a master thesis in biostatistics, other UZH researchers and lecturers could also be supervisors conditional on the approval of the coordinator.

External Master Thesis

External theses are in general discouraged since the control over the topic and supervision is often not optimal. Exceptions to this rule are possible but they require a longer preparation phase, see below on timing advice. Master theses in industry entail suitable compensation by the company towards the Master Program in Biostatistics for time and organisational expenses.

Time Frame

A master thesis is not bound to the lecture period, it can be started at any time and takes about 6 months full time. It is a good idea to start searching for a topic and a supervisor about 2-4 months before the intended start date. The best situation is to be able to concentrate on the thesis throughout 6 months, i.e. with only a small workload on a job and without prolonged absences due to vacation. Exceptions to this rule are possible and should be discussed with the supervisor.

For more organisational information see the Infosheet and the registration forms for master thesis and master exam.