Statistical Science for the Life and Behavioural Sciences

Specialisation of: Mathematics
Degree: Master of Science in Mathematics
Mode of Study: Full-time
Duration: 2 years
Start date: Flexible, but preferably in September or February
Language of instruction: English
Location: Leiden
Croho/isat code: 66980
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The master’s track Statistical Science for the Life Sciences and Behavioural Sciences is organised jointly by groups at different institutes and universities:

  • Mathematical Institute, Leiden University
  • Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University
  • Department of Medical Statistics and Bioinformatics, Leiden University Medical Center
  • Department of Mathematics, VU University Amsterdam
  • Biometris – Applied Statistics, Wageningen University and Research centre

Together these institutes have expertise in a wide area of statistical science and its applications, both practical and theoretical. Many of the scientific staff members are involved in other educational tasks, or are specialised in research and statistical consultation.

Statistics is the art of drawing conclusions about phenomena in which chance plays a role. The randomness may arise through a variety of reasons: the intrinsic random nature of a phenomenon, unavoidable noise in an experiment, conscious randomisation of experimental or measurement units, or as a best approximation to reality. The chance phenomena occur in a broad range of situations. This has rendered statistical science a highly multidisciplinary undertaking, but with a core body of concepts and methods that are common to the diverse applications.

Statistical Science for the Life Sciences

Statistics for the life sciences is almost synonymous with biostatistics. It incorporates quantitative modeling and methods of data analysis for clinical and epidemiological research (e.g. survival analysis), which in the past twenty years have become indispensable in medical research. It also includes statistical methods used in genetic research and genomics, which have a classical foundation (for instance in the work of Fisher, the founding father of statistics), but are rapidly developing in answer to present-day opportunities provided by data from new experimental platforms, such as micro-arrays or whole-genome scans.

The programme is targeted both at human and at plant or animal genetics. In the coming years, systems biology will make similar demands for new statistical methodology, and the analysis of medical images will increase in importance, both in research and in clinical applications.

Statistical Science for the Behavioural Sciences

It is no exaggeration to say that all empirical research in the presentday social and behavioural sciences relies predominantly on statistical analysis. There is a long-standing statistical tradition in educational and psychological testing (psychometrics), and also in survey research, marketing research and quantitative demographics (sociometrics).

Similar sub-domains that have emerged more recently are the quantitative study of the development of science and technology (scientometrics and bibliometrics), the quantitative study of stylistic forms and patterns in the use of language (stylometrics), the quantitative study of taste and smell (sensometrics), the quantitative study of history (cliometrics), and the empirical approach to the law (jurimetrics). The common use of the term ‘metrics’ here illustrates the important role of measurement problems in these fields.

Special attention must also be given to application in cognitive science (fMRI data) and forensic statistics (DNA data), while biological psychology is also between the life and behavioural sciences.

What our students say

Maarten Kampert, master's student

“Statisticians are scarce, so they are highly sought after.”

“I have always been interested in a wide range of subjects, so I found even the broadest bachelor’s programmes too limited. Once I heard about this master’s specialisation, the decision was easy. This is the only department in the Netherlands that offers a complete programme including statistical research methods for almost every subject. I am not restricted to only the methods and techniques used in psychological research.

Using statistics you learn to handle data from all these different disciplines. You do a lot of research in this programme. What I like most is discovering how far your expectations agree with the results you obtain from the data you have amassed. And that’s relevant in every field.

It’s also good that you visit companies and research institutes as part of the programme. What’s more, they often come here and join in our lectures! I get to attend conferences and symposia on a regular basis, too. The advantage of all these contacts is that you get a good idea of what you might want to do after your master’s.

I don’t have any worries about my future: statisticians are scarce, and wherever data are collected, an applied statistician is more than welcome.”