Entry requirements

Bachelor's degree of at least 180 credits including: Alt. 1) 15 credits mathematics or statistics and 45 credits biology of which 30 credits in molecular biology, cell biology, evolution or genetics; Alt. 2) 30 credits mathematics and 30 credits computer science of which at least 5 credits database design; Alt. 3) 90 credits biology and/or chemistry (of which 10 credits biochemistry and 10 credits molecular biology) and 15 credits mathematics and/or statistics. Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6.

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, students should be able to:

• give an account of and carry out assignments that require knowledge of key concepts in statistics
• describe, use and interpret the basic statistical methods and analyses that are included in the course
• apply basic experimental design technology
• use the script language R for basic data management and statistical analysis
• apply statistical methods to specific issues in the life sciences.

Content

Introduction to R use for data processing and statistical analysis.

The basics of statistics (data distribution, expected value, variance, standard deviation, standard error, hypothesis testing, type I and type II errors).

Univariate analyses (t-test, ANOVA, correlation and regression).

Basic experimental design.

Introduction to ordination (principal component analysis) and classification.

Introduction to multivariate hypothesis testing (canonical correlation and MANOVA).

Introduction to resampling and Bayesian statistics.

Specific applications: GWAS, analysis of gene expression, correction for multiple tests.

Instruction

Lectures and computer exercises.

Assessment

Written presentations of computer exercises (2 credits), written examination (3 credits).

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding targeted pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.