STAT 437Statistical Methods for Life History Analysis
- Units
- 0.50
- Faculty
- Mathematics
- Subject
- Statistics
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 2 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 2 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
Statistical methods for the analysis of longitudinal data; hierarchical models, marginal models, and transitional models. Parametric and semiparametric methods for the analysis of survival data under censoring and truncation.
Prerequisites
- Must have completed the following:
- STAT431 - Generalized Linear Models and their Applications (0.50)
Antirequisites
None listed.
Leads to
No course lists it as a requisite.
Winter 2027 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | 5851 | 0 / 30 | MW 16:00–17:20 |
| LEC 701 | 2301 | 11 / 9999 | Online or by arrangement |
Reviewed on UW Flow
100% liked it75% easy100% useful
From 3 ratings and 3 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
This course is really a natural follow up to STAT 431. First half is Longitudinal Data and second half is Survival Analysis. Some of the theory can be more tricky, but the assessments were mostly applications and very fair given what was learned. With Liqun I felt the course was quite slow paced (or perhaps my version of 431 covered more content) and large parts of the first half was review, but the content was still interesting. The final project involved implementing Machine Learning methods from academic papers to Longitudinal or Survival data. The project was pretty tricky, as some of the papers were recent and involved complicated methods, and doing it in a group made it challenging to…
Apr 2025 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
This course probably has one of the most difficult content out of all STAT courses (there is a lot of new modelling), but the instructor (Dylan Spicker) is amazing so the difficulty is irrelevant! This might be my favourite STAT course at Waterloo so far.
Mar 2022 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
Lots of new modelling techniques in this course that can be applied to more than just longitudinal data. Generalized linear mixed models and generalized estimating equations. Lots of focus on covariance structures. Really enjoyed the layout of this course where assignments were code and proof-based while tests were application based. All slides with annotation were posted by Liqun Diao so you don't really have to take any notes.
Apr 2018 · liked itOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
21 posts and comments in 18 threads mention STAT 437, May 2016 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Fall 2022
STAT 437 2 points, 0 comments
u/luizloo: “Has anyone taken it with Diao? I saw that it is available in the coming Winter term, and was considering taking it. I heard this course is really hard? Just wondering how hard is it? I took 431 this term and it was pretty manageable for me. …”
UW Math Major Declaration 4 points, 8 comments
u/No_Inspector_8321: “… &x200B; Table 1 + the following CS 371 Math 237 Math 239 CO 250 CO 342 CO 351 CO367 CO456 PMATH 336 PMATH331 PMATH332 STAT330 STAT331 STAT332 STAT333 STAT440 STAT437 STAT340 STAT442 AMATH250 MTHEL 300 CS371 CS230 CS234 AMATH250 ECON 212”
u/Big-Description7100: “Some of the courses you listed also needs other prerequisite to take. For example, you need to take stat341 before taking stat442, and Stat431 is the prerequisite for stat437. So… even more courses are needed”
Taking STAT437 and STAT431 the same term 1 point, 2 comments
u/Big-Description7100: “Hi guys I’m thinking of taking STAT437 and its prerequisite course STAT431 next term. I don’t have any override experience before. Does anyone know if it is hard to get a permission for this? And how much does STAT437 relate to STAT431? Thanks!”
Winter 2021
Stat 435/436/437/438 2 points, 1 comment
u/next-floor-coffee: “Has anyone taken any of these courses before and if you are enrolled this term, could you please kindly share the course breakdown? Thank you in advance!”
Fall 2020
Questions about Biostats going into 3A 2 points, 1 comment
“I'm heading into my 3A term and before now I didn't really think about biostats at all, but after hearing about recently I've started to get a bit interested. …”
u/justhaventmetyet: “… I had them for STAT337/437/438 respectively, and they were really amazing and friendly.”
Spring 2020
What are your favourite CO/STAT courses you've taken at Waterloo? 3 points, 7 comments
“Just wondering what your opinions are :)”
u/justhaventmetyet: “STAT337,430,431,437,438”
Winter 2020
Programming language in Stat subjects 3 points, 6 comments
“Have heared that there is some R programming in some of the stat subjects. What other programming language is involved in stat subjects ( stat 230, stat 231, stat 33x, stat 4xx)?”
u/boolgogi: “STAT337 and 437 both use SAS”
Fall 2019
What courses are you taking next term? 7 points, 40 comments
u/boolgogi: “STAT840, 854, 932, 935. RIP me :)”
u/boolgogi: “I took STAT431/436/437/438/430/444/450 in my undergrad which exempted me from too many fall courses, meaning I could only take 2 courses in the Fall. …”
how is stat437 and how is this course with Leilei Zeng? 6 points, 19 comments
u/NoftShaw: “I'm searching from some 3xx and 4xx stat course to meet the requirement of the stat course in my stat plan. How is this course's difficulty? Also which one is easier for 437 and 438? 438 next term is taught by my 330 and 431 prof who has a fair exam in my opinion. …”
Spring 2019
Rank the Stat 4xx Courses from Easiest to Hardest! 9 points, 13 comments
“Trying to plan my courses for next term and looking for people's opinions on the easiest/hardest Stat 4xx courses! TIA!”
u/eficiency: “Just going to mention each of them so that the bot can hopefully come up with a list of course titles STAT 430 STAT 431 STAT 433 STAT 435 STAT 436 STAT 437 STAT 438 STAT 440 STAT 441 STAT 442 STAT 443 STAT 444 STAT 450 STAT 454 STAT 464 STAT 466 STAT 467 STAT 468 STAT 469”
Winter 2019
STATS majors, were STAT 330/331/332 useful in the workplace? 6 points, 6 comments
u/boolgogi: “… If you're looking for health related data analysis jobs (which are fairly hard to come by at the undergrad level), consider STAT431, 437 and 438. Note that this chain would require STAT330 so it would be hard to avoid it forever. …”
Fall 2018
PSA profs and class times are out for Winter 2019 118 points, 39 comments
“nice http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infocour/CIR/SA/under.html”
u/boolgogi: “STAT436, 437 and 438 are back to back :) RIP Biostat majors. Tempted to take 454 now tho cuz Changbao is teaching”
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
- Undergraduate Calendar, 2026–27The official entry
- Requirements for Fall 2026Waterloo’s requisite checker
- Schedule of Classes, Fall 2026Instructors, rooms, live seats
- Quest Class SearchWhere you enrol
- Course outlinesSyllabi from past terms (UW login)
- UW FlowStudent ratings and reviews
- WClassesPast sections back to 2004, and who taught them