Master of Statistics
Program Pre-requisites
Knowledge of calculus I, II, III, linear algebra, advanced calculus and introductory statistics is assumed in all other statistics courses and will be tested on the Master’s and Ph.D. qualifying exams.
- Students who enroll in a Master of Statistics program without having advanced calculus are required to take MA 511 during their first semester as their supporting elective. It is a co-requisite for ST 521.
- Students planning to continue for a Ph.D. in statistics should take MA 425 and MA 426, instead of MA 511.
- Students with inadequate backgrounds in mathematics and statistics may be required to take ST 421 and ST 422 in their first year (thereby delaying taking ST 521, ST 522, and ST 552 until their second year, and extending their program by at least a semester).
- Students without adequate applied statistics in their background should take ST 511 before taking ST 512R.
Required Course Work
All Master of Statistics degrees require a minimum of 34 semester hours. This includes 13 hours of common course work:
- Statistical methods: ST 512R and lab (sections restricted to ST majors)
- Statistical theory: ST 521-522 and labs (sections restricted to ST majors)
- Linear models: ST 552 and lab
- Statistical consulting: ST 641
The syllabi for the core courses (ST 512R, 521, 522 and 552) , can be found in the Appendix. All students who enroll with the intention of receiving a Master’s degree are required to take ST 521, ST 522, and ST 552 even though they may have had similar courses elsewhere. Co-majors have different course requirements.
Electives
Additional course work for each concentration is described on those respective pages. Electives are defined as follows.
- Statistics electives are any course listed or cross-listed as an ST course at the 500- level or higher, excluding required courses and ST 507, 508, 513, 514, 515, 516.
- Supporting electives include Statistics electives and courses in other departments at the 400-level or above. (e.g., MA 425)
Degree Programs
Master of Statistics students can choose from several concentrations. In addition to the basic Master of Statistics degree, concentrations are available in Biomedical Statistics, Environmental Statistics, Mathematical Statistics and Statistical Genetics. Students can also choose the Master of Science degree, though currently most students do not. The basic difference between the programs is required coursework.
The #Master of Statistics with concentration in Biomedical Statistics will provide training in statistical methods useful in the design and analysis of studies conducted in medical research, the pharmaceutical industry, and the area of public health. Students will learn fundamentals of clinical trials and epidemiological studies and will be exposed to recent advances in statistical methods for the analysis of time-to-event, categorical, and longitudinal data. Specialized training in these areas will be complemented by courses in advanced linear models, classical design of experiments, and supporting electives in areas such as quantitative genetics, biomathematics, and pharmacology. Depending on availability, students may have the opportunity to gain practical experience through formal internships, co-ops, or traineeships at local biomedical institutions (e.g. GlaxoSmithKline, Duke Medical Center, NIEHS). In this event, they are strongly urged to share and discuss their experiences with their fellow students in ST 641.
It is recommended that students in the #Environmental Statistics Concentration be involved with research and consulting in the environmental area and interact with environmental scientists. This may be accomplished through projects of the department or University, or through formal internships with EPA and the National Institute of Statistical Sciences (NISS) at RTP.
The #Mathematical Statistics Concentration will provide training in theoretical statistics. It provides the necessary foundation for a doctoral degree in statistics. One of the main purposes of this concentration is to provide the students a faster track to obtaining their doctoral degree, and hence is recommended mainly for those students that are considering a doctoral degree. Passing the Ph.D. Qualifier at the beginning of the second year of study may serve as an indication whether one should consider this concentration.
The #Statistical Genetics Concentration is appropriate for those who are interested in the relevance of genetic data to areas that include genomic science, medicine, and agriculture. This is a different program than the Master of Bioinformatics program.
For students who began the program Spring 2006 or before, an Industrial Statistics Concentration is also available.
