Major Requirements: Bachelor of Science in Statistics

The Statistics program prepares students for careers in a wide variety of fields.  With the rise of Data Science and Analytics, the number of undergraduate students choosing to expand their knowledge base and skill set in the area of statistics has grown substantially.  The Statistics program is structured to provide students with a conceptual understanding of elementary probability and mathematical statistics, skills in data analysis and interpretation, the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing, and a proficiency in statistical computing.  Statistics majors choose one of three emphasis tracks.  A student chooses a track based on plans to enter the job market with a focus on data analysis or statistical computing, or to continue with graduate work after completing the BS degree.  All the tracks provide fundamental preparation for careers that employ data modeling and quantitative reasoning skills.

Learning Outcomes

Students will:

  • be able to distinguish between observational studies and designed experiments and understand the issues related to the data collection method, including sampling bias, sampling error, sample size determination, statistical power, association versus causation, and the design and analysis of randomized experiments;
  • use critical thinking skills to translate substantive questions into well-defined statistical problems and choose appropriate statistical methods and graphical summaries for a given problem;
  • use computer software to manage data, carry out exploratory data analyses and computer simulations, produce numerical and graphical summaries of data, and apply basic statistical methodology;
  • be able to clearly communicate study results to non-statisticians, and write accurate and meaningful reports that describe the statistical analyses and summarize important findings; and
  • understand the mathematical tools underlying statistical methods, including distribution theory, uncertainty quantification via probability, estimation theory, and the probabilistic basis of formal statistical inference.

The Bachelor of Science with a major in statistics requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including at least 47 s.h. of work for the major. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in all courses for the major and in all UI courses for the major. They also must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences GE CLAS Core.

Students who earn the major in statistics may not earn the major in data science.

Students complete 10 core courses that provide essential instruction in statistical methods, applications, and theory. In addition, they concentrate on an area of interest by completing four or five courses in one of the major's three emphasis tracks: statistics in business, industry, government, and research; statistical computing and data science; or mathematical statistics.

    Core Courses

    All students complete the following 10 core courses. The department recommends that well-prepared students who elect the mathematical statistics track take STAT:4100/IGPI:4100 Mathematical Statistics I and STAT:4101/IGPI:4101 Mathematical Statistics II in place of STAT:3100/IGPI:3100 Introduction to Mathematical Statistics I and STAT:3101/IGPI:3101 Introduction to Mathematical Statistics II  to satisfy the core requirement in statistics.

    Code

    Title

    Hours

    Computer Science

     

    This course:

     

    CS:1210

    Computer Science I: Fundamentals

    4

    Mathematics

     

    All of these:

     

    MATH:1850

    Calculus I

    4

    MATH:1860

    Calculus II

    4

    MATH:2700

    Introduction to Linear Algebra

    4

    MATH:2850

    Calculus III

    4

    Statistics

     

    All of these:

     

    STAT:2010

    Statistical Methods and Computing

    3

    STAT:3100/IGPI:3100

    Introduction to Mathematical Statistics I

    3

    STAT:3101/IGPI:3101

    Introduction to Mathematical Statistics II

    3

    DATA:3200 / STAT:3200 / IGPI:3200 / ISE:3760

    Applied Linear Regression

    3

    STAT:3210

    Experimental Design and Analysis

    3

    The B.S. with a major in statistics requires the following course work.

    The department recommends that well-prepared students who elect the Mathematical Statistics track take STAT:4100-4101  Mathematical Statistics I-II in place of STAT:3100-3101  Introduction to Mathematical Statistics I-II to satisfy these core requirements in statistics.

    Additional Courses Required

    In addition, all statistics majors must take at least 4 or 5 more courses that are chosen from a list of electives specific to their chosen emphasis track.  The list of electives can be found at Statistics in Business, Industry, Government, and Research; Statistical Computing and Data Science and Mathematical Statistics

    Students should pay close attention to prerequisites for the upper-level courses in each sequence so that they can develop and complete their programs in a timely fashion.  Specifically, most of the electives listed for the three tracks require STAT:3200 and STAT:3101 as prerequisites.  Thus, we recommend that majors have these courses completed by the fall semester of their junior year.  You can view a flowchart of the progression of courses for the major.

    Career Advancement

    Statistics and Probability are vital to many fields, so the demand for well-trained statisticians is strong.  Statisticians work in medicine, engineering, law, public policy making, marketing, manufacturing, engineering, agriculture, varied social and natural sciences, and numerous other areas.

    When students graduate, they will be prepared to fill entry-level positions as statisticians or go on to graduate school.  An advisor assists students in locating internship opportunities as well as the best-fitting graduate programs.

    To learn more about job opportunities, see ASA JobWeb on the American Statistical Association website.

    The Pomerantz Career Center offers multiple resources to help students find internships and jobs, including Handshake.  Students need to be logged into their Handshake account first and then click on the link to be taken directly to the search.