Applied Statistics Graduate Program (STAT)
Offered through the Department of Mathematics and Statistics
in the College
of Science and Engineering
139 Engineering and Computer Center
Phone: 320.308.6169
Fax: 320.308.4269
E-mail: statistics@stcloudstate.edu
Web site: http://www.stcloudstate.edu/statistics
Department Chairperson: Dr. Leonard Onyiah
Department Secretary: Ms. Linda Fuchs
Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Shiju Zhang
Graduate Faculty: Ghosh, Kirmani, Olagunju, Onyiah, Robinson,
Rysavy, Xu and Zhang
The Applied Statistics program has suspended new enrollments for fall 2012. Applications are not being accepted.
The Profession
This program will provide students the opportunity to learn how to manage data, design and analyze experiments and surveys, apply state-of-the-art statistical software and techniques to information from today's technologically based industries. Graduates of the program will be qualified to work and apply their knowledge in settings for which data analysis and interpretation is an integral component.
Employers
The world is becoming more technological and quantitatively based. Many professions depend on data and conclusions grounded in the data. The potential information carried by data means that the profession of applied statistician is becoming more vital and relevant in a wide variety of contexts. Here is a list of settings in which applied statisticians play an important role: agriculture, animal health, astronomy, bioinformatics, biostatistics, census, chemistry, clinical trials, computer science, consulting, ecology, economics, education, engineering, environment, epidemiology, finance, forestry, genetics, geography, government regulation, government surveys, history, industry, insurance, law, manufacturing, market research, medicine, national defense, pharmacology, physics, population research, psychology, public health, quality improvement, reliability, risk assessment, sociology, space science, sports, social science, statistical computing, surveys and writing. (Source: American Statistical Association Web site: http://amstat.org/careers/cops/index.html )
Admission Requirements Specific to the Program:
- Fully qualified applicants for this degree must have completed the equivalent of the following undergraduate courses: STAT 229, STAT 321, MATH 221, MATH 222, MATH 321
- Applicants deficient in one or more of these courses will be conditionally accepted, subject to satisfactory completion of these requirements.
- Domestic admission application deadlines
- International admission application deadlines
Length of Program — Measured by Semesters
- Part-time Student: five to six semesters taking six credits per semester.
- Full-time Student: four semesters taking nine credits per semester.
- The program has been designed to accommodate both part-time and full-time students.
Graduate Assistantship Overview
- Two graduate assistantship positions are generally sponsored each year, and are available both fall and spring semesters.
- First-year graduate assistants provide support for undergraduate students enrolled in STAT 193 through grading, tutoring, and mentoring students.
- Second-year graduate assistants assist with STAT 193 through leading problem/discussion sessions and providing some lectures.
Degree and Plan Offered
- Master of Science: Plan A (Thesis) 33 credits
Master of Science — Applied Statistics
The Master of Science in Applied Statistics program will provide advanced instruction and training for its graduate students, emphasizing the practical aspects of statistical work to meet the needs of regional, state, national and international industries and economies. Graduates of this program will have the ability and knowledge to:
- Work for industries nationwide needing master's degree expertise, especially industries in Minnesota such as 3M, Medtronic, Mayo Clinic, banking and mortgage, government agencies like IRS and Census Bureau, businesses, or insurance companies.
- Advance in a career already begun by gaining further training in applied statistics.
- Apply statistical skills in industry.
- Pursue doctoral work, if they wish, in statistics, applied statistics, or biostatistics.
- Understand statistical terminology in a wide variety of contexts, and interpret it for a non-statistician.
- Apply sound statistical principles for analyzing data.
- Use advanced statistical techniques in areas such as survival analysis, generalized linear models, regression and analysis of variance, and advanced probability.
- Carry out original research in an applied statistical area and write the results of that research in a coherent and technically-correct manner.
- Communicate well with people in a wide variety of statistical contexts.
- Demonstrate leadership and service in their chosen careers.
Plan A, 33 credits
Research Course
- STAT 699. Thesis, 6 credits
Core courses
27 credit minimum
- STAT 518. Advanced SAS Programming, 3 credits
- STAT 521. Regression and Analysis of Variance, 3 credits
- STAT 552. Computational Statistical Data Analysis, 3 credits
- STAT 617. Statistical Theory, 3 credits
- STAT 618. Survival Analysis, 3 credits
- STAT 619. Generalized Linear Models, 3 credits
- STAT 649. Statistical Consulting, 2 credits
- STAT 650. Statistics Seminar, 1 credit
Choose One Course
- STAT 524. Statistical Designs for Process Improvement
- STAT 530. Multivariate Statistical Methods, 3 credits
- STAT 536. Applied Categorical Data Analysis, 3 credits
Choose One Course
- STAT 620. Bayesian Data Analysis, 3 credits
- STAT 621. Design and Analysis of Experiments, 3 credits
Internship/Practicum
Statistical consulting is the practicum required in this program. Students do consulting with faculty and students from other departments who are engaged in research. This practical experience is extremely valuable preparation for work as an applied statistician.
Available Facilities
Students in the applied statistics graduate program have access to a network of PCs running Windows XP, with SAS, SPSS, S-Plus, Minitab, Maple, Matlab, and a variety of other well known software packages. These facilities are considered state-of-the-art in terms of computing power and software availability.
