Master of Science in Applied Statistics
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION | ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS | DEGREE REQUIREMENTS | COMPREHENSIVE EXAM INFORMATION
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Master of Science degree program in Applied Statistics is designed to prepare students for employment as professional statisticians in business, government, or industry, or to prepare students for doctoral studies in statistics or biostatistics. The program provides students with a thorough grounding in the statistical techniques used for the practical analysis of data. A core of required courses provides a thorough grounding in the theory and methodology needed for the design of experiments, and, the collection and subsequent analysis of data. Elective courses lend flexibility to the program and introduce students to advanced topics in statistical theory and techniques. A track in biostatistics is also available in this program for students preparing for employment in biomedical or pharmaceutical areas or a PhD in biostatistics.
The Applied Statistics degree requires 30 semester credits of course work. The prior mathematical training needed for entrance into the program has been kept to a minimum to accommodate students with undergraduate majors in fields such as biology, business, or one of the social sciences. The department makes provision for part-time degree candidates by offering all required courses in the late afternoon or evening.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Requirements for admission to the program are set in part by the School of Graduate Studies and in part by the Statistics Program faculty. Graduate school admission criteria are described in detail in the Wright State University Graduate Catalog, but the key points are summarized here.
The Applied Statistics degree is designed for students with undergraduate degrees in mathematics, statistics or a variety of other fields. Applicants should have completed a calculus sequence that includes multivariable calculus and a course in linear or matrix algebra. Some experience in computer programming and enough background in probability and statistics to begin basic graduate courses in statistics is also required. The later normally means one or two prior courses in probability and statistics, depending on content and level.
To be admitted as a regular student, applicants must have earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with at least a 2.7 (based on 4.0) overall GPA or with at least a 2.5 overall GPA with a 3.0 or better on the last 60 semester hours. To be admitted to the M.S. in Applied Statistics program, it is not necessary to have an undergraduate degree in mathematics or statistics, but applicants do need to have previous work in four crucial areas:
-
Calculus - Applicants must have completed a calculus sequence that includes multivariable calculus. Generally this requirement is met by taking a 3-semester "engineering" or "math major" sequence in calculus (equivalent to MTH 2300, 2310, and 2320 at Wright State).
-
Matrix or linear algebra - This requirement may be satisfied with a single course at any one of several levels (MTH 2530 or 2550 at Wright State).
-
Computer programming - Many students satisfy this requirement with course work (a course or two in scientific programming languages), but it is also possible to substitute substantial computer experience in a job setting for formal courses.
-
Probability and statistics - Statistics courses of many different types are acceptable as long as applicants have had some exposure to both descriptive statistics and statistical inference. Typical course sequences at Wright State that would suffice are STT 2640, or preferably, STT 3600.
Applicants with insufficient preparation may be admitted on the condition that they complete certain prerequisite work to be specified by the department at the time of admission.
Applicants may be admitted on conditional status if they do not meet all of the requirements above. Generally, conditional status will be granted if the applicant's undergraduate GPA was below the cutoffs listed above, but not too far below (see the Graduate Catalog for exact rules) or if the applicant needs to complete courses in one of the four critical areas listed above prior to taking graduate courses. Students on conditional status must complete the conditions of their admission and maintain a 3.0 GPA during their first 9 hours of work in the program in order for the conditional status to be removed. Students who do not meet these criteria can sometimes still be admitted by petition.
International Students: Please check the application instructions and requirements for international students.
Note: The M.S. course requirements and comprehensive exam are scheduled to allow students who begin in a fall semester to finish the program in two years by taking two courses per academic semester or in four years by taking one course per academic semester. The schedule is not optimally designed for students who enter in the middle of a year. Students who wish to enter the program are strongly encouraged to plan starting at the beginning of fall semester.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
In addition to the requirements of the Graduate School, the Master of Science degree in Applied Statistics may be earned by satisfying the degree requirements described below.
NOTE: The statistical computing package, SAS, will be used in many courses in the program. The SAS software is taught as a part of STT 6660 and STT 6670.
Required Courses - 18 - 19 Credits:
| STT 6610, 6620 | Theory of Statistics I, II |
| STT 6660, 6670 | Statistical Methods I, II |
| STT 7910 (7920) | Statistical Consulting (Biostatistical Consulting) |
Elective Courses - 12 credits (at least 6 credits from 7000-level courses):
| STT 6110 | Applied Time Series |
| STT 6210 | Sampling Design |
| STT 6240 | Quality Control and Improvement |
| STT 6260 | Survival Analysis |
| STT 6310 | Statistical Methods for Clinical Trials |
| STT 6640 | Computational Statistics |
| CS 6700 | Systems Simulation |
| STT 7020 | Applied Stochastic Processes |
| STT 7140 | Statistical Modeling for Environmental Data |
| STT 7300 | Advanced Topics in Biostatistics |
| STT 7400 | Categorical Data Analysis |
| STT 7440 | Applied Multivariate Analysis |
| STT 7620 | Topics in Linear Models |
| STT 7670 | Applied Regression Analysis |
All master's degree candidates are required to pass a comprehensive written examination which must be taken at least one semester before the expected date of graduation. The examination is ordinarily offered during fall semester.
Track in Biostatistics: Students in this program can take the track in Biostatistics which requires that the students take Survival Analysis (STT 6260), Statistical Methods for Clinical Trials (STT 6310) and Advanced Topics in Biostatistics (STT 7300) as their electives as well as Biostatistical Consulting (STT 7920) in place of the regular Statistical Consulting (STT 7910).
NOTE: With the prior approval of the statistics advisor, other appropriate courses, including courses from outside the department, may be used as electives. Credit will be allowed for STT 6860 or STT 7860, Independent Reading in Statistics and Probability, and STT 6960 or STT 7960, Topics in Probability and Statistics, only if approved in advance.
*Students who have taken STT 6610 6620, 6660, or 6670, or equivalent prior to entering the program will be required to take additional elective hours in lieu of the courses taken.
TOTAL CREDITS: 30 Credits
Click here for a complete catalogue listing of graduate statistics courses. NOTE: You do not need to sign in to access the catalog. Scroll to the bottom of the webpage, click on the lowest drop-down box and select the top item.
For further information about the Applied Statistics program, contact:
Dr. Harry Khamis, Applied Statistics Advisor
130 MM
937-775-2433
harry.khamis@wright.edu
