Statistics

M.S. Statistics

Ph.D. Statistics

Program Admission Requirements:

An undergraduate GPA of at least 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) is required for admission.  The prerequisites for the master's degree program in Statistics consist of the following semester courses or their equivalent:

1. Multivariable Calculus (M 273),
2. Linear or Matrix Algebra (M 221),
3. Methods of Data Analysis (STAT 411 and STAT 412), 
4. Probability (STAT 421), and
5. Mathematical Statistics (STAT 422).

Students who have not completed these courses may be accepted into the master's program with the understanding they should make up these courses by adding one or two additional semesters to their program of study.

Program Admission Requirements:

It is expected a Ph.D. student will participate in the Statistical Consulting Seminar (STAT 510). Through this participation, the student will gain important experience in practical problem solving, computational statistics and statistical report writing.    A minimum of two credits of Statistical Consulting Seminar (STAT 510) are required, which can be satisfied as part of the MS degree in Statistics at MSU.

Also, it is required that a Ph.D. student will take a directed study course in Doc Reading & Research (STAT 689) in his/her area of specialty before taking the written and oral comprehensive exams, followed by Doctoral Thesis (STAT 690) credits after passing the comprehensive exams. 

1. The status of provisional admission is assigned prior to passing the Ph.D. qualifying exam and choosing a Ph.D. advisor. Once admitted to the Ph.D. program, the Ph.D. student must form a Ph.D. Graduate Committee and complete a Program of Study within two semesters.                

2. Students may also elect to focus on Statistics Education for the Ph.D. in Statistics which is designed for students with research interests focused on the teaching and learning of Statistics. The Ph.D. in Statistics with a specialization in Statistics Education incorporates coursework in Statistics, Statistics Education, Mathematics Education, and Education, as approved by a student's Ph.D. Graduate Committee to provide the required background to do research in Statistics Education. 

M.S. in Statistics Comprehensive Exam

The M.S. comprehensive exam consists of a written exam over material from Intermediate Probability and Statistics (STAT 501), Intermediate Mathematical Statistics (STAT 502), Linear Models (STAT 505), and Advanced Regression Analysis (STAT 506).

The exam is typically given in August with the specific date determined by the department. Examinees will be informed of the results within five working days of taking the exam. Two attempts to pass the comprehensive exam are allowed.

Statistics Ph.D. Qualifying Exam

The Ph.D. qualifying exam is identical to the statistics M.S. comprehensive exam. A student who earned an M.S. in Statistics from MSU need not take the Ph.D. qualifying exam. Other prospective students are expected to take the Ph.D. qualifying exam as soon as relevant course work has been completed. Two attempts to pass the qualifying exam are allowed. Attempts taken while in the M.S. program will be counted towards these two attempts.

Comprehensive Exam

The Ph.D comprehensive exam has two components: written and oral. The topics and format of the written comprehensive exam for the Ph.D. in Statistics will be determined by the student's Ph.D. Graduate Committee. They are given at a specific date determined by the student's Ph.D. Graduate Committee. The student has two attempts to pass each exam.

The written part of the Ph.D. comprehensive will consist of several components. These will typically include:

• Providing a general review/summary related to the proposed research area.
• Critiquing and addressing questions related to at least one journal article in the proposed research area.
• Performing a data analysis with a written summary. The data analysis will be related to coursework taken by the student.
• Demonstrating competency in  mathematical statistics, bayesian statistics, and possibly other relevant coursework determined by the student's Ph.D. Graduate Committee.

The student will be given one week to submit her/his written summaries. Once the written comprehensive examination has been passed, the student must pass the oral comprehensive examination.

Each student must devise a research area of concentrated study. The requirements associated with each component of the Ph.D. comprehensive exam are flexible, however the concentration area(s) must be approved by the student's Ph.D. Graduate Committee. An area could involve course material or research from a discipline outside the department.  The Ph.D. Graduate Committee will determine the exact details of each component with the goal of assessing the student’s potential for performing independent research in the proposed research area.

Accelerated M.S. Plan in Statistics

The Accelerated M.S. Program (AMSP) is designed to provide MSU undergraduates a path to earning both the B.S. and the M.S. in Statistics in a total of five years.  Undergraduate students earning a B.S. in Mathematics with the Statistics Option at Montana State University may accelerate their program through any combination of Advanced Placement Credit, transfer credit, and higher semester credit loads so that they may receive their B.S. degree after four years and their M.S. degree after the fifth year. The undergraduate student can complete specific graduate level course work during year 4 of the undergraduate program.  These courses can be reserved for graduate credit towards the M.S. degree.  With careful planning by the student and the academic advisor, this can compress the time required to fulfill requirements of both the B.S. and M.S. degrees to a total of five years.  The M.S. degree is typically the writing project based degree, and all M.S. requirements described must be fulfilled, unless otherwise approved by the student's graduate committee.

AMSP Application and Timeline Information

Students typically apply to the AMSP program during spring term of the third year of the B.S. degree program.  A minimum of 90 undergraduate credits must be completed at the time of application.  Normally the B.S. in Mathematics with the Statistics option will be awarded at the end of the student's senior (transition) year, and enrollment in the M.S. program in Statistics will commence at the start of the fifth (graduate) year.  All M.S. program admission prerequisites listed above and all application procedures required by both the Department of Mathematical Sciences and the Graduate School apply.  This includes the application fees. 

Students apply to the AMSP program by applying to the Graduate School and selecting the term that they intend to start their graduate program, i.e. the term after they finish their undergraduate degree.

Reserved Credits: Students planning to apply to the AMSP program should seek permission to register in graduate level courses during the second semester of their third year.  In total, a student at MSU may take up to fifteen graduate level credits to reserve towards a graduate degree.  The coursework used for reserved credits may not be counted toward the B.S. degree requirements.  In order to obtain permission to register in graduate level courses and to reserve credits toward the M.S. degree, the student must request approval through the department’s advisor overseeing the AMSP.  The Advisor must approve the request and document the specific courses to be reserved within DegreeWorks.

AMSP Program Requirements

• The AMSP degree requirements are exactly the same as those described above.
• Prospective students are required to keep their undergraduate coursework cumulative GPA at 3.3 or higher and their graduate coursework cumulative GPA at 3.0 or higher in order to be admitted to the AMSP.
• If accepted into the AMSP program, students will be granted graduate status and be eligible for graduate assistantships and tuition waivers only after completing all B.S. degree requirements and undergraduate degree conferment.
• At least 15 credits of graduate level coursework must be taken once the student obtains graduate status.  

Participation in the AMSP requires significant planning of coursework and application procedures.  Interested students should discuss this option with their undergraduate academic advisor within the Department of Mathematical Sciences as early as the first year of the B.S. degree program.  Students must also consult the Graduate Program Coordinator and the Statistics Faculty member on the Graduate Program Committee within the department as early as possible.