To aid in studying for the exams, we have a Repository of Past Masters and PhD Exams

How To Access The Exams

Please click here to get the previous exams

The exams are located in folders, organized first by Masters and PhD, then by theory and methods.

Exam Information

The Department offers one written exam for the MS Degree and one written exam for the PhD Degree.

MS Exam

The MS written exam is given in May each year. (The date is typically a Thursday in May, one week after final exams.) The exam consists of two parts. A methods exam consisting of three questions based on the classes Stat 500 and Stat 510 is given from 8:30 a.m. to noon. A theory exam consisting of three questions based on the classes Stat 542 and Stat 543 is given from 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM. A student is guaranteed two attempts to pass this exam. A third and final attempt may be given upon the recommendation of the Graduate Faculty. The results of this exam will be of the form: Pass, Conditional Pass, or Fail. These assessments will be given independently for the Methods and Theory parts. Hence, it is possible to pass part of the MS Exam and repeat only one part the next time.

PhD Exam

The PhD written exam is given in early July (Typically, the exam is in the second or third week of July). The methods portion is given on Tuesday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM and the theory portion is given on Thursday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM. This exam will be based on the statistical knowledge contained in the MS core courses (500, 510, 520, 542 and 543) and the PhD core courses (601, 641 and 642). There will be only one guaranteed attempt at the written exam. Decisions will be in the form of Pass, Conditional Pass, Fail or Fail with an Invitation to Make a Second Attempt. (This evaluation applies to the full exam so it is not possible to pass part of this exam.) The exact timing and structure of this exam will be announced by the PhD Exam Committee during the spring semester.