2013-2014 Catalog Requirements
1. Background and Nature of a Statistician's Work
Statisticians are involved in answering questions, making decisions and solving problems in the face of uncertainty, using limited information collected in an experiment or survey. Statistics is the science of collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of numerical information or data to solve such problems. The use of statistical methods to address complex problems is pervasive in almost all areas of business, government, and science (including social science).
The Department of Statistics offers the B.S. degree as well as the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in statistics. Some undergraduate students have majored jointly in statistics and another discipline such as biology, computer science, economics, mathematics, political science, psychology, or sociology. Others have completed a minor in such a discipline as an area of application or special interest.
2. Requirements for the Major
Students who choose statistics as a major should enjoy and have an aptitude for applied mathematics. Many statisticians have an inquisitive nature as well as an interest in numerical data. The B.S. curriculum in statistics requires background studies in mathematics (through calculus) and computer science as well as the basic requirements for a liberal arts degree. It is important for statistics majors to learn to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. Students take courses in three major areas of statistics: statistical methods, statistical theory and statistical computing.
A number of statistics electives are also available. Advanced undergraduate students may be allowed to take graduate level courses in statistical methods or statistical computing. The Department requirements for the B.S. degree in statistics for students graduating under the 2013-2014 Catalog are:
| Required Courses in Statistics | Course Number | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation in Statistics | Stat 100 | R |
| Introductory Statistics Concepts and methods | Stat 201 | 4 |
| Intermediate Statistical Concepts and Methods | Stat 301 | 4 |
| Introduction to the Theory of Probability and Statistics I | Stat 341 | 3 |
| Introduction to the Theory of Probability and Statistics II | Stat 342 | 3 |
| Design and Analysis of Experiments | Stat 402 | 3 |
| Survey Sampling Techniques | Stat 421 | 3 |
| Computer Processing of Statistical Data | Stat 479 | 3 |
| Statistical Computer Applications | Stat 480 | 3 |
For students graduating under the 2013-2014 Catalog two additional statistics courses at the 400+ level are required. They may be selected from the following:
| Course | Course Number | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Statistics for the Social Sciences | Stat 404 | 3 |
| Statistics for Spatial Data | Stat 406 | 3 |
| Methods of Multivariate Analysis | Stat 407 | 3 |
| Advanced Statistical Methods | Stat 415 | 3 |
| Statistical Design and Analysis of Microarray Experiments | Stat 416 | 3 |
| Applied Probability Models | Stat 432 | 3 |
| Bayesian Data Analysis | Stat 444 | 3 |
| Applied Time Series | Stat 451 | 3 |
| Applied Categorical Data Analysis | Stat 457 | 3 |
With permission of the department (routinely granted), Statistics 361/IE 361, Quality Assurance, may be substituted for one of these courses.
Descriptions of the courses offered by the Department of Statistics can be found in the ISU Catalog or online at Statistics Courses.
| Support Courses Required |
|---|
| Mathematics 165, 166 or 166#, 265 or 265#, 307 or 317 |
| Computer Science 107 or Computer Science 207 |
3. The Minor
A minor is highly recommended. Students frequently declare a minor in mathematics or in a field of application such as: biology, business, economics, genetics, political science, psychology, or sociology. A minor in Liberal Arts and Sciences is satisfied by a minimum of 15 semester credits, including at least 6 credits in courses numbered 300+ with a grade of C or higher. The minor must include at least 9 credits that are not used to meet any other department, college or university requirement. Contact the minor department for additional specific requirements. Under the 2013-2014 Catalog, a minor will be recorded on the official transcript providing a student completes the required courses of a structured minor as specified by the minor department.
4. Proficiency in English, Library and Speech (2013-2014)
Proficiency in English is normally demonstrated by passing English 150 and 250 (or 250H) with a grade of C- or better and passing one of English 302 or 314 with a grade of C- or better. Additionally, students are required to complete at least one written project as part of their course work. A satisfactory grade in Library 160 is required to fulfill the library requirement. Either Communication Studies 102 or Speech Communication 212 with a passing grade will satisfy the speech requirement.
5. Requirements of the University and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
For a complete description of University and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences requirements see the 2013-2014 Catalog.
6. Information available from the Department of Statistics
For more information about a major in statistics or a structured minor in statistics at Iowa State University, please contact:
Undergraduate Program
Dr. W. Robert Stephenson
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Department of Statistics
Office: 3111 Snedecor Hall
Phone: (515) 294-7805
E-mail: wrstephe@iastate.edu
The Director of Undergraduate Studies will be happy to answer any specific questions about the statistics program. Additionally, he can supply information about career opportunities in statistics.