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Regular (Dual Degree ) Masters program

Please note that this Program was updated in September 2008 and supercedes previous versions.

The regular Masters degree (Master of Arts in Statistics) is regarded by the Department as an embedded degree earned while a student is working towards a Ph.D. degree in Statistics or as a dual degree earned while a student is working towards a Ph.D. degree in another field. As such, this program is available only to students who are have been enrolled in a PhD program at the University of Michigan for at least one term. A student who is interested in only a Masters degree in Statistics should apply to the Masters Program in Applied Statistics .

Within the Masters program there are several options, and some flexibility within each option. Specific degree requirements for each of these options are to be detailed below.

Application and Admission

Applicants must have already been accepted in a Rackham graduate program. The student is expected to have a working knowledge of calculus, linear algebra, and introductory probability and statistics. Students are strongly discouraged from completing the course requirements before applying to the program. You have to be enrolled in our Masters program for a year and complete a writing component before you can be awarded this degree.

Students interested in this program need to submit a Rackham Dual Degree application to Lu Ann Custer in the Statistics Department. Additional materials that need to be submitted along with the application are an updated Statement of Purpose, CV, copies of transcripts from all institutions you have attended and a letter of recommendation from your Faculty Advisor or Graduate Advisor in your home department. Admission will be determined by the Statistics Program Advisor in consultation with the "Statistics Coordinator" in the student's program where appropriate.

Dual Degree application deadlines: The Fall term application deadline is April 1st and the Winter term application deadline is October 31.

Curriculum

This program requires a minimum of 24 credit hours of course work that includes two cognate courses. The program must be approved by the Graduate Advisor and must include the following courses:

  1. Statistics 500 (Applied Statistics 1) and Statistics 503 (Applied Multivariate Analysis). (6 credit hours)

  2. Biostatistics 601/ Biostatistics 602 (Probability/Theoretical Statistics) or Statistics 610 (Statistical Inference) and Statistics 611 (Large Sample Theory). (minimum 6 credit hours)

  3. Two elective statistics courses from graduate-level courses listed by the Statistics Department. (6 credit hours).

  4. Two cognate courses from another department. (minimum 4 credit hours)

  5. A writing component that demonstrates mastery of statistical methods in the design of data collection and/or modeling and analysis of data in the student's area of research. (Students in the PhD program in Statistics will be exempted from this requirement provided they do sufficiently well in the PhD Qualifying Review Examination.)

Thesis component for Dual-Degree Master’s students
The thesis component was instituted for students who were admitted beginning with the Fall 2008 term.  It does not affect students who were admitted before that specific term..

This requirement involves submitting a mini-thesis that demonstrates your mastery of statistical methods learned in the program.  This can be either in the data collection stage (design of experiments, survey design, etc.) or modeling and analysis of data or both.  Typically, we expect this will be a chapter from your PhD thesis or even proposal that is revised to be self contained.  It must be in the form of a journal paper with introduction to the scientific problem, why it is important, and what statistical methods are being used.  It must conclude with a summary of your statistical contributions and how they were used to address the scientific problem of interest.  There must be references or bibliography, acknowledgements, etc.

It must be written and organized well with no typos, grammatical issues, etc.  It can be co-authored with your thesis advisor.

Do not use a paper that you have already submitted to a journal or a paper that you are co-authoring with someone else for this purpose.  It has to be an independent piece of work by you, possibly co-authored with your advisor if it is part of your thesis.  In this case, indicate clearly that this is part of your thesis or thesis proposal and give reference to the chapter of the thesis.  Make sure you get your advisor’s permission to submit this.

The length can vary but typically it should be about 20-30 pages long, including graphs.  If the thesis does not meet minimum standards, you will not pass the requirement, so if you are in doubt, you should run a draft by the Masters advisor before you submit it, or even discuss your proposal with the Masters advisor.

You must submit the thesis by the end of November for December graduation and the end of March for April graduation.

If it turns out that you don’t have any statistical component to your thesis and need suggestions or projects, you should discuss this with the advisor very early on.

More advanced courses may be substituted for required courses by well-prepared students in the Ph.D. program. In addition, a student who has completed courses that substantially overlap with any of the required courses may, with permission, substitute other graduate courses in Statistics.

Options in Other Departments

The Departments of Statistics has agreements with the Departments of Economics, Psychology, and Sociology, and the School of Education whereby a doctoral student in any of these disciplines may earn a Masters degree in Statistics. Each of these academic units has a "Statistics Coordinator" serving as consultant to the Graduate Advisor in the Department of Statistics.

Option in Econometrics

A doctoral student in the Department of Economics must replace the core requirements A and C by, C. Four statistics courses from graduate-level courses listed by the Statistics Department. (12 credit hours). At least 12 of the minimum 24 credit hours of course work must be obtained by enrolling in graduate-level statistics courses listed with Statistics as the home department. Special arrangements can also be made with permission of the Graduate Advisor in consultation with the "Statistics Coordinator" in Economics.

Option in Psychology

Core requirements C & D provide flexibility to create a program of study that complements the student's research interests. Statistics 414 cannot be used to satisfy core requirements C& D. Special arrangements can also be made with permission of the Graduate Advisor in consultation with the "Statistics Coordinator" in Psychology.

Option in Sociology

It is recommended that a doctoral student in the Department of Sociology take advanced statistical methodology classes such as Sociology 542 or Survey Methodology 612 to fulfill the cognate requirement (D). Special arrangements can also be made with permission of the Graduate Advisor in consultation with the "Statistics Coordinator" in Sociology.

Option in Quantitative Methods in Education

It is recommended that a doctoral student in the Quantitative Methods in Education program of the School of Education take Education 637. He/she may use Education 637 toward the cognate requirement (D). Special arrangements can also be made with permission of the Graduate Advisor in consultation with the "Statistics Coordinator" in Education.

Graduate Courses