Degree Requirements
M.S. in Statistics

Admission Requirements

An undergraduate major in mathematics or statistics is typical for statistics graduate students, but is not required. However, because of the mathematical nature of some of the graduate coursework, students should be able to demonstrate good mathematical ability. Students without sufficient coursework in mathematics may be admitted with the expectation that sufficient mathematical background will be acquired during the first year of study. For more information, please see our Admissions Section.

Program of Study

The program of study will be developed and approved for each student by the graduate adviser in consultation with the student. The program will consist of at least 36 units of coursework, at least 18 of which must be at the graduate level. This will include certain core courses listed below, covering basic material in theoretical and applied statistics, while other elective courses will depend on the interest and objectives of the individual student. This is a M.S. Plan II program (no thesis).

The elective units may be taken in the following areas: (a) Statistics, (b) Fields of statistical application (e.g., economics, genetics), (c) Fields having applications in statistics (e.g., mathematics, computer science)

The core courses for the master's degree are:

• Statistical Computing: Statistics 141
• Applied Statistics and Multivariate Analysis: Statistics 232A-232B-232C
• One additional Graduate Level Elective in Statistics
• Seminar in Statistics Statistics 290 (1 unit, each quarter)
• Methods in Teaching Statistics Statistics 390 (2 units, taken once at the first available offering)
• Methods in Statistical Consulting: Statistics 401 (3 units, once during program)

Basic Examination

Graduate students must pass the written Basic Examination on material covered in the courses Statistics 131A-131B-131C, 106 and 108. Every student is required to take this examination at the end of the first year. The exam can be repeated once if necessary. Such a second attempt must be at the end of the second year. This exam will be given once a year, the week after the end of Spring Quarter finals. Failure to pass the exam at the second attempt terminates the student’s stay in the Statistics graduate program.

Waiver: Master’s students who will continue to a Ph.D. may be considered for a waiver of the Basic Examination by the Educational Policy Committee of the Graduate Program in Statistics. Please see the PhD Guidelines for more information.

M.S. Comprehensive Exam

This oral examination will be based on the analysis of an applied problem, with the solution defended before an examining committee. The exam also includes questions on the material of courses the student has taken. This exam is normally taken during the fifth quarter of graduate work and is the final examination for this degree. This exam can be repeated once. It is governed by Graduate Studies guidelines for M.S. Comprehensive Exams. The following are additional guidelines.

Guidelines which apply to the Oral M.S. Comprehensive Exam:

1. Students are strongly advised to attempt the Oral M.S. Comprehensive Exam by the end of the quarter before the quarter they expect to graduate. Otherwise, they run a risk of not being able to graduate as planned.
2. The exam consists of two parts: A presentation of a data analysis or other applied statistical problem by the student, and an examination period. The examination period covers questions pertaining to the presentation as well as the material of courses taken.
3. Total exam time is 2 hours.
4. The Graduate Adviser recommends an exam committee (normally consisting of a chair and two other members who are faculty of the Graduate Program in Statistics) after consulting with the candidate, who is supposed to meet with the Graduate Adviser four weeks before the scheduled exam date. The exam committee is appointed by Graduate Council.
5. The student must meet with the exam committee chair at least two weeks before the exam date and will be assigned a data analysis or other applied statistical problem ten calendar days ahead of the exam date.
6. A short written report (typically 2 typewritten pages) on the data analysis will be made available to the exam committee, at or before the exam, by the student.
7. A short abstract and title of the exam presentation must be given by the candidate to the Statistics Graduate Administrator one week in advance of the exam in order to allow for the distribution of a notice prior to the exam. This notice is distributed to all faculty and students of the Graduate Program in Statistics. The presentation part of the exam is public, while presence during the examination part is limited to the exam committee.

Thesis

Since the M.S. in Statistics is a Plan II program, no thesis is required. Research experience can be gained by electing Statistics 299 under the guidance of a faculty member. This course may be related to work for the project or data analysis to be presented at the M.S. Comprehensive Exam.

Sample Programs

Every full-time student at UC Davis is required to take 12 units of coursework per quarter. Financial support, if granted, is contingent on normal progress towards the degree goal. In addition to the coursework as outlined below, students will take Statistics 290 and generally will take additional electives later on, in consultation with their major professor. Appropriate modifications to these schedules will be made for part time students.

Sample A

The following would be a typical program for a well prepared student seeking a M.S. degree who opts for the fast track.

Sample B

For a beginning student with some coursework in statistics and mathematics, but without a rigorous year-long sequence in probability and mathematical statistics at the upper-division level (with a text such as Hogg and Craig, Introduction to Mathematical Statistics, for example), the following program would be typical for a M.S. student. The seminar course Statistics 290 is additional and is not listed. The second year plan is flexible.

You can download a pdf of the complete Graduate Program in Statistics Guidelines here.