Statistics 4 +1 (BS/MS)

Program Overview

The 4+1 BS and MS statistics (BS/MS STAT) program is offered to assist the students with (1) taking advantage of the excellent undergraduate program, (2) making full use of the available graduate internship and research programs and (3) earning an advanced degree in an accelerated time frame, making students very competitive and marketable after the successful completion of the program.

As in the Statistics MS Program, the 4+1 BS and MS Statistics program provides a balance of a foundation in theoretical statistics, applied coursework in statistical techniques, and opportunities for application of statistical knowledge through the StatLab and internships with local companies. Students completing the 4+1 BS and MS degree in Statistics will:

Have a theoretical foundation in probability, mathematical statistics, and optimization.
Have a core set of coursework in practical applications in regression, design of experiments, and multivariate methods.
Have exposure to Statistical Consulting.
Have an opportunity to apply the course work in a thesis, applied research, or an internship.

Requirements for Admission:

Students are admitted to the 4+1 BS and MS STAT program in the spring of the junior year. Students must be enrolled in the Statistics degree program in the Department of Applied Economics and Statistics at the time of the application, with a minimum of 60 credits and minimum GPA of 3.2 (on a 4.0 scale). It is desired that the students have completed STAT 470 , STAT 471 and MATH 349 at the time of the application with the GPA of at least 3.5 in these courses. The following application materials must be submitted: GRE scores, three letters of recommendation, and a personal statement. Students must have submitted GRE Aptitude Test with at least a score of 1050 in quantitative math and verbal (with an emphasis on the quantitative) for the traditional test. Students taking the new GRE exam should have a minimum of 300 combined on verbal and quantitative reasoning. Students for whom English is not their first language must meet a minimum of 85 on the TOEFL IBT examination. Admission to the Statistics Program is based on selections made by the department graduate committee in compliance with University policies and procedures. Admission to the 4+1 program is competitive. Those who meet the stated requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet all of those requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths.

Application deadlines: Review of applicants begins October 15th of the junior year and students are officially notified by November 1st. Students are admitted with provisional status until completion of the senior year and 124 credits, whereupon they are granted regular status as graduate students. Interested students are encouraged to make their intentions known as early as possible to develop the course structure suited for admission of the 4+1 program.

Requirements for the 4+1 BS/MS Degree in Statistics

The total credits required for the degree are 33.
21 credits of core, 3 credits of Signature Courses, and 9 credits of Approved Optional Courses.

Statistics M.S. Core requirements (21 credits)

STAT 601 - Probability Theory for Operations Research and Statistics
STAT 602 - Mathematical Statistics
STAT 603 - Vector Spaces and Optimization
STAT 611 - Regression Analysis
STAT 615 - Design and Analysis of Experiments I
STAT 617 - Multivariate Methods and Statistical Learning
STAT 641 - Statistical Laboratory

Approved List of Signature Courses (Three Credits)

In addition, students must take one elected course from this Approved List of Signature Courses:

STAT 612 - Advanced Regression
STAT 616 - Advanced Design of Experiments
STAT 621 - Survival Analysis

Approved Optional Courses (Nine Credits)

Three STAT 600 level courses with the exception of: STAT 608, STAT 609, STAT 613, STAT 670, and STAT 671, which were designed for nonmajors. Key approved optional courses include: STAT 656 - Biostatistics; STAT 674 - Data Management; STAT 675 - Logistic Regression;
or
One Optional Course and six Thesis Credits (STAT 669) (9 credits)
or
One Optional Course and six Internship Credits (STAT 664) (9 credits)

Students are expected to participate in StatLab; attend departmental seminars, attend the monthly meetings of the Delaware Chapter of the American Statistical Society; and area professional meetings, such as the ASA Meetings or the Merk-Temple Conference. The Department provides support for graduate students for these activities.

Provisionally admitted to the 4+1 BS and MS STAT

Undergraduate statistics majors who are provisionally admitted to the 4+1 BS and MS STAT and subsequently admitted to the MS STAT program must take:

STAT 611 Regression Analysis (3 credits) which can waive the undergraduate requirement to take STAT 409.

They also must take one of the following:

STAT 615 - Design and Analysis of Experiments I (3 credits), or
STAT 674 - Applied Data Base Management (3 credits) which will satisfy a 600-level course requirement for BS degree.

Additionally

To complete the 4+1 BS and MS STAT program in a timely manner, the undergraduate statistics majors who are provisionally admitted to the 4+1 BS and MS STAT and subsequently admitted to the MS STAT program must also take within their first 4 years (for 3 credits):

STAT 601 Probability Theory for Operations Research and Statistics (3 credits) which may be counted towards the Electives of the undergraduate degree.

Notes:

There are 9 graduate credits (3+3+3 credits) that students must take while provisionally admitted to the 4+1 BS and MS STAT program, and these credits may count toward fulfilling the required courses in both the BS and MS degrees in statistics.

Students in 4+1 BS and MS STAT program will complete all requirements for the undergraduate major in statistics.

The student needs to earn a grade of B (3.0) or better in the STAT graduate courses.

The students in the 4+1 BS and MS STAT program may choose from non-thesis options, internship option, or the thesis option. However, the decision analysis concentration for MS STAT degree will NOT be available for the students in the 4+1 BS and MS STAT program.