Department Chair:            Dr. Rhonda Magel
Department Location:      Morril Hall
Email:                                 ndsu.stats@ndsu.edu
Telephone Number:          (701) 231-7177
Degrees Offered:               Ph.D., M.S., Certificate
Application Deadline:       Application deadline is March 15 for international students and applicants who would like an opportunity for an assistantship if available.
Test Requirements:          GRE (recommended)
English Proficiency           TOEFL ibT 79
Requirements:                   IELTS 6.5

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Program Description

The Department of Statistics offers programs leading to a Ph.D. in statistics or a master's degree in applied statistics. The program is flexible enough to be individually planned around prior experience and in accord with professional goals.

During the first year of the program, students are strongly encouraged to meet with each faculty member to discuss possible research topics. The student should select an advisory and examining committee by the end of the first year.

A joint master's degree in computer science and statistics may also be obtained. A graduate certificate in Applied Statistics for non majors is also offered.

Admissions Requirements

Graduate Certificate

• B.S. or equivalent degree from an accredited university,
• Knowledge of College Algebra

Master's Program in Applied Statistics

The Department of Statistics' graduate program is open to qualified graduates of universities of recognized standing. In addition to the Graduate School requirements , the applicant must:

• Have had at least one year of calculus,
• Have had at least one course in statistics,
• Have had at least one programming language and

Joint Master's Program in Computer Science and Statistics

To be admitted with full status into the M.S. program in computer science and statistics, the applicant must satisfy the admission requirements for both the M.S. program in computer science and the M.S. program in applied statistics.

Ph.D. Program in Statistics

In addition to the Graduate School requirements , the applicant must:

• Have had four courses in math at the university calculus level or above,
• Have had several courses in statistics,
• Have had at least one programming language

Students not holding a master's degree in statistics or a closely related field will not be admitted to the Ph.D. program in statistics. These students must first apply to the M.S. program in applied statistics and complete the M.S. degree.

Ph.D. Program in Statistics (with Emphasis in Sports Statistics)

In addition to the Graduate School requirements , the applicant must:

• Have had four courses in math at the university calculus level or above.
• Have had several courses in statistics.
• Have had a least one programming language.

Students entering program with this option can be admitted directly into the Ph.D. program after receiving B.S. degree. Students holding M.S. degree may also apply.

Financial Assistance

Teaching assistantships are available. To be considered for an assistantship, the application must be complete with the Graduate School no later than March 15.

Graduate Certificate

Requires 12 Semester credit hours consisting of STAT 725 Applied Statistics, STAT 726 Applied Regression and Analysis of Variance, and two other pre-approved graduate level courses in statistics. After completing the requirements for the certificate, please contact the Department of Statistics to verify completion.

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M.S. Degree in Applied Statistics

The program for the M.S. degree in applied statistics requires 32 semester credits with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher. An oral defense of a research-based thesis or paper is required. The program for the M.S. degree in computer science and statistics requires 42 semester credits with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher. An oral defense of a research-based thesis or paper is required.

All students must:

1. Complete a set of core courses with a grade of B or better, including
   STAT 661	Applied Regression Models	3
   STAT 662	Introduction to Experimental Design	3
   STAT 767	Probability and Mathematical Statistics I	3
   STAT 768	Probability and Mathematical Statistics II	3
   STAT 764	Multivariate Methods	3
   or STAT 774	Linear Models I
   Successfully complete 2 one-credit practicums in consulting. Each statistical practicum will be listed as STAT 794		2
   Complete an additional 9-12 hours (depends on number of research hours) of course work selected from the following courses:		9-12
   STAT 650	Stochastic Processes
   STAT 651
   STAT 660	Applied Survey Sampling
   STAT 663	Nonparametric Statistics
   STAT 664	Discrete Data Analysis
   STAT 665	Meta-Analysis Methods
   STAT 670	Statistical SAS Programming
   STAT 671	Introduction to the R Language
   STAT 672	Time Series
   STAT 673	Actuarial Statistical Risk Analysis
   STAT 677	Introductory Survival and Risk Analysis I
   STAT 678	Introductory Survival and Risk Analysis II
   STAT 730	Biostatistics
   STAT 732	Introduction to Bioinformatics
   STAT 761	Advanced Regression
   STAT 762	Messy Data Analysis
   STAT 770	Survival Analysis
   STAT 775	Using Statistics in Sports
   STAT 777	Multivariate Theory
   STAT 778	Modern Probability Theory
   STAT 780	Asymptotics, Bootstrap, and Other Resampling Plans
   STAT 786	Advanced Inference
   STAT 796	Special Topics
   Pass two written comprehensive exams. Exam 1 covers STAT 767 and STAT 768. Exam 2 covers STAT 661, STAT 662, and STAT 764 or STAT 774. Exam 1 is two hours and Exam 2 is three hours. These exams are offered during approximately the fourth week of Fall and Spring Semesters. A maximum of two attempts will be allowed.
   STAT 798	Master's Thesis	1-10
   or STAT 797	Master's Paper
   Must have 15 hours of 700-789 level courses.

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M.S. Degree in Computer Science and Statistics