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Masters in Statistics

  • 1.  Masters in Statistics

    Posted 11-10-2015 09:56
    I am interested in a Masters in Statistics or Biostatistics in America. I have written GRE and IELTS to be able to assist me in the application. However, I have not being successful in gaining admission.

    Can anyone advise me on a school that would be interested in a candidate like me?

    Leona Edegbe
    Higher Statistical Officer
    National Metallurgical Development Centre, Nigeria


  • 2.  RE: Masters in Statistics

    Posted 11-11-2015 15:55

    If you can pay your own way, then many schools will be interested in a Masters candidate like you. But you will need to apply to them individually. I received my Masters in statistics sixeen years ago from Louisiana State University, and I had a good experience there that prepared me well.  

    ------------------------------
    Eric Siegel
    Biostatistician
    Univ of Arkansas for Medical Sciences of Biostatistics



  • 3.  RE: Masters in Statistics

    Posted 11-12-2015 08:16

    Hi Leona,

    Some schools are always going to be more selective than other. Graduate degree, specifically in Biostatistics is still a fairly recent program and many schools are in the process of starting their own program. Before applying it might be good to send your resume including your score to the graduate director/coordinator. Usually they are very helpful and provide great suggestion on chances of getting admitted/funded. Have you considered MS program at University of Kansas Medical Center?

    Thanks,

    Milan

    ------------------------------
    Milan Bimali
    Student (GRA)



  • 4.  RE: Masters in Statistics

    Posted 11-13-2015 07:23

    Leona,

    I also did a masters in Statistics at LSU. I feel that it was a very good program; fundamentally and coding wise.

    Contact Dr. Luis Escobar and tell him your credentials. He was a secondary father figure to me, maybe he can be the same to you!

    -Andrew

    ------------------------------
    Andrew Chapple
    Graduate Student
    Rice University



  • 5.  RE: Masters in Statistics

    Posted 11-13-2015 07:24

    Also LSU pays you to teach, but not enough for a full salary. Good Luck!

    ------------------------------
    Andrew Chapple
    Graduate Student
    Rice University



  • 6.  RE: Masters in Statistics

    Posted 11-12-2015 07:58

    Hello,

    Why don't you try at University of South Florida. We have a very nice program in Statistics. You can apply on the university web page. Probably it might be a little bit late for the Spring, since you will be an international student and there is more time needed, but you can try for the Fall 2016. If your quantitative portion of the GRE is high enough and you have sufficient math background, then you have good chances of being accepted.

    Good luck!

    ------------------------------
    Zheni Stefanova
    University of South Florida



  • 7.  RE: Masters in Statistics

    Posted 11-16-2015 07:46

    With all due respect, how do you know that the Statistics program at the University of South Florida is good? How long have you been there? How many statistics seminars do you have? What is the average age of the tenured faculty? How many faculty received tenure in the last 5-10 years?

    ------------------------------
    George Yanev
    Associate Professor
    University of Texas - Pan American



  • 8.  RE: Masters in Statistics

    Posted 11-16-2015 11:09

    Hello George,

    It's a great pleasure to meet you here in the ASA society, I've heard many positive opinions from my professors about you, while you were working for University of South Florida. Apparently the USF program is good enough to produce fantastic Associate Professors like yourself. You are correct, I really don't understand why it is so hard to get a tenure in the Statistics Department. Please feel free to write to me and share your opinion or just to give me any advice (if you would like to) about USF, my e-mail is stefanova@mail.usf.edu.

    Приятен Ден!

    Поздрави

    ------------------------------
    Zheni Stefanova
    University of South Florida



  • 9.  RE: Masters in Statistics

    Posted 11-12-2015 11:49

    Leona,

    Another option is to do a distance program like Colorado State Offers. I'm in Canada, and finishing my M.Sc this way. I had a lousy time in undergraduate pursuing theoretical math and honestly, wasn't very good at it and my marks reflected that. I did however, do quite well in my statistics courses and enjoyed them a lot more. However, I was seen as a weak student and had trouble gaining admission into traditional grad schools. 

    http://www.stat.colostate.edu/statprostudents/statphdms.html

    At CSU it used to be (circa 2009) you could take 3 courses via distance before even applying to the program. I'm not sure you can still get the MS, and now they have a MAS (Masters of Applied Statistics) for new distance students. However, you could take 3 courses, and then use that as currency for getting in their on campus MS program or use it as currency somewhere else (provided you have good marks of course.)

    -Max

    ------------------------------
    Max Nevill
    Student



  • 10.  RE: Masters in Statistics

    Posted 11-13-2015 12:20

    Thanks, Max for mentioning our program! 

    Leona - It's true that we do allow students with appropriate background to start our online program as a non-degree seeking student.  A student may earn as many as 10 credits prior to admission.  We are no longer offering our MS degree online, but we do offer our MAS (Master of Applied Statistics) degree online.  This degree can be pursued either full or part-time, but you would need to be formally admitted in order to pursue it full time. 

    Feel free to contact me for more information, or you can also check our program out at the link Max provided or at Master of Applied Statistics (MAS): Online and On Campus (http://www.stat.colostate.edu/statprostudents/statdistance.html).

    Good luck to you!

    Jana

    ------------------------------
    Jana Anderson
    Director of Online Learning and Master of Applied Statistics
    Colorado State University



  • 11.  RE: Masters in Statistics

    Posted 11-13-2015 07:25

    Hi Leona,

    You may consider Ball State university to pursue your Master in Statistics. The Statistics graduate program is housed under the Mathematical sciences department, however the faculty has wide range of research interests from Statistics to Biostatistical methods. For more information, you may visit the following link:

    Master of Arts or Science in Statistics - Ball State University

    ------------------------------
    Munni Begum
    Ball State University



  • 12.  RE: Masters in Statistics

    Posted 11-13-2015 09:18

    Have you tried some of the online master degree programs such as Texas A&M, University of South Carolina, Penn State World Campus, University of Washington, and so on. Many of these programs are taught by the same Professor. Also you can take courses at statistics.com and sliderule offers mentors and a great learning program. Oh UC Irvine has many online Predictive Analytics program as does Northwestern University, and NYU. So many options to choose from, wishing you a he best.

    ------------------------------
    Robert Ronayne
    MSPA, CQE, CAPM, GStat



  • 13.  RE: Masters in Statistics

    Posted 11-19-2015 08:01

    I wouldn't restrict myself to only looking at traditional stats programs.

    For example, Wayne State University offers an MS in Mathematical Statistics. About half the degree is courses in Real Analysis and Modern Algebra. The other half, 5 courses, breaks down as 3 stats classes and 2 stats theory classes.

    On the other hand, their MS degree in Applied Math can be taken in such a way that you end up taking 8-9 classes. All of them are offered in a traditional stats program.

    The Industrial Engineering department offers an MS in IE. For that degree you can take 6 industrial stats classes and 2 applied stats classes from the math department. Between those 3 degrees, I'd rather have the MS IE degree. More money, more jobs, and you apply your stats so you actually know what you use it for. Most of the IE Stat classes are an "overview" type of class. So, you cover more material and learn about more things. 

    As a graduate student, I took Design of Experiments from an IE department. We covered mixed models in 2 weeks. When I took my stats course in mixed models, we covered the same material in depth but took all semester to do it. Because the stats prof insisted we learn the SAS code, and make pretty SAS graphs. In IE, we had example code and modified it as needed. In Stats, we got the same code, eventually, and modified it as needed. Having the IE class first made the second class an easy A. I also pointed out uses and mistakes the stats prof made;-) 

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    Andrew Ekstrom