PhD in Statistics

The Ph.D. degree includes a thorough background of coursework in contemporary statistical theory, and provides an opportunity for studying a field in which statistics is applied.. This is a Plan A program with final oral examination (defense of the dissertation). A Ph.D. student will select an area of specialization and will choose a major professor and dissertation adviser in that area, usually in the second or third year of study. The student's program of study will be developed by the student jointly with the faculty Graduate Advisor. The Graduate Program in Statistics (GPS) consists of twenty-six faculty including members affiliated with various departments on campus. Our graduate programs are based on the premise that good applications are built on strong foundations in theory and methods. Thus, the core program for every graduate student in statistics includes graduate level core courses in mathematical statistics, applied statistics and multivariate analysis. Students obtain training in computational statistics and can choose from a variety of special topics courses.