Nov 28, 2024

2013-2014 Graduate Catalog

2013-2014 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Master of Science in Applied Statistics

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Department of Mathematics and Statistics
368 Science and Engineering Building (map)
(248) 370-3430 • Fax (248) 370-4184
http://www.oakland.edu/math/

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Graduate Coordinator:
Meir Shillor
554 Science and Engineering Building
(248) 370-3439
shillor@oakland.edu

Program description

By offering the Master of Science in applied statistics degree program, the department seeks to increase the number of people with broad training in statistical methodology that is suitable for application in industrial, business and governmental settings. The program’s primary goal is to provide the basis for the skilled and competent application of modern statistical methods. Areas of methodology in the program, in addition to a basic theoretical foundation, include design of experiments, regression analysis, discrete data, statistical computing, statistical process control, Bayesian, non-parametric, multivariate, reliability, sample survey and time series methodology. All applied courses make use of and stress the importance of modern statistical computing software. Courses required for the program are offered in the late afternoon or evening to accommodate the part-time student. Teaching assistantships are available to full-time students on a competitive basis.

A biostatistics concentration is offered within the Master of Science in applied statistics degree program. This coursework provides students with the quantitative knowledge and skills required for health-related careers within academia, industry and government, including clinical trials, epidemiology and observational studies, survey research and genetics.

Admission terms and application deadlines

Before an applicant’s file can be reviewed for full program admission, all application documents must be received in Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning by the semester deadlines listed below. Incomplete applications will not be sent to departments for admission review.

July 15 for fall semester
November 15 for winter semester
March 15 for summer semester

Readmission and program transfer

Requests for readmission and program transfers must be completed and approved prior to the beginning of a semester.

International application deadlines

International applications are reviewed for fall and winter admission only. To ensure adequate time for review, international applications must be completed at least six months before the desired date of intended enrollment in the University. All international application materials must be submitted by May 1 for fall admission and by September 1 for winter admission. International applicants are not eligible for Special Graduate classification.

Special Graduate classification

Applicants who are seeking a graduate degree or graduate certificate, but are unable to meet the deadline for filing all required application materials or credentials for graduate admission, may contact the department and request Special Graduate temporary admission. The applicant must submit an Application for Admission to Graduate Study, plus a copy of a transcript providing evidence of a bachelor’s degree awarded and any specific evidence concerning their qualifications for graduate study as required by the department. Up to 12 credits may be earned in the Special Graduate classification. Admission as a special graduate student in no way assures subsequent admission to a degree or graduate certificate program.

Students may request special graduate classification beginning with the dates below.

August 1 for fall semester
December 1 for winter semester
April 1 for summer semester

Note: Special Graduate classification will not be granted after the first week of classes in a semester.

Application requirements

To be considered for graduate admission, applicants must submit all of the following University and Program application documents by the published application deadlines:

University graduate application requirements

Online Application for Admission to Graduate Study
Official transcripts providing evidence of an earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited U.S. institution, OR a degree equivalent to a four-year U.S. baccalaureate degree from a college or university of government-recognized standing.
Official transcripts for all post-secondary educational institutions from which the applicant earned a degree (beginning with the first baccalaureate) and for all enrollment in graduate-level coursework beyond the bachelor’s degree. International university transcripts must be evaluated by a professional credential evaluation service.
- As part of the admission requirements, graduate programs may require official transcripts from post-secondary educational institutions from which the applicant earned an associate’s degree and all enrollment in coursework both pre- and post-bachelor’s degree.
Two official and original Recommendation for Graduate Admission forms.
(Note: Some programs require more than two recommendation forms. Refer to the program application requirements listed below for the total number of recommendations and specific requirements for the recommendations.)
Proof of English language proficiency
International supplemental application and supporting documentation must be submitted before international applicants can be issued the Certification of Eligibility (I-20). This certificate is required to apply for a student visa from the U.S. embassy or consulate.

Program application requirements

All applicants who have received a baccalaureate from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or more will be considered.
Previous mathematical training should include the satisfactory completion of courses in multivariable calculus and linear algebra, as well as at least one introductory course in statistics. Applicants should also have some background in scientific computing.

Admission review and assessment

Admission to graduate study at Oakland University is selective. In making admission recommendations to Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning, each department assesses the potential of applicants for success in the program by examining their undergraduate records, goal statement, letters of recommendation, prerequisite courses and any other admission requirements established by the academic department.

Degree requirements

To fulfill the requirements for the Master of Science in applied statistics, a student must successfully complete, with at least a 2.5 in each course and an overall GPA of 3.0 or better, a 36-credit program as outlined below.

Course requirements

a. Core requirements (16 credits)

If the student has completed equivalent courses before admission, the student may substitute other STA/BST courses. Students with the necessary mathematics background are encouraged to complete these courses in their first year in order to satisfy prerequisites for more advanced courses.

All students must take:

STA 502 - Applied Linear Models I (4 credits)
STA 503 - Applied Linear Models II (4 credits)
STA 513 - Introduction to Mathematical Statistics I (4 credits)
STA 514 - Introduction to Mathematical Statistics II (4 credits)

b. Electives (20 credits)

All students must take 20 credits of elective courses. No more than 8 credits can be outside the STA or BST rubrics. All students have the option to take elective courses from the list of courses for the biostatistics concentration. All of the selected courses must be approved by the student’s adviser.

c. Biostatistics concentration (16 credits)

Students may choose to apply 16 of their 20 elective credits toward the biostatistics concentration. The concentration emphasizes statistical theory and methods so that the students are prepared to be statistical collaborators in interdisciplinary studies, take an active role in the design and execution of clinical trials, and develop methodologies relevant for biostatistics. In order to complete the biostatistics concentration, a student must select elective courses that meet the following requirements:

Required courses (12 credits)

STA 528 - Reliability and Life Data Analysis I (4 credits)
BST 541 - Longitudinal Data Analysis (4 credits)
BST 551 - Clinical Trials and Ethics in Biomedical Sciences (4 credits)
One additional course (4 credits) from the following:
STA 504 - Discrete Data Analysis (4 credits)
STA 531 - Bayesian Data Analysis (4 credits)
BST 546 - Bioinformatics and Biomedical Data Mining (4 credits)
BST 571 - Introduction to Statistical Epidemiology (4 credits)

d. Applied statistics project

All students must complete an applied statistics project, demonstrating competence in applying statistical methods and theory in the solution of a practical problem or problems. The work must be carried out under the supervision of a faculty member appointed by the Graduate Coordinator, and the student must prepare a written report and make an oral presentation to a committee of faculty members appointed by the Graduate Coordinator. The committee must certify that the student has met the requirement. Contact the Graduate Coordinator for more information about this requirement.

Satisfactory academic progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the term used to denote a student’s successful completion of coursework toward a certificate or degree. Federal regulations require the Office of Financial Aid to monitor Satisfactory Academic Progress for all financial aid recipients each semester.

Students who fall behind in their coursework, or fail to achieve minimum standards for grade point average and completion of classes, may lose their eligibility for all types of federal, state and university aid. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for additional details.

Good academic standing

All graduate students are expected to remain in good academic standing throughout the entire course of their graduate program. To be in good academic standing, a graduate student must make satisfactory progress toward fulfilling degree requirements, including the completion of critical degree milestones as set forth by the academic program. The student must also maintain a minimum semester and overall GPA of 3.0.

Good academic standing is a requirement for:

Holding a Graduate Assistantship
Receiving a fellowship or scholarship
Advancing to candidacy for a graduate degree
Going on a leave of absence
Obtaining a graduate certificate or degree from Oakland University.

Additionally, graduate students must meet all department academic standards which may be more stringent than the minimum set forth by the University.

Department requirements: To fulfill the requirements for the Master of Science in applied statistics, a student must successfully complete, with at least a 2.5 in each course and an overall GPA of 3.0 or better, a 36-credit program as outlined above.

Graduate students who are not in good academic standing for any reason are subject to probation and/or dismissal from further graduate study.

Related program information

Plan of study

All accepted applicants, in consultation with their assigned faculty program adviser, must develop a plan of study that details specific courses the students will use to satisfy their degree requirements. The plan of study must be approved by the faculty program adviser and submitted by the student to Graduate Study and Lifelong Learning.

Master’s and graduate certificate students must submit a department-approved plan of study by the end of their first semester of graduate coursework. Doctoral students must submit an approved plan of study prior to completion of the first year of coursework.

Note: Credit granted for successful completion of a course toward an undergraduate degree program may not be repeated for a graduate degree. If a substitution is approved, the minimum number of program-approved graduate credits will be required. A Petition of Exception - OU Course Waiver/ Substitution requesting the substitution must be approved.