Nov 22, 2024  
2011-2012 Graduate Catalog 
    
2011-2012 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Master of Science in Applied Statistics


 

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

► Apply Online

► Class Schedule Search

 

Graduate Coordinator:
Xianggui (Harvey) Qu
371 Science and Engineering Building
(248) 370-4029
qu@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 Admissions by the semester deadlines listed below.

  • November 15, 2011 for the Winter 2012 semester
  • July 15, 2012 for the Fall 2012 semester
  • November 15, 2012 for the Winter 2013 semester
  • July 15, 2013 for the Fall 2013 semester

International applicants:  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 to the University. All international application materials must be submitted by May 1 for fall admission and by September 1 for winter admission.

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.

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

  • 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.
  • 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)


All students must take:

If the student has completed equivalent courses before admission, the student may substutute 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.

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:

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 (SAP) for all financial aid recipients. The required types of monitoring include Time Limit, Completion Rate, Excessive Withdrawals and GPA Requirements. 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 applicable program and maintain a minimum semester and overall GPA of 3.0.

Good academic standing is a requirement for:

  1. Holding a Graduate Assistantship
  2. Receiving a fellowship or scholarship
  3. Advancing to candidacy for a graduate degree
  4. Going on a leave of absence
  5. 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 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.