Mar 28, 2024  
2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Statistics (STAT) - BS Major


Stat program image


64 credits (no minor required)

2.0 GPA required.

Letter grade required in all major courses unless otherwise noted.

Statistics Major Map  

The BS Statistics Program provides students with instruction in the basic techniques, applications, and theories of mathematics and statistics. Students choosing statistics may complete a statistics project under the supervision of a faculty member. This provides students the opportunity to work with a faculty member on a consulting project or research problem. For students planning to attend graduate school, the research project is recommended. Internship opportunities also exist for students in the statistics major. Recent graduates have completed internships at the Mayo Clinic, insurance companies, local industry, and non-profit organizations. Both consulting projects and internships are good choices for students seeking employment upon graduation.

Students who are interested in business or industrial applications of statistics might consider the fields of actuarial science or quality control. Specific information about these two fields follows the required coursework for the statistics major.

Required Courses (52 credits)


Data Science (6 credits)


Statistics First Course (3 credits)


Choose one:

Professional Development (9 credits)


For each capstone experience, a project proposal must be developed in consultation with a faculty member.

Choose one (3 credits)


Electives (9 credits)


In consultation with an advisor, choose 9 elective credits. Courses outside the department with a significant mathematical/statistical component may be taken with department approval.

Actuarial Science


To become a certified actuary, candidates must pass a series of examinations that are administered by the Society of Actuaries (SOA). Some of the examinations can be successfully completed while the student is still in college. In fact, some companies hire only candidates who have successfully completed at least one of the examinations. WSU offers the following courses that will prepare students for the first exam on Probability (SOA Exam P1).

Actuaries are also required to be certified in three key subject areas through their college coursework that are not covered on the SOA examinations. This certification is called Validation through Educational Experience (VEE). Subject areas and courses for VEE certification are listed below.

VEE Economics

VEE Applied Statistical Methods

VEE Corporate Finance

Quality Assessment and Improvement


Mathematics/Statistics majors who are interested in the area of quality assessment and improvement should consider preparing themselves for the ASQ (American Society for Quality) certification examinations. These examinations are nationally recognized and greatly enhance employment opportunities. The Department of Mathematics and Statistics offers the following courses to help students prepare for certification examinations:

Quality Inspector, Quality Technician, Quality Auditor, Software Quality Engineer, Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence:

Quality Improvement Associate, Quality Engineer, Six Sigma Black Belt/Green Belt:

Reliability Engineer:

Biostatistics


Students interested in biostatistics are advised to take courses in biology, computer science, health sciences, and statistics, such as:

Legend


◎ = Oral Intensive

◆ = Math/Critical Analysis Intensive

△ = Writing Intensive

✽ = Physical Development and Wellness Graduation Requirement