Students will:

• Be able to distinguish between observational studies and designed experiments and understand the issues related to the data collection method, including sampling bias, sampling error, sample size determination, statistical power, association versus causation, and the design and analysis of randomized experiments;
• Use critical thinking skills to translate substantive questions into well-defined statistical problems and choose appropriate statistical methods and graphical summaries for a given problem;
• Use computer software to manage data, carry out exploratory data analyses and computer simulations, produce numerical and graphical summaries of data, and apply basic statistical methodology;
• Be able to clearly communicate study results to non-statisticians, and write accurate and meaningful reports that describe the statistical analyses and summarize important findings; and
• Understand the mathematical tools underlying statistical methods, including distribution theory, uncertainty quantification via probability, estimation theory, and the probabilistic basis of formal statistical inference.

The Bachelor of Science with a major in statistics requires a minimum of 120 semester hours, including at least 47 semester hours of work for the major. Students must maintain a grade-point average (GPA) of at least 2.00 in all courses for the major and in all UI courses for the major. They also must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences GE CLAS Core.

Students who earn the major in statistics may not earn the major in data science.

Students complete 10 core courses that provide essential instruction in statistical methods, applications, and theory. In addition, they concentrate on an area of interest by completing four or five courses in one of the major's three emphasis tracks: statistics in business, industry, government, and research, statistical computing and data science, or mathematical statistics.

All students complete the following 10 core courses. The department recommends that well-prepared students who elect the mathematical statistics track take STAT:4100/IGPI:4100 Mathematical Statistics I and STAT:4101/IGPI:4101 Mathematical Statistics II in place of STAT:3100/IGPI:3100 Introduction to Mathematical Statistics I and STAT:3101/IGPI:3101 Introduction to Mathematical Statistics II to satisfy the core requirement in statistics.

The BS with a major in statistics requires the following course work:

• Track in Statistics in Business, Industry, Government, and Research
• Track in Statistical Computing and Data Science
• Track in Mathematical Statistics

The department recommends that well-prepared students who elect the Track in Mathematical Statistics take STAT:4100-4101 Mathematical Statistics I-II in place of STAT:3100-3101 Introduction to Mathematical Statistics I-II to satisfy these core requirements in statistics.

In addition, all statistics majors must take at least 4 or 5 more courses that are chosen from a list of electives specific to their chosen emphasis track. The list of electives can be found on each track page:

• Statistics in business, industry, government, and research
• Statistical computing and data science
• Mathematical statistics

Students should pay close attention to prerequisites for the upper-level courses in each sequence so that they can develop and complete their programs in a timely fashion. Specifically, most of the electives listed for the three tracks require STAT:3200 and STAT:3101 as prerequisites. Thus, we recommend that majors have these courses completed by the fall semester of their junior year.

Review course progression flowchart

The following checkpoints list the minimum requirements students must complete by certain semesters in order to stay on the university's four-year graduation plan. Courses in the major are those required to complete the major; they may be offered by departments other than the major department.

Much of the course work in statistics is sequential, so students must begin requirements for the major as soon as possible. Individual study plans must be made carefully. Students who first enroll for a spring semester must consult their advisor to confirm a four-year plan.

Courses must be taken in sequence, so students must begin work early.

Before the fifth semester begins at least four courses in the major, including:

• MATH:1850 Calculus I
• MATH:1860 Calculus II
• STAT:2010 Statistical Methods and Computing 

Before the seventh semester begins, seven or eight courses in the major and at least 90 semester hours earned toward the degree.

Before the eighth semester begins, nine or ten courses in the major must be earned.

During the eighth semester, enrollment in all remaining course work in the major, all remaining GE CLAS Core courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate must be completed.