Department of Mathematics & Graduate Program in Statistics
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B.A. (Mathematics) + M.S. (Statistics) = Employment Opportunities
What Do Statisticians Do?
Statistical analysis is used to detect patterns in data sets that arise in many different ways - in lab experiments, business, social science, engineering, and other fields.
Statisticians
- work with employers, unions, consumer groups, and goverments to analyze health care plans and retirement plans
- work with medical and pharmaceutical research teams to design experimental trials and to analyze results
- work with economists to understand trends and to predict outcomes of policies
- work with educators to analyze effects of curricular or pedagogical changes
- work with hardware and software designers to improve reliability
- work with all sorts of organizations (for example, foundations, political parties, corporations, governments) to assist planning and decision making.
Learning Statistics at Rutgers
An major in mathematics is excellent preparation for graduate study in Statistics. This brochure describes how to enter this rewarding field by studying at Rutgers.
The graduate program in the Department of Statistics at Rutgers - New Brunswick has 20 faculty members with interests including the following specialties: analysis of experiments; biostatistics; data mining; data with large deviations; decision theory; educational statistics; image reconstruction; large sample theory; multivariate analysis; probability; psychometrics; quality control; statistical computing; statistical inference.
The graduate programs in Statistics and in Industrial and Systems Engineering jointly offer M.S. options.
Requirements
The faculty of Applied and Theoretical Statistics offers both the M.S. (Master of Science) and Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) degrees. The M.S. may be earned in either the applied or the theoretical area. The M.S. degree requires satisfactory completion of thirty credits of course-work, a final examination, and a masters essay. Most M.S. students in Statistics take jobs after completing their degrees; some continue for a doctoral degree.
Additional advising is available:
Department of Mathematics (Hill Center)
Department of Statistics (Hill Center)
The Standard B.A.-M.S. Sequence
Usually students apply to the M.S. program in their senior year of college. Others apply after a period of employment. In either case, students should use electives both inside and outside their major program to go beyond the minimum requirements for application and to strengthen their preparation for graduate work. The M.S. degree can usually be completed in 3 or 4 semesters of full-time graduate study. Part-time study is also possible.
The Five-Year B.A.-M.S. Sequence
Students in this sequence take three graduate courses in addition to all required undergraduate course work before graduating from college. These graduate courses can transfer to the masters program provided that they are completed satisfactorily and that they are not used to satisfy B.A. requirements. Thus students in this track will take at least 129 credits before graduating from college. With careful advising and planning, students in this track can earn the M.S. in one year after graduating from college.
Application to the five year program is made to the graduate director in Statistics during the student's sixth semester at Rutgers. Early admission to the M.S. program will be offered to qualified students contingent upon successful completion of specified coursework in the senior year. Final admission requires formal application to the Graduate School.
Financial Aid
Financial support as a teaching assistant, graduate assistant, or fellow is sometimes available to students with extremely strong credentials. Some corporate employers provide tuition reimbursement for satisfactory completion of M.S. courses in Statistics which are relevant to the employee's duties.
Using a Mathematics Major to Prepare for an M.S. in Statistics
Requirements for the Matematics Major (See the Catalog for full detail.)
- Calculus I (Math 151), Calculus II (Math 152), and Calculus III (Math 251)
- Introductory Linear Algebra (Math 250)
- Ordinary Differential Equations (Math 252 or 244)
- Introduction to Computer Science (C.S. 111)
- Advanced Calculus I (Math 311)
- Either Linear Algebra (Math 350) or Introduction to Abstract Algebra (Math 351)
- Six (6) additional 3- or 4-credit Math courses numbered 300 or above.
Notes:
- Among the prerequisites for Math 311, Math 350, and Math 351 is "Math 300 or permission of the Department."
- Math 350 is more relevant to Statistics than Math 351.
Desired Preparation for Admission to M.S. Program in Statistics
- Calculus I (Math 151), Calculus II (Math 152), Calculus III (Math)
- Differential Equations (Math 252 or 244)
- Introductory Linear Algebra (Math 250)
- Calculus-based probability (Math 477)
- Facility with a programing language like C++
- A grade point average of 3.25 or better in upper level Mathematics and Statistics
Ways to Strengthen Preparation for an M.S. in I.S.E.
Consult advisers in both departments to insure that course selections are compatible with prerequisites, credit restrictions, and scheduling. Undergraduates need special permission to register for graduate courses; ask the graduate director for procedures.
Select at least some math electives from the following list:
- Math 477, Probability (required)
- Math 321, Introduction to Applied Mathematics
- Math 424, Stochastic Models in Operations Research
- Math 429, Case Studies in Industrial Mathematics
- Math 478, Probability II
- Math 481, Mathematical Statistics
- Math 428, Graph Theory
- Math 454, Combinatorics
Select at least some general electives from the following list:
- Computer Sciences, courses beyond C.S. 111
- Statistics 382, Theory of Statistics
- Statistics 384, Intermediate Statistical Analysis
- Statistics 390, Introductory Computing for Statistics
- Statistics 484, Basic Applied Statistics
Use summers to your advantage. Seek opportunities during undergraduate years to explore your interest in this area. Possibilities include a summer course on case studies in industrial mathematics; an individual internship or employment in a setting using statistics, and a residential research experience for undergraduates at Rutgers or elsewhere. Selection criteria vary depending on the nature of the individual program. Summer stipends are available in some cases, either from an individual employer or from the Rutgers Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program.
Sample 5-Year B.A.-M.S. in Statistics. (Actual programs will vary!)
- Calculus I and II (Math 151 and 152)
- Introduction to Computer Science (C.S. 111)
Year 2: at least 30 credits including
- Calculus III (Math 251)
- Introductory Linear Algebra (Math 250)
- Differential Equations (Math 252 OR 244)
- Linear Optimization (Math 354) [u1]
- Probability (Math 477) [u2]
Summer after Year 2: 6 credits including
- Introduction to Applied Mathematics (Math 321) [u3]
Year 3: at least 30 credits including
- Introduction to Math Reasoning (Math 300) [u4]
- Stochastic Models (Math 424) or Probability II (Math 478) [u5]
- Linear Algebra (Math 350) [u6]
- Basic Applied Statistics (Stat 484) [g1]
Summer after Year 3: 3 credits
- Case Studies in Industrial Mathematics (Math 429) [u7] or a research internship a research experience for undergraduates
Year 4: 30 credits including
- Advanced Calculus (Math 311) [u8]
- Regression Analysis (Stat 563) [g2]
- Methods of Inference (Stat 583) [g3]
Summer after Year 4:
After graduation, relevant summer internship or employment is suggested. Some students may prefer to use this time to complete undergraduate coursework.
Masters year: 7 graduate courses [g4-g10]
Each program will be set in consultation with an advisor to reflect the student's interests.
Notes:
1: Eight upper-level math major courses are noted [u1]...[u8]. Ten courses applicable to the M.S. program are noted [g1] ... [g10].
2: Undergraduate need special permission to take graduate courses. See your undergraduate college and the ISE graduate director for advice.
3: If the suggested summer courses are not included, then addition courses in Math must be taken during the academic year.
4: Careful advising and planning is essential to ensure that courses are taken in an order that satisfies all undergraduate and graduate prerequisites, all scheduling constraints, and all general education and college requirements.