BS in Statistics

Degree Program Description

Statistics is a modern science concerned with making decisions and inferences from empirical data subject to random variability and error. It deals with designing experiments, sample surveys, summarizing numerical information, building and analyzing statistical models, prediction and choosing between alternate actions. Statistics can tell us how much safer it is to fly than drive, the odds of winning the lottery, our life expectancy and who is likely to win the next election. The BS in Statistics allows students to pursue either a traditional track or an applied track. Students who are interested in graduate study are strongly encouraged to follow the traditional track. All students are encouraged to supplement their work in statistics with courses from areas such as economics, biology, accounting, finance, marketing, management, psychology, sociology, engineering, agriculture and atmospheric science. Students pursuing the BS degree may elect to take an alternative to a foreign language. Because of its importance as a scientific method, the demand for trained statisticians has grown in education, medicine, government, business and industry as well as in the biological, social and physical sciences. Students are trained to meet this demand and develop careers in teaching and research.

Major Program Requirements

In addition to Department Degree Requirements, University, general education, and College of Arts and Science requirements, students must also meet the following major program requirements. All major requirements in the College of Arts and Science must be completed with grades of C- or higher unless otherwise indicated.

Mathematics courses
Traditional track
MATH 1500	Analytic Geometry and Calculus I	5
MATH 1700	Calculus II	5
MATH 2300	Calculus III	3
MATH 4140	Matrix Theory	3
Applied track
MATH 1500	Analytic Geometry and Calculus I	5-6
or MATH 1300 & MATH 1400	Finite Mathematics and Calculus for Social and Life Sciences I
6 additional credits in statistics courses (beyond those used to fulfill the statistics requirements of the degree) or approved statistically-oriented courses; must be numbered 4000 or above

Statistics courses
Traditional Track
STAT 4510	Applied Statistical Models I	3
STAT 4710	Introduction to Mathematical Statistics	3
or STAT 4750	Introduction to Probability Theory
STAT 4970W	Junior/Senior Seminar - Writing Intensive	3
12 additional credits offered by the department, at least 9 of which must be numbered 3000 or above and may not include STAT 4050: Connecting Statistics to Middle and Secondary Schools or more than 3 credits of STAT 4999: Departmental Honors in Statistics
Applied Track
STAT 4510	Applied Statistical Models I	3
STAT 4710	Introduction to Mathematical Statistics	3
or STAT 4760	Statistical Inference
or STAT 3500	Introduction to Probability and Statistics II
STAT 4970W	Junior/Senior Seminar - Writing Intensive	3
18 additional credits offered by the department, at least 15 of which must be numbered 3000 or above and may not include STAT 4050: Connecting Statistics to Middle and Secondary Schools or more than 3 credits of STAT 4999: Departmental Honors in Statistics

Computing courses
Both tracks
CMP_SC 1300	Computing with Data in Python	3-4
or INFOTC 1040	Introduction to Problem Solving and Programming
or CMP_SC 1050	Algorithm Design and Programming I
CMP_SC 2300	Introduction to Computational Data Visualization	3-4
or CMP_SC 2050	Algorithm Design and Programming II
or STAT 4110	Statistical Software and Data Analysis
(NOTE: STAT 4110: Statistical Software and Data Analysis may be used as part of this requirement only if it is not counted in statistics group above.)

Professional writing, communication, or additional computing
Both tracks
ENGLSH 2030	Professional Writing	3
or COMMUN 1200	Public Speaking
(NOTE: May also be met by completing three hours of computer science at the 2000+ level beyond what is used to meet the computing requirement above.)

Second Language Option for Students Pursuing a BS Degree

Students pursuing the BS degree may elect to take an alternative to a second language. Such students must complete no fewer than 12 upper-class credits that are not from the parent department, are not normally required of departmental majors and do not appear elsewhere in the graduation plan. This program must be carefully planned to form a coherent unit and must be approved by the director of undergraduate studies.

The following are examples of foreign language alternatives:

• mathematical sciences
• biological sciences
• behavioral sciences
• physical sciences
• business
• engineering
• economics

Semester Plan

Below is a sample plan of study, semester by semester. A student's actual plan may vary based on course choices where options are available.

First Year
Fall	Credits	Spring	Credits
CMP_SC 1300 or INFOTC 1040	3	STAT 2500	3
ENGLSH 1000	3	MATH 1500	5
MATH 1160 (Math and Quantitative Reasoning )	5	Biological or Physical Science lab	4
Humanities	3	Second major, minor, certificate, or elective	3
	14		15
Second Year
Fall	Credits	Spring	Credits
STAT 3500	3	STAT 4110 or CMP_SC 2300	3
MATH 1700	5	COMMUN 1200 or ENGLSH 2030 (Humanities from Arts and Science)	3
Missouri State Law Requirement: Social Science from Arts and Science	3	MATH 2300	3
Second major, minor, certificate, or elective	3	Behavioral Science from Arts and Science	3
Second major, minor, certificate, or elective	3	Second major, minor, certificate, or elective	3
	17		15
Third Year
Fall	Credits	Spring	Credits
STAT 4510	3	STAT 4970W	3
STAT 4710 or 4750	3	MATH 4140	3
First Writing Intensive	3	Behavioral or Social Science, 2000+ level	3
Second Language Alternative	3	Second Language Alternative	3
Second major, minor, certificate, or elective	3	Second major, minor, certificate, or elective	3
	15		15
Fourth Year
Fall	Credits	Spring	Credits
Stat, 4000-level	3	Stat, 4000-level	3
Humanities	3	Stat, 4000-level	3
Second Language Alternative	3	Second Language Alternative	3
Second major, minor, certificate, or elective	3	Second major, minor, certificate, or elective	3
Second major, minor, certificate, or elective	3	Second major, minor, certificate, or elective	2
	15		14
Total Credits: 120