Important Update: Please note that the Portfolio in Scientific Computation is closed effective Spring 2024. Students interested in statistical coursework are welcome to explore the Concurrent M.S. in Statistics Program. Email any questions to the department at stat.admin@austin.utexas.edu.
Program Description
degree type
Master’s
credit hours
30+
The Master of Science in Statistics is only available for UT graduate students who are currently enrolled in other doctoral programs and wish to pursue the M.S. in Statistics concurrently. We are not offering the standalone M.S. in Statistics program at this time.
The M.S. in Statistics is administered through the Department of Statistics and Data Sciences. The Graduate Studies Committee for this program consists of faculty members from a variety of departments across campus.
This master’s degree may be obtained with an optional report or without. Both options require a Program of Work consisting of 30 semester hours of coursework (10 courses).
The report option also requires satisfactory completion of a written report and one associated three-hour report course taken on credit/no credit basis for a 33-hour total. Pursuit of the report option requires the student to find a willing supervising professor who is a member of the Statistics and Data Sciences Graduate Studies Committee.
Degree requirements
Degree requirements for both options are distributed as follows:
-
1
Five core courses that provide a foundation for further study, including a two-course sequence in theoretical statistics, two courses in statistical modeling, one course in bayesian statistics, and one course in statistical consulting. These courses must be taken on a graded basis earning a B or better:
- Six hours of mathematical statistics including three hours of SDS 384 Topic 2: Mathematical Statistics I and three hours of SDS 384 Topic 3: Mathematical Statistics II. These courses must be taken on a graded basis. Please read the prerequisites here.
- Six hours of classical statistics including three hours of SDS 384 Topic 4: Regression Analysis and three hours of SDS 384 Topic 6: Design and Analysis of Experiments. These courses must be taken on a graded basis. It is recommended for Regression Analysis to be taken before Design an Analysis of Experiments.
- Three hours of Bayesian statistics: SDS 384.7 Bayesian Methods. It is recommended for Mathematical Statistics I to be taken before Bayesian Statistics.
-
2
Nine hours of statistics courses chosen from an approved list of major electives. Three hours must be an SDS course. The approved list of major elective statistics courses can be found at the bottom of this page.
-
3
Six hours of supporting coursework, which may be in a subject area other than statistics but must be logically related, and together with the other degree coursework makes a coherent degree program;
*Three hours of master’s report. The program includes an optional master’s report, which is expected to approximate a publishable journal article in length and quality. The report is a 20–30 page report exhibiting a certain degree of technical rigor (clear formulas, definitions, and competent analysis).
The Master’s Report (optional)
The Master’s Report is a substantive, publishable-quality paper synthesizing a domain or area of investigation that demonstrates familiarity with major concepts and issues in a theoretical and rigorous manner. Topics may include concepts, theories, and research relevant to the field of interest to the student and approved by the faculty supervisor and likely will entail an exploration of problems and professional activities emerging from a student's program of study.
The Master’s Report provides an opportunity to:
- Develop greater understanding of a topic related to the field
- Explore problems and issues encountered during studies that require in-depth review and analysis
- Reflect student learning by serving as the final product of several years of study and reflection
- Demonstrate that the student is an insightful consumer of research, and can evaluate theory and research in the field
- Develop applications to a significant problem
- Represent a synthesis and application of the literature on a topic
- Apply the critical evaluation of empirical studies on the topic
According to our accreditation requirements:
Method: Performance Appraisal of General Scholarly Writing in Master’s Report
The master’s report will meet these criteria for the standards of general scholarly writing.
- The report will include an introduction that describes the project, gives any relevant background, and reviews relevant references, as appropriate for the particular project.
- The style will follow the format for a journal in the field of the study.
Method: Performance Appraisal of Technical Writing in Master’s Report
The master’s report will meet these criteria for the standards of technical writing.
- Methods and conclusions are clearly explained.
- Technical terminology and notation are used correctly.
For questions about application materials and process, email the department at stat.admin@austin.utexas.edu