Degree Requirements
In addition to meeting general requirements that apply to master’s degrees at Mason, all students must complete the 12-credit core requirements for the degree. Students build on these core requirements by choosing 12 credits of methodology courses and 6 credits of electives.
Students select either the professional or research option, depending on career ambitions. This choice must be made no later than the end of the semester in which 15 credits have been completed. The professional option provides MS degree qualifications to those seeking an expanded knowledge base in modern statistical theory and practice but do not wish to pursue a research career. The research option is for students planning to continue with a PhD degree, or begin/continue careers in statistical methodology research.
Professional Option:
The professional option focuses on completing coursework in modern statistical theory and practice. Thirty credits are required for the degree: 12 credits of core courses (taken by all MS students), 12 credits of methodology courses, and 6 credits of electives. Students electing this option are encouraged to pursue a broad background in statistical science, and they may seek to concentrate on applications of statistical methodology to other disciplines.
Students who select the professional option may elect to complete a master’s research project resulting in a technical report. This report is not an original research report but a scholarly essay on a topic of current interest in the statistical science discipline. The technical report is usually about 20 to 25 pages long and demonstrates the student’s ability to read and synthesize current technical literature into a scholarly essay. The report is evaluated by the student’s adviser, taking into account the comprehensiveness of the coverage of the scientific literature, the accuracy of presentation and interpretation, and the literary style. Students are notified of their evaluations, and they may be required to revise their report to further develop their skills in preparing reports on technical subjects. The report is usually written in the context of 3 credits of STAT 798 Master’s Research Project, which count as elective credits. Students opting not to complete a research project must take 30 credits of coursework.
Research Option:
The research option requires 30 credits, including 6 credits that must be in independent research (thesis). Research is done under the guidance of a faculty member. Research may be carried out at Mason or, if appropriate, at nearby facilities. For example, students may pursue research at their place of employment on topics of interest to their employer, provided the research meets the standards of the university. The thesis is usually written in the context of 6 credits of STAT 799 Master’s Thesis, which count as elective credits. The remaining 24 credits include the 12 core credits and 12 methodology credits.
In addition to satisfying general university requirements for a master’s degree, candidates who select the research option must submit a thesis based on the research to the student’s thesis committee, which must give preliminary approval. The composition and appointment of this committee follows graduate program policies.
Candidates also must pass a final oral exam that concentrates on, but is not limited to, the area on which the thesis is written. The exam is administered by the student’s thesis committee, and all interested members of the graduate faculty are invited to attend and participate in the questioning. The thesis committee makes the final decision on whether the candidate passes or fails.
Core Courses (12 credits)
The core coursework covers the basic elements of statistics at the graduate level. STAT 544 covers the major mathematical framework for statistical theory and practice. STAT 652 provides basic statistical theory. After completing this course, students have the theoretical basis from which statistical methods are derived.
STAT 554 is a survey of statistical methods that have become the backbone of statistical practice. Focus in this course is on techniques that quantify random behavior. The final core course is STAT 656, which focuses on the theory and application of linear regression analysis.
Methodology Courses (12 credits)
Methodology courses may be chosen from any STAT courses numbered 540-775.
Elective Courses (6 credits)
Elective courses may be chosen from any STAT courses numbered 500-519, 540-799. Students opting to complete either a Master’s Research Project (STAT 798) or Master’s Thesis (STAT 799) must notify the department’s graduate coordinator in writing no later than the end of the semester in which 15 credits have been completed. Certain courses from other departments may be used as elective courses within a customized plan of study. A customized plan of study requires prior written approval by the department’s graduate coordinator; it must be submitted for approval no later than the end of the semester in which 15 credits have been completed and must include a written justification for the proposed plan. Any changes to a customized plan of study must be approved in writing.
Note:
A student concurrently enrolled in the Certificate in Actuarial Sciences Program and the MS in Statistical Science Program may count MATH 555 and 556 as approved elective courses and may count MATH 653 and 654 as methodology courses when designing a curriculum for the MS in Statistical Science. Credit toward the MS in Statistical Science will not be given for both MATH 654 and STAT 668. The full curriculum should be designed with the approval of the student’s statistics academic advisor and the statistics graduate coordinator. The Certificate in Actuarial Sciences must be completed prior to or concurrently with the MS in Statistical Science. Otherwise, at most two of MATH 555, 556, 653, and 654 can be counted toward the MS in Statistical Science as elective courses; none can be applied as methodology courses.
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