Mathematics and StatisticsGraduate StudiesGraduate Minor

Graduate Minor in Statistics

Boost your research skills and enhance your marketability by adding a statistical focus to your doctoral studies at WSU.

You’ll develop expertise in statistical analysis and expand your ability to identify and solve statistical problems unique to your area of specialization.

Working both independently and with your peers, you’ll develop valuable communication skills through sharing your analyses and interpretations with a general audience.

Questions?

Reach out via email to mathstat.gradinfo@wsu.edu
or call us at 509-335-8645.

Course requirements

Specialization in either theoretical or applied statistics and complete 15 credit hours, 12 of which must be at the graduate level.

Required for theoretical statistics

  • Stat 443 Applied Probability (3 hours)
  • Stat 556 Introduction to Statistical Theory (3 hours)
  • Stat 530 Applied Linear Models OR Stat 575 Multivariate Analysis (3 hours)
  • Graduate Electives in Statistics (6 hours)

Required for applied statistics

  • Graduate electives in statistics (all 15 hours at 500-level, but may include Stat 443)
  • The emphasis should be on breadth. Credit will not be given for courses that have a significant degree of overlap.

Doctoral Examinations

You will be assessed on both your primary area of study and the skills you gain from the graduate minor in statistics.

For prelims: the statistics portion may be written or oral or both, and can either be included in the major discipline’s exam (standard procedure) or conducted separately.

For final exams: your work in statistics will be integrated into your final examination of your dissertation and all examiners vote on the total examination.

Approval process

The graduate minor in statistics is available to students pursuing a PhD in any other discipline at WSU.

  1. Add a Department of Mathematics and Statistics faculty member to your doctoral committee.
  2. Indicate the five statistics courses you plan to complete.
  3. Include the program addition on all paperwork submitted to the Graduate School.

All necessary forms must be signed by the chair or director of both your primary academic unit and the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.

Timing

You must add the graduate minor in statistics before you take your preliminary doctoral exam.

If you have not yet submitted a doctoral program of study, you will need to include a statistics faculty member as part of your advisory committee and incorporate the required statistics courses when you draft your paperwork.

If you have already submitted your doctoral program of study, you will need to submit three forms:

  • Committee Change to add a statistics faculty member to your established doctoral committee
  • Program Change form to add the statistics courses to your program of study
  • Add a Degree form to add the minor to your doctoral program.