About This Degree

The Department of Mathematics and Statistics offers a master’s degree in statistics. The MS degree is intended for students pursuing areas of research in pure and applied mathematics and statistics. Student research projects focus on analyzing data sets arising in a broad spectrum of applied fields, including biology, genetics, economics, finance, sports, engineering, environmental, and geosciences. This wide spectrum of applied areas prepares students for the many and varied career opportunities for statisticians.

The department’s excellent ratio of graduate students to faculty permits close personal guidance for each student. Students are able to tailor their programs of study to match their interests in specific areas of mathematics and statistics as well as interdisciplinary research.

Location(s)

• MS - Logan Campus

The statistics degree prepares students for positions as statisticians who can work in almost every kind of occupational field. Most commonly, statisticians work in a wide variety of positions in the following areas:

• Governmental agencies
• Businesses and industries
• Teaching at high schools and two-year colleges

The master's program also gives students the necessary applied and theoretical background to pursue doctoral programs in statistics or biostatistics.

Admissions Requirements

Students may apply with an undergraduate degree in statistics, mathematics, or a wide variety of other disciplines, including the biological and social sciences. An advanced undergraduate class in probability and mathematical statistics and a class in linear algebra are desirable.

Application Requirements:

• Complete the online application
• Pay the $55 application fee
• Score at or above the 40^th percentile on the GRE (score of 700 out of 800 on the quantitative section)
• Have a 3.0 or higher GPA on your last 60 semester or 90 quarter credits
• Provide transcripts of all college/university credits
• Provide three contacts for letters of recommendation

International students have additional admissions requirements.

Admissions Deadlines

The department has the following application deadline:

• Fall semester - February 1

Master's Degree Plan Option(s)

Students can receive the MS by pursuing one of three options:

• In the Plan A option, students complete graduate-level coursework and must write a thesis.
• The Plan B option requires the production of a paper or creative work of art and is expected to reflect equivalent scholarship standards as a thesis.
• A third option, Plan C, does not involve a thesis or a defense meeting and is comprised of coursework only.

Financial Assistance

A majority of students receive major financial assistance with their studies via teaching or research assistantships. All students that meet the qualifications may receive tuition awards and subsidized health insurance as well.

A variety of additional funding opportunities are available, including fellowships, scholarships, and travel support.

Program Requirements

Click here to see course requirements for the Master of Science.

Advisor(s)

Piotr Kokoszka
Professor
Office: LUND 321
Phone: (435) 797-0746
Email: piotr.kokoszka@usu.edu

Faculty

Ian Anderson, PhD, University of Arizona
Professor
Area: Differential geometry, global analysis
Office: LUND 318
Phone: (435) 797-2822
Email: ian.anderson@usu.edu

LeRoy Beasley, PhD, University of British Colombia
Professor
Area: Matrix theory, linear algebra, combinatorics
Office: LUND 203
Phone: (435) 797-3248
Email: leroy.b.beasley@usu.edu

David Brown, PhD, University of Colorado - Denver
Associate Professor
Area: Discrete mathematics, graph theory
Office: LUND 202
Phone: (435) 797-3224
Email: david.e.brown@usu.edu

James Cangelosi, PhD, Louisiana State University
Professor
Area: Constructivism in mathematics education, psychometrics, behavior management
Office: LUND 325 C
Phone: (435) 797-1415
Email: jim.cangelosi@usu.edu

Lawrence Cannon, PhD, University of Utah
Professor
Area: Topology, algebra
Office: LUND 316
Phone: (435) 797-2829
Email: larry.cannon@usu.edu

Chris Corcoran, ScD, Harvard University
Associate Professor
Area: Epidemiology, biostatics, statistical genetics, categorical data, permutation methods
Office: LUND 204
Phone: (435) 797-4012
Email: chris.corcoran@usu.edu

Daniel Coster, PhD, University of California - Berkeley
Professor
Area: Optimal design, computational statistics
Office: LUND 310
Phone: (435) 797-2815
Email: dan.coster@usu.edu

Adele Cutler, PhD, University of California - Berkeley
Professor
Area: Statistical computing, statistics
Office: LUND 302
Phone: (435) 797-2761
Email: adele.cutler@usu.edu

Richard Cutler, PhD, University of California - Berkeley
Department Head, Professor
Area: Environmental and ecological statistics, experimental design
Office: LUND 215
Phone: (435) 797-2810
Email: richard.cutler@usu.edu

Mark Fels, PhD, McGill University
Professor
Area: Differential geometry, differential equations
Office: LUND 320
Phone: (435) 797-0774
Email: mark.fels@usu.edu

Nathan Geer, PhD, University of Oregon
Assistant Professor
Area: Low-dimensional topology, lie theory
Office: LUND 206
Phone: (435) 797-0755
Email: nathan.geer@usu.edu

E. Robert Heal, PhD, University of Utah
Professor
Area: Analysis, statistics
Office: LUND 320 C
Phone: (435) 797-2853
Email: robert.heal@usu.edu

Peg Howland, PhD, University of Minnesota
Assistant Professor
Area: Numerical linear algebra
Office: LUND 303
Phone: (435) 797-3302
Email: peg.howland@usu.edu

Joseph Koebbe, PhD, University of Wyoming
Associate Professor
Area: Applied mathematics, computational fluid dynamics
Office: LUND 301 C
Phone: (435) 797-2825
Email: joe.koebbe@usu.edu

Brynja Kohler, PhD, University of Utah
Assistant Professor
Area: Mathematics education, mathematical biology
Office: LUND 220
Phone: (435) 797-2826
Email: brynja.kohler@usu.edu

Piotr Kokoszka, PhD, Boston University
Professor
Area: Statistics, time series analysis
Office: LUND 321
Phone: (435) 797-0746
Email: piotr.kokoszka@usu.edu

Nghiem Nguyen, PhD, University of Illinois - Chicago
Assistant Professor
Area: Partial differential equations, nonlinear analysis
Office: LUND 306
Phone: (435) 797-2819
Email: nghiem.nguyen@usu.edu

James Powell, PhD, University of Arizona
Professor
Area: Applied mathematics, mathematical biology, nonlinear evolution equations
Office: LUND 304
Phone: (435) 797-1953
Email: jim.powell@usu.edu

Kady Schneiter, PhD, Utah State University
Assistant Professor
Area: Statistics, mathematics education
Office: LUND 221
Phone: (435) 797-2820
Email: kady.schneiter@usu.edu

John Stevens, PhD, Purdue University
Assistant Professor
Area: Bioinformatics, applied statistics, meta-analysis
Office: LUND 202 C
Phone: (435) 797-2818
Email: john.r.stevens@usu.edu

Jurgen Symanzik, PhD, Iowa State University
Associate Professor
Area: Dynamic statistical graphics, geographic information systems, virtual reality and statistics, web-based applications in statistics
Office: LUND 325
Phone: (435) 797-0696
Email: juergen.symanzik@usu.edu

Kathryn Turner, PhD, Rice University
Associate Professor
Area: Numerical analysis
Office: LUND 217
Phone: (435) 797-2817
Email: kathryn.turner@usu.edu

Zhi-Qiang Wang, PhD, Institute of Mathematics - Beijing
Professor
Area: Differential equations, variational and topological methods
Office: LUND 312
Phone: (435) 797-3529
Email: zhi-qiang.wang@usu.edu

Dariusz Wilczynski, PhD, Indiana University
Associate Professor
Area: Geometric and algebraic topology
Office: LUND 218
Phone: (435) 797-0747
Email: dariusz.wilczynski@usu.edu

Stanley Williams, PhD, North Texas State University
Professor
Area: Measure theory, analysis
Office: LUND 323
Phone: (435) 797-2833
Email: stanley.williams@usu.edu

Professional Organizations, Honor Societies, and Clubs

American Statistical Association: ASA is the largest organization of mathematicians in industry and academe. The ASA supports excellence in the development, application, and dissemination of statistical science through meetings, publications, membership services, education, accreditation, and advocacy. Its members serve in industry, government, and academia in more than 90 countries, advancing research and promoting sound statistical practice to inform public policy and improve human welfare.

Biometric Society: ENAR and WNAR (the eastern and western North American regions) is an association of statisticians working on problems in statistics with biological, agricultural, and medical applications. The society’s goal is to advance biological and life science through the development of quantitative theories and the application, development, and dissemination of effective mathematical and statistical techniques.

Institute of Mathematical Statistics: IMS is an organization mainly for research statisticians working in academe. The IMS is an international professional and scholarly society devoted to the development, dissemination, and application of statistics and probability. The institute currently has about 4,500 members in all parts of the world.

Interface Foundation: This is a society working on problems at the interface between statistics and computing sciences. Its members are computational scientists, statisticians, mathematicians, and individuals from related discipline areas interested in the interface between computing science and statistics. Interests include topics such as computational statistics, statistical software, exploratory data analysis, data mining, pattern recognition, scientific visualization, and related fields.

Journal Club: The purpose of the Journal Club is to introduce participants to mathematics and statistics education research by providing an opportunity to read, present, and discuss noteworthy papers in the field. The primary intended audiences are graduate students and faculty members interested in starting research on education topics, and needing familiarity with the education literature.