Graduate Student Handbook

The following guidelines identify the basic structure of the M.S. in Statistics at the University of Arizona.  At the core of the program is a fundamental grounding in both statistical theory and methodology; however, extensive flexibility via course electives allows students to tailor their final programs of study to their own interdisciplinary interests.  The student’s advisor, along with the Program director, are available to discuss individual selection of these electives.  It is GIDP policy that the student holds final responsibility for being aware of and responding to all GIDP and Graduate College policies, requirements, formats, and deadlines as they pertain to progression towards and completion of the M.S. degree.

The basic requirements for entrance into the M.S. program are:

(a) A Bachelor’s Degree, either in a mathematical field or a field that makes significant use of quantitative methods.
(b) At least three semesters of Calculus (at the level of Calculus-I,II,III, e.g., MATH 125, 129, 322), and one semester of Linear Algebra (at the level of MATH 215).
(c) Some exposure to elementary statistics, at least at the level of MATH 263. A semester of upper-division probability is strongly recommended.
(d) Scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE -- general test only) that exceed 75th percentile Quantitative and 50th percentile Verbal.
(e) For students applying from non-English-speaking countries and who do not have a degree from a U.S. institution of higher learning, scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL):  pBT score above 600 and a pBT Section 1 score above 60, or iBT score above 100 and an iBT Section 2 score above 27.  The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination can be submitted in lieu of the TOEFL. The minimum IELTS score requirement for admissions consideration is a score of 7, with a score of no less than 6 on any individual module.

A minimum of 30 units of coursework is required, made up as follows:

1.  Core M.S. Courses; 18 units as follows:
            Theory of Probability (MATH 564)
            Theory of Statistics (MATH 566)
            Advanced Statistical Regression Analysis (MATH 571A)*
            Design of Experiments (MATH 571B), or
                        Research Design & Analysis of Variance (PSYC 507C)
            Data Management and the SAS Programming Language (EPID 576D)
            Statistical Consulting (EPID 685)

2.  Additional Elective Courses; minimum 9 units from any of the following:
            Advanced Geographic Information Systems (GEOG 520/RNR 520)
            Advanced Quality Engineering (SIE 606)
            Advanced Statistical Natural Language Processing (LING 582)
            Advanced Topics in Biostatistics (EPID 676)
            Applied Biostatistics Analysis  (EPID 576C), or
                        Advanced Topics in Biological Statistics (ECOL 581), or
                                    Applied Biostatistics (RNR 613/ENTO 613/INSC 613)
            Applied Econometric Analysis (AREC 549/ECON 549)
            Applied Time Series Analysis (GEOS 585A)
            Bioinformatics and Genomic Analysis (ECOL 516/MCB 516)
            Biostatistics for Research (EPID 576B)
            Categorical data analysis (STAT 574C/MATH 574C)*
            Clinical Trials and Intervention Studies (EPID 675)
            Detection and Estimation in Engineering Systems (ECE 639)
            Econometrics (ECON 522A), or
                        Advanced Applied Econometrics (AREC 559)
            Econometrics (ECON 522B)
            Engineering Decision Making Under Uncertainty (SIE 522)
            Environmental Statistics (STAT 574E/MATH 574E)*
            Fundamentals of Optimization (SIE 545)
            Game Theory and Mathematical Programming (MATH 579), or
                        Game Theory (SIE 543)
            General Linear and Mixed Effects Models (EPID 684B)*
            Generalized Linear Modeling (EPID 684C)*
            Graphical Exploratory Data Analysis (PSYC 597G)
            Information and Noise in Quantum Optics and Photonics (OPTI 528)
            Introduction to Econometrics (AREC 518/ECON 518)
            Introduction to Geostatistics (GEOG 574/MATH 574)
            Multivariate Analysis in Management (MGMT 582D)
            Multivariate Methods in Educational Research (EDP 646A)
            Neural Networks (ECE 631)
            Numerical Analysis (CSC 575A/MATH 575A)
            Principles of Image Science (OPTI 637)
            Probability Theory (MATH 563)
            Queuing Theory (SIE 525)
            Reliability and Quality Analysis (A ME 574)
            Scientific Writing Strategies, Skills & Ethics (PHCL 595B)
            Simulation Modeling and Analysis (SIE 531)
            Social Statistics (SOC 570B)
            Spatio-Temporal Ecology (ECOL 518)
            Statistical Genetics for Quantitative Measures (ANS 513/EPID 513/GENE 513)
            Statistical Mechanics (PHYS 528)
            Statistical Methods in Psychological Research (PSYC 507B), or
                        Educational Tests and Measurements (EDP 558)
            Statistical Packages in Research (EDP 548)
            Stochastic Differential Equations (MATH 565C)
            Stochastic Methods in Surface Hydrology (CE 655/HWR 655), or
                        Applied Stochastic Processes (MATH 568)
            Statistical Natural Language Processing (LING 539)
            Stochastic Modeling I (SIE 520)
            Stochastic Processes (MATH 565A)
            Stochastic Processes (MATH 565B)
            Survival Analysis (EPID 686)
            Theoretical Statistics (MATH 567A)
            Theoretical Statistics (MATH 567B)
            Theory of Linear Models (EPID 684A)*
            Theory of Measurement (EDP 658A)
            Theory of Measurement (EDP 658B)
            Time Series Analysis (MATH 562)
            Topics of Optimization (SIE 649)

Students must meet all prerequisites for any elective courses they wish to undertake, or must secure instructor permission prior to registering for the course.  Courses may be added to or removed from this list by action of the GIDP Curriculum Committee, after approval by the GIDP Executive Committee.

Where needed to suite a particular or specialized need in an individual student’s program of study, petition may be made to the GIDP Executive Committee for approval of a course not listed above for use as an elective.  The student must be in good standing and be enrolled in the Statistics GIDP.  The burden of proof for admitting such a course rests with student, and the decision of the committee will be final.  Note that introductory, elementary-methods courses that do not expand the statistical frontier are not generally approved for credit towards the M.S. in Statistics.

3.  An M.S. Thesis or in lieu of a Thesis, advanced statistical coursework; minimum 3 units as follows:
            Thesis (STAT 910)
or any one of:
            Advanced Topics in Biostatistics (EPID 676)
            Categorical data analysis (STAT 574C/MATH 574C)*
            Environmental Statistics (STAT 574E/MATH 574E)*
            General Linear and Mixed Effects Models (EPID 684B)*
            Generalized Linear Modeling (EPID 684C)*
            Probability Theory (MATH 563)
            Theoretical Statistics (MATH 567A)
            Theoretical Statistics (MATH 567B)
            Theory of Linear Models (EPID 684A)*
            Time Series Analysis (MATH 562)

Courses may be added to or removed from this list by action of the Statistics GIDP Curriculum Committee, after approval by the GIDP Executive Committee.

* course being developed

The Master's/Specialist Plan of Study, or MPOS, represents a tailored guideline for the courses that will satisfy the student’s M.S. degree requirements.  It is essentially a contract between the student, the GIDP, and the Graduate College specifying which courses the student will take to fulfill the requirements of the M.S. degree.

The MPOS should be formulated and submitted during the student’s second semester in residence in the GIDP:  by the end of first semester in residence, the student should choose an advisor from among the Regular faculty of the GIDP in Statistics (see Appendix 1).  [Until such time as the student has chosen an advisor, the chair of the GIDP Recruiting & Admissions (R&A) Committee, or another GIDP faculty member designated by the GIDP Chair, serves as the student’s temporary advisor.]  After consultation with the chosen advisor and the GIDP Chair, the student determines an expected list of courses to be taken toward the M.S. degree, and submits these on the MPOS to the Graduate College.

Components on the MPOS will include the 18 units of core M.S. courses, the minimum 9 units of additional electives that comprise the student’s own interdisciplinary specialization, and the 3 thesis units of STAT 910.  If the student elects to apply advanced statistical coursework in lieu of the M.S. Thesis, then these (minimum) 3 units should be listed instead of STAT 910 on the MPOS.

The MPOS may be amended if circumstances so require.  Changes to an approved MPOS may be submitted to the Graduate Degree Certification Office in any of three ways: (1) on the Changes in Student Records or Programs of Study form (available online from the Graduate College); (2) by e-mail directly from the student’s advisor to the degree auditor (if acceptable to the degree auditor in the Graduate College Degree Certification Office); or (3) on the Completion of Degree Requirements form submitted when the student finishes the degree program.  (The Graduate Degree Certification Office is located on the 3rd floor of the University’s Administration building.)  The MPOS must still be in compliance with all pertinent Graduate College policies after the changes are made, or the degree auditor will not accept the changes.

No more than half of the total units listed on the MPOS (including transfer units; see below) can be in courses graded with an S or P grade rather than a regular letter grade.  This includes the 3 units of thesis research via STAT 910 which, if so elected, should appear on the MPOS (see above).

Coursework completed at other institutions (referred to by the Graduate College as Transfer Coursework) may be applied towards credit in the M.S. curriculum.  This coursework must be approved in advance by the Program director and by the Graduate College, via the College’s Transfer Credit Form.  (Consult the Graduate College’s degree certification staff for more details on transfer coursework requirements.)  Approved transfer coursework must be listed as such on the student’s MPOS.

A maximum of 12 units on the MPOS may be from courses taken outside a UA graduate degree program, including courses taken in non-degree seeking status, as transfer coursework, and/or as 400-level courses.  (Note:  The GIDP does not recognize coursework at or below 300-level for credit towards the M.S. in Statistics.) 

The student’s bursar account will be billed a candidacy fee (currently $35.00) at the time the MSOP is submitted to the Graduate Degree Certification Office.  This is a one-time fee and is not reassessed if the anticipated graduation date changes.  Other fees may be assessed for degree auditing; details are available from the Graduate College.

The GIDP in Statistics has no formal, non-English, language requirement.

For students undertaking an M.S. thesis in Statistics, a thesis committee must be formed prior to registration for STAT 910.  The committee must consist of at least two faculty, both tenured, tenure-track, or approved by the Dean of the Graduate College as equivalent.  The student’s advisor serves as the committee chair, who must be a Regular member of the GIDP in Statistics.  The other committee faculty must be from the GIDP in Statistics; s/he may hold Affiliate or Regular status. A third member from the GIDP in Statistics may also be added to the committee, at the discretion of the candidate and with approval of the committee chair.  Such members can be tenured or tenure-track, or a special approved member.  Special members must be pre-approved by the Dean of the Graduate College.  Individual faculty members may decline to serve on committees for academic reasons.

If a thesis committee has only two members, both must approve the thesis prior to or at the final oral defense (see below).  For committees consisting of three members, there may be at most one dissenting vote.  If held, all thesis committee members are expected to attend the final exit examination.

For the thesis, students must develop a (formal or informal) proposal of sufficient academic merit and on a topic of sufficient scholarly impact to satisfy their committee.  Work proceeds on the research via the thesis course STAT 910, under the direction of the candidate’s advisor and using the skills and knowledge of the larger committee where appropriate.  The final, completed thesis must meet all Graduate College formatting and submission requirements; a bound, printed copy is required for submission to the GIDP Graduate Coordinator.  Further submission of the thesis to the Graduate Degree Certification Office, for publication by University Microfilms, Inc. and inclusion in The University of Arizona Library archives, is optional. There is a fee for microfilming and for copyrighting should a student choose those options. For more information consult the Manual for Theses and Dissertations, available online or from the Graduate Degree Certification Office.

All M.S. students must pass an exit examination in Statistics prior to awarding of the M.S. degree.  The examination may take the form of an oral defense of the M.S. thesis, held at the completion of STAT 910.  The examination focuses on the thesis itself but can include general questions relating to the interdisciplinary study of statistics contained within the scope of the thesis research.

The exact time and place of this examination must be scheduled with the GIDP Graduate Coordinator at least seven working days in advance of the event.  The candidate must be in good academic standing in order to schedule the defense.

The student’s advisor presides over the examination.  The examination is closed to the public, although an initial, open portion may be held during which the candidate presents the thesis results and entertains questions.  (Questions may not be proffered by the thesis committee during the open period.)  There is no minimum time limit for the Final Exit Examination, but the entire proceedings may not exceed three hours.  Members of the thesis committee must be present for the entire examination.  In closed session following the examination, the committee votes to pass or fail the candidate based on her/his performance during the oral defense:  if the committee is made up of two members, both must vote to pass for a successful determination; if the committee is made up of three members, at least two must vote to pass.  The candidate must make her/himself available to the committee chair within 24 hours of completion of the final oral defense, in order that the results may be delivered.

A candidate who fails a final oral defense may, upon the recommendation of the GIDP to the Graduate College, be granted a second oral defense.  This second defense must be held within 4 moths of the first defense.  The results of the second oral defense are considered final.

Students who elect the non-thesis option must pass a written examination regularly offered and assessed by a standing committee of the GIDP faculty.  The examination may be retaken only once.  Offered during May and January of each year, the examination coincides with the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination.  It tests the student’s ability to integrate material from the following core M.S. courses, and to use this knowledge in solving pertinent, challenging statistical problems commensurate with M.S. status at the level of these courses:
                        Theory of Probability (MATH 564)
                        Theory of Statistics (MATH 566)
                        Advanced Statistical Regression Analysis (MATH 571A)*
                        Design of Experiments (MATH 571B), or
                                    Research Design & Analysis of Variance (PSYC 507C)

Each specific examination is constructed and graded by a committee of GIDP faculty appointed annually by the GIDP Chair.  Where possible, this will include the instructors of the pertinent core courses.  A minimum of two examiners grade every question independently.

The exam is administered in two parts over two consecutive days; the first day centers on the more theoretical material from MATH 564-566, and the second day centers on the more methodological material in MATH 571A and MATH 571B/PSYC 507C.  (With prior agreement of the GIDP Examination Committee, this order may be reversed on an exam-by-exam basis, but must be the same for all students who sit for that exam.)  Note, however, that concepts from all four course areas will be addressed freely in either or both parts of any examination, at the discretion of the Examination Committee.

Students have 4 hours on each day to complete the exam questions given on that day. If a student is present for only one of the two days, s/he will be viewed as having attempted the entire exam and graded accordingly.

Replicas of previous exams are available from the GIDP’s Graduate Coordinator for students who wish to make copies for study purposes. 

Students must register in advance for each examination; deadlines will be set by the GIDP Examination Committee prior to each offering.  (Students who register for an examination but do not sit for it at the designated time and place will be viewed as having received a failing grade on that examination, unless prior authorization and approval are acquired from the Program director.)

There are three possible outcomes to the exam:
•      PhD Pass:  A student who achieves this score may consider taking further coursework towards candidacy in the Program.  This score also counts as an MS Pass; see next item.
•      MS Pass: A student who wishes to complete the M.S. degree in Statistics may use this score to stand for their M.S. exit examination.  If the student also undertakes and completes an M.S. Thesis via STAT 910, an MS Pass may be enlisted to serve as proxy for acceptable performance on the Oral Thesis defense, if desired.
•      Fail: A student who receives this score must retake the exam at the next opportunity in order to remain in the Program and be eligible to pursue a graduate degree in Statistics.  Failure on a second attempt invalidates use of the written exam results to stand for an M.S. exit examination, and prevents the student from continuing on to a Ph.D. in the program.

After receiving written notice of the exam results, students may request a consultation with a designated member of the Examination Committee to review their exam results.

When the GIDP determines that the student has completed all degree requirements a Completion Of Master's Degree Requirements Form, signed by all members of the student's committee (two of whom must be tenure-track faculty), must be submitted to the Graduate College.  Approval of this form by the Dean of the Graduate College will certify completion of degree requirements.  For dates by which requirements must be met to graduate in a particular semester, refer to the Deadline Sheets, available in the Graduate Degree Certification Office, or online.  Any modifications in the MPOS may be made on the Completion of Degree Requirement form or on the Changes in Student's Records form.  These modifications may consist of changes in coursework, changes in addresses, or changes in names.  Name changes also require that an official name change be filed with the Registrar's Office.  All outstanding fees must be cleared before the final completion date.  Any financial encumbrances will delay mailing of the diploma and transcripts.  Contact the Bursar's office, in Room 208, Administration building or call 520-621-3232.  All grades must be submitted for Incompletes and current semester coursework must be received before the degree is considered completed.  A student must be in good academic standing at the time of submission of the Completion of Master's Degree Requirements Form.

In general, continuous enrollment is expect of all students admitted to a Master’s degree program.  Such students must register each fall and spring semester for a minimum of 3 graduate units, from original matriculation until all degree requirements are met.  If the degree program requirements are to be completed in the summer, the student must register for a minimum of 1 unit of graduate credit during that term.  Master’s candidates do not have to register for graduate units during summer sessions unless they plan to make use of University facilities or faculty time.  If they do plan to use University facilities or faculty time, they must enroll for a minimum of 1 unit of graduate credit.

Unless excused by an official Leave of Absence (which may not exceed one year throughout the student’s degree program), all graduate students are subject to this Continuous Enrollment Policy and must pay pertinent in-state and/or out-of-state tuition and fees in order to remain in the program.  If the student fails to obtain a Leave of Absence or fails to maintain continuous enrollment, he or she will be required to apply for re-admission, to pay the Graduate College application fee, and pay all overdue tuition and fees, including cumulative late penalties. Tuition or registration waivers cannot be applied retroactively.

Graduate College policy states that M.S. students have 6 years to complete the degree from the date of the earliest coursework toward the degree listed on the MPOS.  Students with a compelling reason for using older coursework toward the degree may submit a Graduate Petition to request an extension of time to complete the degree program; the petition should be submitted with the MPOS and will be considered by the Associate Dean of the Graduate College.