PHD, Statistics

Degree Program Summary:

The Department of Statistics offers a Master of Science (MS) degree in statistics and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in statistics. The MS degree has two options, one in applied statistics and the other in mathematical statistics. In both options, preparation of an MS thesis is optional. The thesis option requires a minimum of 27 semester hours of graduate credit exclusive of thesis and the non-thesis option requires a minimum of 33 semester hours. The PhD degree requires basic core course work equivalent to the mathematical statistics option of the MS degree plus work in advanced probability and inference; otherwise, the student can select advanced course work according to his own special interests. Graduate students in the department may expect to have assignments that include teaching, applied research and consulting experience in addition to their course work and the basic research experience involved in completing their dissertation. The department maintains over 160 PC’s in a Novell environment, along with twenty Sun workstations connected to an Enterprise class Sun fileserver. Two student labs contain both PC’s and Sun workstations. A four-processor Sun server dedicated to statistical computation provides resources for very large databases and complex analyses. Courses in advanced calculus and linear algebra are required as prerequisites for all graduate students in statistics.

The Ph.D. Degree in Statistics at the University of Georgia is designed to prepare the students for careers in research, teaching and for leadership roles in industry, business and government where, although working in applied statistics, they will counsel in the decision-making process and encounter unusual needs in applications requiring advanced theoretical training to develop modified or new statistical methodologies to meet these needs. Details and guidelines on specific aspects of the program are given below. These statements reflect departmental policy and requirements and the student should consult the University of Georgia School Bulletin for general university requirements.

General Information

The doctoral program in statistics emphasizes quality and flexibility. Wide latitude will be permitted in the choices of dissertation research so long as it results in research of high quality and is commensurate with areas of expertise of the Statistics Faculty Members. Preliminary programs of study will be developed by the students and their major professors, subject to the approval of students’ Advisory Committees, based on their special interests. In particular, some students may wish to study and do research on the interface of statistics and another discipline such as statistical computing, demography, statistical genetics, econometrics, specializations in mathematics, and biometrics methods in forestry. The Department has some limited course requirements to insure that all doctoral candidates have sufficient training in probability and statistical inference to be prepared for research in various areas of specialization in statistics.

The Master of Science degree is not a prerequisite to entering the doctoral program but equivalent training is necessary for preparation for the Ph.D. Qualifying Examination. Proficiency in mathematics, particularly in real analysis, and in computation are indispensable for successful completion of a doctoral program in statistics. Students entering the program with prior graduate work in statistics elsewhere should discuss this training with the Departmental Graduate Coordinator.

Students pursuing a Ph.D. must pass a Ph.D. Qualifying Examination (usually after their first year). The examination is offered twice a year, August and January. The Ph.D. Qualifying Examination is designed to test preparation in basic statistical theory and methods and may be taken in conjunction with the Comprehensive Examination in a M.S. Degree Program.