Chairperson: Anne Clough, Ph.D.
Program Director: Cheng-Han Yu, Ph.D.
Applied Statistics website

Degree Offered

Master of Science, students are admitted under Plan B (non-thesis option) but may request Plan A (thesis option)

Program Description

The master of science program in applied statistics offered by the Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences teaches students the science of data. It produces graduates who deal with big data, perform statistical analysis to detect hidden patterns in data, perform risk factor analysis and perform predictive analysis. Statistical data science utilizes principled foundations in mathematics with applications in many fields such as social sciences, engineering, business, biomedical sciences and economics. The master of science in applied statistics is intended for students who have a mathematical background (not necessarily having a degree in mathematics) that want to develop strong data analytic skills to solve complex, real world problems. This program meets the needs for recent graduates who are seeking a master’s degree program in applied statistical science, and for mid-career workers with a solid quantitative background who are seeking a graduate program in applied statistics either for career advancement or for a career change. Students may select courses from a large number of approved courses offered by the Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences and other units on campus.

Students may pursue the degree on a full-time or part-time basis. Full-time, dedicated students can complete the degree in as little as 12 months. Most courses are offered in the evenings.

General Information

Students interested in applying to the program should consult the program website for additional information, including a list of currently approved courses for the degree.

Applied Statistics Master of Science

A master’s student is admitted to the non-thesis program (Plan B). A formal request to pursue a thesis (Plan A) must be approved by the department's applied statistics program director, the department’s Graduate Committee and the Graduate School.

Plan A

All Plan A students must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours (21 credits of program core courses, 3 approved elective credits and 6 credits of MSSC 6999 Master's Thesis), and submit a thesis that must be an original contribution to the student's field of study. A public defense of the thesis is required.

Plan B

All Plan B students complete a minimum of 30 credits (21 credits of program core courses, 6 approved elective credits and a 3-credit statistical consulting practicum). A written report and an oral presentation are required for the statistical consulting practicum.

Plan A and Plan B master's students may select additional approved elective courses from within the department or from outside departments. For a complete list of approved elective courses outside of the department, consult with the applied statistics program director. The following is a list of approved elective courses within the department:

For both Plan A and Plan B:

• Depending on the course topic and approval by program director, MSSC 5931 Topics in Mathematical or Statistical Sciences, MSSC 6931 Topics in Mathematical or Statistical Sciences, MSSC 6995 Independent Study in Mathematical or Statistical Sciences or MSSC 6960 Seminar in Mathematical or Statistical Sciences may also be an approved elective course.
• A maximum of 6 credit hours of courses may be taken from the Medical College of Wisconsin and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, as allowed under the reciprocal arrangement between Marquette and these institutions, as long as they are pre-approved by the applied statistics program director and the Graduate School.
• Master's students who come with little background in statistics may be required to complete MSSC 5720 Statistical Methods or other supportive courses during their first year or during the summer before their first fall term. This is in addition to the required course work for Plan A or Plan B.

Accelerated Bachelor's-Master's Degree Program

The accelerated degree program (ADP) in applied statistics allows students to earn, in five years, a bachelor's degree with an undergraduate major in a variety of fields including, but not limited to: bioinformatics, biomedical engineering, business, chemistry, computational mathematics, computer science, data science, electrical engineering, mathematics, applied mathematical economics, mechanical engineering, physics and psychology, along with the master of science degree in applied statistics. Students complete 12 credit hours of approved graduate courses while an undergraduate student that count as part of the undergraduate credit hour requirement.

Students may obtain both degrees in five years. Students with a GPA of 3.000 or better in their mathematics, science and engineering courses are eligible to apply when they reach junior standing. Up to 12 graduate credits can count toward both degrees. In order to count credits toward both degrees, students must be admitted to the ADP before enrolling in the courses they wish to have applied to both degrees.

The Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences offers early admission into the master of science in applied statistics program. Marquette undergraduate students majoring in the above listed majors and others can apply for this program when they reach junior standing.

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