Modern statistics is an exciting subject that affects most aspects of modern living. It has been developed to deal rationally and objectively with the uncertainty that accompanies variation in phenomena as highly complex as the interplay of the many factors that affect our environment. It derives vitality in coping with practical problems arising in all fields of scientific activity, including the social, business, biological, agricultural, medical, natural, and engineering sciences. Investigators' efforts to learn about a specific phenomenon, be it the response of a patient to a certain medical treatment or the effectiveness of a particular instructional program on a student's learning, are impacted by the presence of natural variation. The field of statistics is concerned with valid and efficient ways to learn more about these phenomena in the presence of such variation. It is an inductive science in which information is extracted from sample data in order to draw inferences. This process most often involves planning experiments or designing studies to ensure that valid answers to questions are obtained from the sample.
How to Get in
To declare the statistics major, students should schedule an appointment with a statistics major advisor prior to attaining senior standing (86 credits). Information regarding major declaration and how to schedule an appointment is available on the major webpage.
Students must have a 2.000 GPA on coursework counting in the major, and a 2.000 GPA on any upper-level work in the major completed prior to declaration. No specific coursework must be completed to declare.
University General Education Requirements
All undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are required to fulfill a minimum set of common university general education requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. Various schools and colleges will have requirements in addition to the requirements listed below. Consult your advisor for assistance, as needed. For additional information, see the university Undergraduate General Education Requirements section of the Guide.
| General Education |
* The mortarboard symbol appears before the title of any course that fulfills one of the Communication Part A or Part B, Ethnic Studies, or Quantitative Reasoning Part A or Part B requirements. |
College of Letters & Science Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Science (BS)
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. The College of Letters & Science allows this major to be paired with either the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degree requirements.
Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements
| Mathematics | Complete two courses of 3+ credits at the Intermediate or Advanced level in MATH, COMP SCI, or STAT subjects. A maximum of one course in each of COMP SCI and STAT subjects counts toward this requirement. |
| Language | Complete the third unit of a language other than English. |
| LS Breadth | Complete: • 12 credits of Humanities, which must include at least 6 credits of Literature; and • 12 credits of Social Science; and • 12 credits of Natural Science, which must include 6 credits of Biological Science and 6 credits of Physical Science. |
| Liberal Arts and Science Coursework | Complete at least 108 credits. |
| Depth of Intermediate/Advanced Coursework | Complete at least 60 credits at the Intermediate or Advanced level. |
| Major | Declare and complete at least one major. |
| Total Credits | Complete at least 120 credits. |
| UW-Madison Experience | Complete both: • 30 credits in residence, overall, and • 30 credits in residence after the 86th credit. |
| Quality of Work | • 2.000 in all coursework at UW–Madison • 2.000 in Intermediate/Advanced level coursework at UW–Madison |
Non–L&S students pursuing an L&S major
Non–L&S students who have permission from their school/college to pursue an additional major within L&S only need to fulfill the major requirements. They do not need to complete the L&S Degree Requirements above.
Requirements for the Major
Mathematics
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Calculus 1 (Complete one): | 5-10 | |
| Calculus and Analytic Geometry 1 1 | ||
| Calculus with Algebra and Trigonometry I and Calculus with Algebra and Trigonometry II 1 | ||
| Calculus 2 | ||
| MATH 222 | Calculus and Analytic Geometry 2 1 | 4 |
| Calculus 3 (Complete one): | 4-5 | |
| Calculus--Functions of Several Variables 1 | ||
| Topics in Multi-Variable Calculus and Differential Equations | ||
| Linear Algebra (Complete one): | 3-5 | |
| Elementary Matrix and Linear Algebra | ||
| Linear Algebra and Differential Equations | ||
| Linear Algebra | ||
| Topics in Multi-Variable Calculus and Linear Algebra | ||
| Total Credits | 16-24 | |
Computer Programming
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one of: | 3-4 | |
| Programming I | ||
| Data Science Programming I | ||
| Programming II | ||
| Data Science Programming II | ||
| Programming III | ||
| Introduction to Numerical Methods | ||
| Total Credits | 3-4 | |
Statistics
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Statistics Basic Statistical Language: | 4-5 | |
| Data Science Modeling I | ||
or STAT 301 | Introduction to Statistical Methods | |
or STAT 324 | Introductory Applied Statistics for Engineers | |
or STAT 371 | Introductory Applied Statistics for the Life Sciences | |
| R for Statistics I | ||
| Statistical Models: | 6-7 | |
| Applied Regression Analysis | ||
or STAT 340 | Data Science Modeling II | |
| Statistical Experimental Design | ||
| Probability (Complete one): | 3 | |
| Introduction to Probability and Mathematical Statistics I | ||
| Introduction to Theory and Methods of Mathematical Statistics I | ||
| Introduction to the Theory of Probability | ||
| Probability Theory | ||
| Inference: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Probability and Mathematical Statistics II | ||
| Electives: | 15 | |
Students will complete a total of 15 credits of electives with a maximum of 6 credits from the domain electives | ||
| Core Electives | 9-15 | |
| R for Statistics II | ||
| R for Statistics III | ||
| Introduction to Time Series | ||
| Introductory Nonparametric Statistics | ||
| Topics in Statistics Study Abroad | ||
| Data Science Computing Project | ||
| An Introduction to Sample Survey Theory and Methods | ||
| Applied Categorical Data Analysis | ||
| Data Science with R | ||
| Classification and Regression Trees | ||
| Statistical Data Visualization | ||
| Introduction to Machine Learning and Statistical Pattern Classification | ||
| Introduction to Deep Learning and Generative Models | ||
| Applied Multivariate Analysis | ||
| Financial Statistics | ||
| Introduction to Computational Statistics | ||
| Special Topics in Statistics 2 | ||
| Statistical Methods for Spatial Data | ||
| Introduction to Stochastic Processes | ||
| Statistical Methods for Clinical Trials | ||
| Statistical Methods for Epidemiology | ||
| Special Topics in Statistics 2 | ||
| Domain Electives | 0-6 | |
| Advanced Short-Term Actuarial Modeling | ||
| Regression and Time Series for Actuaries | ||
| Matrix Methods in Machine Learning | ||
| Probability and Information Theory in Machine Learning | ||
| Fundamentals of Data Analytics for Economists | ||
| Machine Learning for Business Analytics | ||
| Advanced Quantitative Methods | ||
| Machine Learning in Action for Industrial Engineers | ||
| An Introduction to Brownian Motion and Stochastic Calculus | ||
| Statistics for Sociologists III | ||
| Introduction to Mathematical Sociology | ||
| Introduction to Combinatorics | ||
| Linear Optimization | ||
| Total Credits | 40-54 | |
Residence & Quality of Work
- 2.000 GPA in all STAT and major courses
- 2.000 GPA on 15 Upper-Level Major credits, taken In Residence 3
- 15 credits in STAT courses, taken on the UW-Madison campus
Honors in the Major
Students may declare Honors in the Statistics Major in consultation with the Statistics major advisor(s). To be admitted to the Honors Program in Statistics, students must have declared Statistics, must have a 3.3 University GPA, and must have completed and an Introductory Statistics Course (STAT 240, STAT 301, STAT 324 or STAT 371), STAT/MATH 309, and STAT 333 or STAT 340 (or other courses with the approval of the advisor) with a GPA of 3.500 or higher in these three classes.
Honors in the Statistics Major: Requirements
To earn Honors in the Major in Statistics, students must satisfy both the requirements for the major (above) and the following additional requirements:
- Earn a 3.300 University GPA
- Earn a 3.500 GPA for all STAT courses
- Complete two STAT major courses (excluding 699) for a total of 6 Honors credits or complete 18 total credits of electives in the major where 12-18 credits come from the core elective category and 0-6 credits from the domain elective category
- STAT 681 -STAT 682, for a total of 6 credits, under the supervision of a member of the Statistics faculty or 6 credits of pre-approved research credits outside of the Statistics Department.
Footnotes
- 1
A grade of C or higher is required for this course to meet the requirement.
- 2
STAT 479 and STAT 679 can be repeated for elective credit when enrolled for different topics.
- 3
Courses that are considered Upper-Level in the major are STAT 303, STAT 304, STAT 305, STAT/MATH 309,MATH 531 STAT/MATH 310, STAT 311, STAT 312, STAT 333, STAT 340, STAT 349, STAT 351, STAT 360, STAT 405, STAT 411, STAT 421, STAT/M E 424, STAT/MATH 431,STAT 433, STAT 436, STAT 443, STAT 451, STAT 453, STAT 456, STAT 461, STAT/COMP SCI 471, STAT 479, STAT/I SY E/MATH/OTM 632, STAT/B M I 641, STAT/B M I 642, STAT 699, ACT SCI 653, ACT SCI 654, COMP SCI/E C E/M E 532, COMP SCI/E C E 561, ECON 570, GEN BUS 656, GEOG 560, I SY E 521, MATH 635, SOC 362, SOC 375, STAT/COMP SCI/MATH 475, STAT/COMP SCI/I SY E/MATH 525.
University Degree Requirements
| Total Degree | To receive a bachelor's degree from UW–Madison, students must earn a minimum of 120 degree credits. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 degree credits. Students should consult with their college or department advisor for information on specific credit requirements. |
| Residency | Degree candidates are required to earn a minimum of 30 credits in residence at UW–Madison. "In residence" means on the UW–Madison campus with an undergraduate degree classification. “In residence” credit also includes UW–Madison courses offered in distance or online formats and credits earned in UW–Madison Study Abroad/Study Away programs. |
| Quality of Work | Undergraduate students must maintain the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, or academic program to remain in good academic standing. Students whose academic performance drops below these minimum thresholds will be placed on academic probation. |
Learning Outcomes
- Frame a scientific question with the appropriate mode of data analysis, to analyze such data correctly, and to summarize and interpret the results in a useful manner. Master a number of key statistical techniques, certainly including significance testing, goodness-of-fit testing, and regression analysis, which are common tools in analyzing data. This will include a careful checking of assumptions that underlie the techniques.
- Design experiments/studies — in conjunction with scientists proposing the study — that will lead in an efficient manner to the collection of data that can be properly analyzed. Design studies with multiple factors taking variable reduction techniques into account. Interpret and critique designs they encounter in analyzing data.
- Use tools from mathematical statistics and probability to assess the quality of point estimators, confidence intervals, and hypothesis tests. Demonstrate the skills to connect methods of application to their theoretical underpinnings.
- Use a statistical language (with emphasis on R) to manipulate data and perform exploratory data analysis using basic statistical methods. Write structured R programs using conditional expressions, loops, and functions and to use regular expressions to extract data from text and make high-level visualizations.
- Evaluate critically articles that use statistical argumentation. Assess whether or not the statistical arguments have been developed properly and the conclusions are reliable. If the arguments are not properly developed, they will be able to provide specific evidence for this.
Four-Year Plan
This Four-Year Plan is only one way a student may complete an L&S degree with this major. Many factors can affect student degree planning, including placement scores, credit for transferred courses, credits earned by examination, and individual scholarly interests. In addition, many students have commitments (e.g., athletics, honors, research, student organizations, study abroad, work and volunteer experiences) that necessitate they adjust their plans accordingly. Informed students engage in their own unique Wisconsin Experience by consulting their academic advisors, Guide, DARS, and Course Search & Enroll for assistance making and adjusting their plan.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Communication A | 3 | MATH 222 | 4 |
| MATH 221 | 5 | COMP SCI 200 or 220 | 3-4 |
| Foreign Language | 4 | Ethnic Studies course | 4 |
| Physical Science Breadth | 3 | Foreign Language | 4 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| MATH 234 | 4 | STAT 303 | 1 |
| Introductory Statistics course | 3-4 | STAT 333 or 340 | 3-4 |
| Communications B | 3 | MATH 320, 340, or 341 | 3 |
| Social Science Breadth | 3 | INTER-LS 210 | 1 |
| Humanities Breadth | 3 | Biological Science Breadth | 3 |
| Literature Breadth | 3 | ||
| 16 | 14 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| STAT/MATH 309 | 3 | STAT/MATH 310 | 3 |
| STAT/M E 424 | 3 | STAT elective course | 3 |
| Social Science Breadth | 6 | Literature Breadth | 3 |
| Humanities Breadth | 3 | Social Science Breadth | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| STAT elective course | 6 | STAT elective course | 6 |
| Elective | 9 | Elective | 9 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||
Three-Year Plan
This Sample Three-Year Plan is a tool to assist students and their advisor(s). Students should use it —along with their DARS report, the Degree Planner, and Course Search & Enroll tools — to make their own three-year plan based on their placement scores, credit for transferred courses and approved examinations, and individual interests.
Three-year plans may vary considerably from student to student, depending on their individual preparation and circumstances. Students interested in graduating in three years should meet with an advisor as early as possible to discuss feasibility, appropriate course sequencing, post-graduation plans (careers, graduate school, etc.), and opportunities they might forgo in pursuit of a three-year graduation plan.
Departmental Expectations
A three-year degree is feasible for students with a variety of backgrounds and specific preparation. Students should ideally be entering the University with a minimum of 30 advanced standing credits, and have satisfied the following requirements with course credit or via placement examination:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 221 | Calculus and Analytic Geometry 1 | 5 |
| MATH 222 | Calculus and Analytic Geometry 2 | 4 |
| STAT 301 | Introduction to Statistical Methods | 3 |
| or STAT 324 | Introductory Applied Statistics for Engineers | |
| or STAT 371 | Introductory Applied Statistics for the Life Sciences | |
| or STAT 240 | Data Science Modeling I | |
- 3-4 units of foreign language
- At least 3 credits of L&S Breadth (Humanities, Social Science, Biological Science, or Physical Science)
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| MATH 234 | 4 | STAT 303 | 1 |
| COMP SCI 200 or 220 | 3-4 | STAT 333 or 340 | 3-4 |
| Communications A | 3 | MATH 320, 340, or 341 | 3 |
| Social Science Breadth | 3 | Ethnic Studies | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Humanities Breadth | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| STAT/MATH 309 | 3 | STAT/MATH 310 | 3 |
| STAT/M E 424 | 3 | STAT Elective course | 3 |
| Communications B | 3 | Literature Breadth | 3 |
| Physical Science Breadth | 3 | Biological Science Breadth | 3 |
| Social Science Breadth | 3 | INTER-LS 210 | 1 |
| 15 | 13 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| STAT Elective course | 3 | STAT Elective course | 3 |
| STAT Elective course | 3 | STAT Elective course | 3 |
| Humanities Breadth | 3 | Literature Breadth | 3 |
| Physical Science Breadth | 3 | Biological Science Breadth | 3 |
| Social Science Breadth | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits 90 | |||
Advising and Careers
Looking for Statistics Advising?
Students who are interested in statistics academic advising for the statistics major should visit the Undergraduate Statistics Advising website or contact the advisor group by email: advising@stat.wisc.edu.
So what can you do with a statistics major after you graduate?
Well-trained statisticians are in strong demand and have excellent employment prospects. Statisticians work in industry and business, in government, and in universities and other research institutions.
In most cases, an undergraduate major in statistics can find employment as a quantitative analyst or other “generalist” position. A number of our graduates have been successful following this path. However, in most cases, positions aimed at “professional statisticians” require a master's (or PhD) degree. As a professional statistician, typical employment in industry might be as a statistical consultant to biologists, engineers, and/or other scientists in a research and development branch of a large company.
The single, best place to look for statistics jobs is the American Statistical Association Career Center. Consult with a statistics undergraduate advisor about the best fit for you.
Statistical training is seen as very desirable in many other areas (e.g., agricultural, biological, engineering, and social sciences, business, and economics) where the primary activity may not be statistics. In view of this, statistics may often be a strong choice for a second or additional major.
L&S Career Resources
Every L&S major opens a world of possibilities. SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps students turn the academic skills learned in their major, certificates, and other coursework into fulfilling lives after graduation, whether that means jobs, public service, graduate school or other career pursuits.
In addition to providing basic support like resume reviews and interview practice, SuccessWorks offers ways to explore interests and build career skills from their very first semester/term at UW all the way through graduation and beyond.
Students can explore careers in one-on-one advising, try out different career paths, complete internships, prepare for the job search and/or graduate school applications, and connect with supportive alumni and even employers in the fields that inspire them.
- SuccessWorks
- Set up a career advising appointment
- Enroll in a Career Course - a great idea for first- and second-year students:
- INTER-LS 210 L&S Career Development: Taking Initiative (1 credit)
- INTER-LS 215 Communicating About Careers (3 credits, fulfills Comm B General Education Requirement)
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- INTER-LS 260 Internship in the Liberal Arts and Sciences
- Activate your Handshake account to apply for jobs and internships from 200,000+ employers recruiting UW-Madison students
- Learn about the impact SuccessWorks has on students' lives
People
A full listing of the Statistics faculty, including affiliated faculty and links to webpages, can be found on the departmental website.
Faculty
- Cecile Ane, Professor, Statistics and Botany
- Joshua Cape, Assistant Professor, Statistics
- Peter Chien, Professor, Statistics
- Jessi Cisewski-Kehe, Assistant Professor, Statistics
- Sameer Deshpande, Assistant Professor, Statistics
- Nicolas Garcia Trillos, Assistant Professor, Statistics
- Yinqiu He, Assistant Professor, Statistics
- Hyunseung Kang, Assistant Professor, Statistics
- Sunduz Keles, Professor, Statistics & Biostatistics and Medical Informatics
- Bret Larget, Professor, Statistics
- Keith Levin, Assistant Professor, Statistics
- Wi-Yin Loh, Professor, Statistics
- Michael Newton, Professor, Statistics & Biostatistics and Medical Informatics
- Vivak Patel, Assistant Professor, Statistics
- Alejandra Quintos, Assistant Professor, Statistics
- Sebastian Raschka, Assistant Professor, Statistics
- Garvesh Raskutti, Associate Professor, Statistics
- Karl Rohe, Professor, Statistics
- Kris Sankaran, Assistant Professor, Statistics
- Jun Shao, Professor, Statistics
- Miaoyan Wang, Assistant Professor, Statistics
- Yazhen Wang, Chair and Professor, Statistics
- Brian Yandell, Professor, Statistics
- Chunming Zhang, Professor, Statistics
- Zhengjun Zhang, Professor, Statistics
- Yiqiao Zhong, Assistant Professor, Statistics
- Jun Zhu, Professor, Statistics