The Department of Statistics

The modern science of statistics involves the invention, study, and development of principles and methods for modeling uncertainty through mathematical probability, for designing experiments, surveys and observational programs, and for analyzing and interpreting empirical data. Problems arising throughout the sciences and in business and technology drive the development of statistical methods. The interplay between applied and theoretical problems is at the core of what the department and its degree programs are about. Faculty and graduate students are currently working on statistical and probabilistic problems in such fields as genetics, computer vision, speech recognition, finance, environmental science, clinical trials, and demography. Other faculty and students are working on abstract topics in mathematical statistics and probability theory.

The department offers programs leading to the degrees of Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy. Instruction in statistics is designed to accommodate both students specializing in statistics and also those studying statistics as a tool for use in their own specialties. The graduate program in statistics provides a broad-based education in statistics, probability and their applications to the social, biological and physical sciences. The faculty have diverse research interests and a student able to take advantage of this intellectual breadth will be well-suited to the program.

Program of Study

A student applying to the Ph.D. or M.Sc. program should normally have taken advanced calculus, linear algebra, probability and a few courses in statistics. Additional courses in mathematics, especially a course in real analysis, will be helpful for Ph.D. students. Some familiarity with computers and programming is expected. However, students who have not taken courses in all of these areas should not be discouraged from applying, especially if they have a substantial background, through study or experience, in some area of science or other discipline involving quantitative reasoning and empirical investigation. Because statistics is an empirical and interdisciplinary field, a strong background in some area of potential application of statistics is a considerable asset. Indeed, a student’s background in mathematics and in science or another quantitative discipline is more important than his or her background in statistics in determining the ability of the student to do statistical research.

The master’s program is currently in rapid development, and it is possible to take this degree with an orientation towards survey methods, medical statistics and finance, or towards other fields of specialization of the faculty. For a student with a solid background in mathematics and statistics, the program can be completed in one year. There is a course sequence: currently, six courses on applied and theoretical statistics, and three electives. A master’s paper is normally required.

Reflecting the diversity of the students, the Ph.D. program is flexible in terms of the timing and content of coursework and research. The following describes a typical path for a student with a solid background in mathematics and some familiarity with statistics. During the first year, the student takes courses in probability theory and stochastic processes, mathematical statistics, and applied statistics. These three areas receive roughly equal emphasis and serve as the foundation for all later work. A substantial component of the applied statistics courses is the use of advanced statistical programming languages, such as S, for data analysis. At the start of the second year, the student takes preliminary examinations covering all these areas. During the second year, students take more advanced and specialized courses, depending on their interests. The selection of courses offered varies from year to year, but there is always a variety of courses in probability and in theoretical and applied statistics sufficient to address quite diverse interests. In the third year, students normally begin to work with thesis advisors on doctoral research. In the Fall of the fourth year of study, the student makes a presentation of his/her proposed thesis research. When the dissertation is complete, the student presents the results in a formal departmental seminar, and then a final oral examination completes the program for the Ph.D. In recent years, nearly all students have completed the Ph.D. within five years of entering the program. Students who have significant graduate training before entering the program can obtain their doctors degree in three years.

Some students must postpone taking one of the usual first-year courses in order to strengthen their background in that area first. This delay does not usually slow the student’s progress through the remainder of the program.

Most students receiving a doctorate proceed to faculty appointments in research universities. A substantial number take positions in government or industry, in research groups and the National Institutes of Health, in communications and in commercial pharmaceutical research groups, and in finance. The department has an excellent track record in placing new Ph.D.s.

Program in Biostatistics

Doctoral students with an interest in applying statistical methods and doing research in biology and medicine can do so by tailoring their doctoral program to emphasize biostatistics. Courses are offered every year in such areas as biometry, survival analysis, medical imaging, and clinical trials. The Biostatistics Workshop, cosponsored with the Department of Health Studies, meets regularly in the medical center, and is a forum in which graduate students, physicians, and medical researchers meet to discuss all aspects of quantitative methods in medicine. Through the workshop, students in statistics have the opportunity to participate in current medical research. Students from the department in recent years have, as a result, been coauthors on scientific papers in such areas as genetics, anesthesiology, geriatrics, and emergency medicine.

Teaching

Part of every statistician’s job is to evaluate the work of others and to communicate knowledge, experience, and insights. Every statistician is, to some extent, an educator, and the department provides graduate students with some training for this aspect of their professional lives. The department expects all doctoral students, regardless of their professional objectives and sources of financial support, to take part in a graduated program of participation in some or all phases of instruction, from grading, course assisting, and conducting discussion sections, to being a lecturer with responsibility for an entire course.

Consulting

Students in the degree programs are encouraged to complement their training in statistics with experience and study in some field where statistics is important. Courses and study in empirical science and summer employment offer opportunities in this direction. The department operates a consultation program, under the guidance of the faculty, that serves mainly students and faculty throughout the University. All degree candidates in statistics must participate in these consultative activities, at a level appropriate to their training and prior experience, as an integral part of their degree program. An informal seminar meets regularly to provide a forum for presenting and discussing problems, solutions and topics in statistical consultation.

Application

Application forms for admission and other information about the department and University can be obtained by writing to: Admissions Committee, Department of Statistics, The University of Chicago, 5734 South University Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637, or by sending electronic mail to admissions@galton.uchicago.edu. Online registration is available at http://galton.uchicago.edu/admissions/.

Facilities

The department is housed in several adjacent floors of Eckhart Hall. Each student is assigned a desk in one of several offices. A small departmental library and conference room is a common meeting place for formal and informal gatherings of students and faculty. The mathematics and statistics branch of the University Library is located on the second floor of Eckhart Hall. The major computing facilities of the department are based upon a network of Sun workstations for the faculty and students. These facilities are available around the clock.

Statistics throughout the University

In addition to the courses, seminars and programs in the Department of Statistics, courses and workshops of direct interest to statisticians are offered throughout the University, most notably in the programs in statistics, econometrics and finance in the Graduate School of Business and in the research programs in economics, sociology, and education associated with NORC (formerly the National Opinion Research Center).

This text was last revised on 10/15/2003.