Statistical Modeling Concentration

Jeff Witmer, Chair

Statistics is the science of analyzing data, with these analyses often being based on models that are used to answer questions or reveal underlying relationships. Statistical modeling is applied across many disciplines to model human behavior and natural phenomena and to aid in decision making in the face of uncertainty.

The Statistical Modeling Concentration has three tiers - introductory coursework, core intermediate courses, and advanced coursework - and requires that the student be exposed to multiple perspectives on the use of statistical reasoning.

Curriculum Overview

The Statistical Modeling Concentration begins with general, introductory statistics courses (Category A).  It then requires at least two core, intermediate courses, in which students learn the explicit use of statistical models from multiple perspectives (Category B).  Finally, the concentration requires at least one advanced course (Category C).  The remaining courses may either be additional statistics courses or a course (Category D) that covers foundational concepts for some kinds of modeling, such as computer programming and probability theory, or a course that makes use of computer simulations to model real-world phenomena to reveal relationships, even if these models are not fit and evaluated using explicitly statistical methods.

Concentration Requirements

A concentration in Statistical Modeling requires a total of at least five courses from those listed in (A), (B), (C), and (D). The courses must be from at least two departments and must include

(A: Introductory statistics) No more than one of the following: STAT 113 (Stat Methods for Social and Behavioral Science), STAT 114 (Stat Methods for Biological Sciences), PSYC 200 (Research Methods I); POLT 205 (Political Research and Analysis); SOCI 301/302 (Social Research Methods).

(B: Intermediate statistics) At least two of the following courses: STAT 205 (Statistics and Modeling - which was previously numbered as STAT 215); STAT 209 (Data Computing and Visualization); STAT 213 (Statistical Modeling); STAT 237 (Bayesian Computation); ECON 255 (Econometrics); PSYC 300 (Research Methods II).

(C: Advanced statistics) At least one of the following: STAT 336 (Mathematical Statistics); STAT 337 (Data Analysis); STAT 339 (Probability Models and Machine Learning); ECON 355 (Advanced Econometrics); ECON 357 (Time Series Econometrics); CSCI 374 (Machine Learning-Data Mining); PSYC 304 (Advanced Methods in Adolescent Development); PSYC 306 (Advanced Methods in Psychometrics).

(D: Courses with connections to statistical modeling) No more than one of the following may be counted towards the 5 course requirement for the concentration: MATH 335 (Probability); CSCI 150 (Intro to Computer Science); CSCI 333 (Natural Language Processing); CSCI 290 (Studies in Computation and Modeling); BIOL 322 (Genetics of Populations); ENVS 340 (Systems Modeling: Systems Thinking).