Applied Statistics

Applied statisticians apply their knowledge of statistical methods to a variety of subject areas, such as biology, economics, engineering, medicine, public health, psychology, marketing, and education. Many applications cannot occur without use of statistical techniques. Here are a few examples:

• Designing experiments to gain federal approval of a newly manufactured drug.
• Survey design and implementation.
• Public policy and social program analysis.
• Laboratory-based research in natural sciences.
• Decision-making and quality control in business and industry.

Applied statisticians possess the skills to design large studies, work with data using statistical software, analyze complicated data sets, and effectively communicate statistical concepts to scientists in other disciplines.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "statistician" is projected to have the 9th-highest growth rate from 2014-2024 among all professions and the 3rd-highest growth rate among those requiring a college degree. US News and World Report ranked "statistician" as the number-one best business job based on a combination of financial and work-life issues.

Visit the U.S. Department of Labor Website for additional information on the types of work that statisticians do.

Visit the U.S. Department of Labor Website to see information on current and future job prospects for statisticians.

West Chester University is located in the midst of many of the world's leading pharmaceutical, industrial, and financial companies. You will be trained in our Program to have the skills necessary for employment at these companies. In fact, pharmaceutical companies in the immediate vicinity of West Chester University alone employ over 40,000 workers.

Advantages of the Program in Applied Statistics at WCU:

• Small class sizes
• Certificate or Master of Science options
• New Master's degrees with concentrations in Biostatistics or Business and Marketing Analytics.
• Convenient location. West Chester University is located 40 minutes west of downtown Philadelphia and 20 minutes north of Wilmington, Delaware.
• Reasonable tuition fees
• Convenient classes. Our Program is designed to be accessible to part-time and full-time students, with evening classes offered every semester. Almost all of our courses meet one evening per week, starting at 5:45 PM.
• Qualified instructors. All of our professors teaching in our graduate courses are full time tenured or tenure-track faculty, possessing doctoral degrees in statistics or biostatistics. They have experience in many areas of applied statistics research, including consulting in medical schools, pharmaceutical companies, government organizations, and many branches of academia. They have also published theoretical statistical research papers in preeminent journals.
• Financial assistantships. Assistantships are available for full time and part-time students. Please contact the Program Director to discuss availability.
• Flexible elective offerings allow you to pursue varied topics of special interest.
• Thesis and non-thesis options
• State-of-the-art equipment and facilities, including two Statistics Laboratories.
• Safe campus
• Job prospects after graduation
• Opportunity for internship experience
• Relevant classes on current topics of particular interest.
• Our program enables you to prepare for a PhD.

No, we have designed our curriculum to be accessible to a wide variety of undergraduate majors and interests. If you do not have any background in mathematics, you can still enroll in the Certificate Program. If you wish to enroll in the MS program, you can meet the prerequisite requirements with two classes in Calculus, regardless of your undergraduate major.

GREs are not required. However, borderline candidates for admission or candidates with degrees from foreign institutions may be required to present GRE scores at the discretion of the Program Director

In addition to meeting the basic admission requirements of the University, applicants should have knowledge of calculus, i.e., a foundation in differentiation and integration, including multivariate techniques. Deficiencies, as determined by the Program Director , may be removed by successfully completing appropriate course(s) or independently learning materials required for some courses.

Please see the review questions .

If you are still not sure which, if any, prerequisite course(s) you need to be fully prepared to enter the Master’s Program, we will administer the calculus diagnostic test, indicate any deficiencies, and recommend any prerequisite courses needed.

For students without a traditional background in calculus, satisfactory completion of this test may be a provision for acceptance. You may take this test multiple times to assess your readiness. There is no charge for this service. However, you must have applied or been accepted into the Applied Statistics Program.

To schedule a time to take this test, please contact

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• The ability to pursue a PhD in statistics, biostatistics, epidemiology, or other research-related disciplines.
• Training for work as a full-time statistician.
• The ability to use powerful statistical software to conduct statistical analyses.
• Knowledge to apply statistical procedures to diverse projects and problems.
• Background in particular subject area of concentration.

• The ability to use powerful statistical software to conduct statistical analyses.
• Knowledge to apply statistical procedures to diverse projects and problems.
• Background in particular subject area of concentration.
• Training to plan and conduct statistical analysis of research studies.
• Training to work at a job where statistical skills will be required.

The Certificate Program requires only 19 credit hours. The Certificate Program offers a broader overview and introduction to application of statistical concepts to various research settings. This program emphasizes hands-on course work, rather than the mathematical/statistical background required for independent research.

On the other hand, the extra hours of coursework required for the Masters Program will provide a deeper understanding of statistical theory and applications. This will open many more doors as you start a career in statistics. It will also prepare you to pursue further graduate study in a doctoral program.

Whichever Program you select, remember that the required courses for the Certificate Program are a complete subset of those required for the MS. Therefore, if you start in the Certificate Program and later decide to try for a Masters degree, you will get credit for all courses that you have taken for the Certificate Program.

For questions about financial aid packages other than Graduate Assistantships, please contact the Graduate Studies Office.

For questions regarding the Applied Statistics program specifically contact the Program Director at rrieger@wcupa.edu. For general admission questions contact the Graduate Office.