MASTER'S IN STATISTICS,
University of Texas at Austin: INFORMATION FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
Description of the Program
- The Master's in Statistics degree at The
University of Texas at Austin is administered through the Mathematics Department,
but has its own graduate advisor and graduate studies committee. The Graduate Studies
Committee for this program consists of faculty members from a variety
of departments across campus.
- The focus of the program is a mix of
theory and application. Four core courses in the math department are required;
the student has a choice of courses in several departments to round out the
major and minor. For more details see the Degree
Requirements.
- The program is small, limited to about
ten students per year. One primary purpose of the program is to provide the
opportunity to students working on a Ph.D. in fields such as Biological
Sciences, Educational Psychology, Mathematics Education, or Sociology to obtain
a Master's in Statistics while pursuing their Ph. D.. Most of the other students
in the program have already been in the Austin area before entering the program.
Are You Applying to the Right Program?
Application Deadline
- Application for first consideration for fall admission is
January 15. Depending on how many acceptances there are, applications
submitted later might be considered.
- Because of the large number of applications
and the limited capacity of the program, applications are not normally considered
for spring or summer admission. (Exceptions will be made for students currently
enrolled in a Ph.D. program who wish to pursue a Master's in Statistics while
completing their Ph.D.)
Criteria for Admission to the Program
- Admission will be based on letters of
recommendation, grades, courses previously taken, statement of purpose,
and number of places available in the program. English proficiency will also
be an important factor in consideration of international students.
- Students applying to the program should
have the following courses on their transcripts, with evidence of strong
performance:
- Calculus (click here for details)
- Calculus-based probability (click here for details)
- Introductory statistics (including the
basics of statistical inference: sampling distributions, hypothesis testing,
and confidence intervals)
- Linear algebra
- The ideal candidate will also have had
a course in mathematical statistics (at the level of a textbook such as Wackerly,
Mendenhall and Scheaffer, Mathematical Statistics with Applications;
click here for more details).
- Applicants must provide all information
requested by the Graduate School, including GRE and (if applicable) TOEFL
scores. (The GMAT will not be accepted as a substitute for the GRE.)
How to Apply
The Graduate and International Admissions Center
(GIAC) processes applications for graduate admission as well as applications
for undergraduate international students.
1. If you are currenlty enrolled in
a Ph.D. program at UT Austin and wish to pursue a Master's in Statistics while
working on your Ph.D., see the special page for such students. You should contact the Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee, Dr. Daniel Powers to discuss your interest and preparation.
2. If you are currently a graduate student
in another department and wish to apply to transfer to the Master's in Statistics
program, you will need to obtain the appropriate application form
for change of major from GIAC. The completed application form should be returned
to GIAC. They should then forward copies of GRE scores and transcripts to
the Statistics program. Letters of recommendation should be sent to the Statistics
Graduate Coordinator at the Math Department (campus mail code C1200; zip
code 78712)
3. If you are not currently enrolled
as a graduate student at UT Austin, please see http://www.utexas.edu/student/giac for information about the University, together with the electronic application
for admission (and readmission). The electronic application is the preferred
method for applying for admission.
The University strongly urges you to submit
your application for admission electronically, even if accessing our website
is somewhat inconvenient for you, because it allows for the most efficient
processing possible.
If you must request a paper application, the
University provides two options:
A) Write to:
The Office of Admissions
The University of Texas at Austin
P.O. Box 7608
Austin, TX 78713-7608
Please specify if you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
graduate, international
graduate, or international undergraduate applicant and the program
(Statistics)
in which you are interested.
B) Call 512/475-7390
Pointers for smoothing the application
process
- Please allow several weeks for processing
and mailing of paper application requests.
- You will need to have three persons familiar
with your academic
qualifications write letters of recommendation. Letters from professors
who have had you in mathematics or statistics courses are the best.
Letters from employers are usually not useful in judging your
qualifiations, unless your employer has qualifications in mathematics
and statistics at at least a master's level. Letters from family
friends, clergy, etc. are not appropriate. If you wish to be considered
for a Teaching Assistantship, be sure to have your letter writers
comment on your qualifications (including oral English abilities) for such a position.
- Students applying from non-English
speaking countries should provide evidence of oral English equivalent
to having spent at least one year at a university or other school where
English is the language of instruction.
- Be sure to read instructions carefully
so that application materials go to the correct place. Most application materials
go to GIAC, but letters of recommendation should be addressed to
Statistics Graduate Coordinator
Department of Mathematics
University of Texas
1 University Station C1200
Austin, Texas 78712
- You must pay an application fee before
you can be considered for admission. Be sure to follow all instructions
about how and where to send this fee. Please do not ask to have your file
evaluated before this fee has been paid.
- To speed the processing of your application,
you may wish to send copies of your transcripts and test scores to the Statistics
Graduate Coordinator (address above). Be sure to send the originals and the application
form to GIAC.
Application Status Check
Inquiries about whether application materials
have been received should be directed to the appropriate office:
- To check on application materials that
go to the Graduate School, use the online Application Status Check. See http://www.utexas.edu/student/giac for details. Be sure to allow at least three weeks for application materials
to be processed.
- Address inquiries about application materials
that go to the department to the Graduate Coordinator, Ben Garcia, at bgarcia@math.utexas.edu. Be
sure to allow at least three weeks for application materials to be processed.
Financial
Aid
Transfer Credit