Program Overview

PhD Statistics Program Overview

The PhD Statistics program at the University of Cincinnati is designed to provide students with advanced knowledge and skills in statistical theory, methodology, and application. The program requires a minimum of 90 graduate credits beyond the bachelor's degree or 60 credits beyond a master's degree.

Credit Hour Requirement

A minimum of 90 graduate credits beyond the bachelor's degree or a minimum of 60 credits beyond a master's degree, including 7 hours in dissertation research. Graduate courses in Statistics (respectively, Mathematics) are listed as 6000-, or 7000-, or 8000-, or 9000-level STAT (respectively, MATH) courses.

Qualifying Exams

Students must pass the Statistics Qualifying Exam at the PhD level within one year of entering the program. All incoming PhD students are required to take the Statistics Qualifying Exam before the beginning of their first semester. Students who do not pass this exam at the PhD level are placed in the appropriate 6000-level courses. The Statistics Qualifying Exam is based on the two two-semester sequences Mathematical Statistics STAT and Applied Statistics STAT.

Preliminary Exams

All PhD students must pass the Statistics Preliminary Exam within two years of entering the program. The exam is based on Linear Models and Multivariate Analysis II STAT7024 and Statistical Theory STAT7031.

Advanced Exam

After the Preliminary Exams, an Advanced Exam in the student's dissertation research area is required. An Advanced Exam may either be a written exam, a presentation, or a series of presentations. The exam will be administered by a committee. Generally, this committee will form the student's dissertation committee.

Minimum GPA

Students must earn a minimum GPA of 3.3 in all courses used to satisfy degree requirements.

Breadth Requirement

At least three 6000-level, 7000-level, and 8000-level STAT courses, including at least one 7000-level or 8000-level course. Required core and required supplementary courses may not be counted toward the breadth requirement. A GPA of 3.3 or higher is required in the breadth requirement courses.

• STAT6041: Time Series (3 credits)
• STAT6042: Survival Analysis and Logistic Regression (3 credits)
• STAT6043: Applied Bayesian Analysis (3 credits)
• STAT6044: Nonparametric Statistics (3 credits)
• STAT6045: Statistical Computing (3 credits)
• STAT6071: Statistics and Machine Learning (3 credits)
• STAT7020: Topics in Applied Statistics (3 credits)
• STAT8022: Advanced Bayesian Analysis (3 credits)
• STAT8023: Advanced Statistics Computing (3 credits)
• STAT8024: Advanced Statistical Modeling (3 credits)
• STAT8025: Spatial Statistics (3 credits)

Dissertation

Students are required to complete a minimum of 7 credit hours in dissertation research.

• MATH9072: Dissertation Research (1-12 credits)
• MATH9071: Thesis Research (1-12 credits)
• MATH9073: Research (1-12 credits)
• MATH9074: Research (1-12 credits)
• STAT9091: Thesis Research (1-12 credits)
• STAT9092: Thesis Research (1-12 credits)
• STAT9093: Research (1-12 credits)
• STAT9094: Research (1-12 credits)

Free Electives

Students must take the following graduate courses to reach the required minimum total. Free Elective hours will vary based on Qualifying and Preliminary Exam results and the number of credits used to satisfy the Professional Development and Statistics Seminar requirements.

• MATH6XXX+ (Additional 6000 or higher level statistics or mathematics course for post-masters students) (2-30 credits)
• MATH6XXX+ (Additional 6000 or higher level statistics or mathematics course(s) for post-baccalaureate students) (32-60 credits)

Required Core Courses

All students must satisfy the following course requirements. An average GPA of at least 3.3 is required in these courses.

Qualifying Exam Courses

These four courses are preparation for the Statistics Qualifying Exam. Students who pass the Qualifying Exam upon entry may be exempt from taking these courses.

• STAT6021: Mathematical Statistics I (3 credits)
• STAT6022: Mathematical Statistics II (3 credits)
• STAT6031: Applied Regression Analysis (3 credits)
• STAT6032: Design and Analysis of Experiments (3 credits)

Required 7000-Level Courses

These four courses are required. A student who passes the Preliminary Exam is exempt from taking STAT7024 and STAT7301.

• STAT7023: Linear Models and Multivariate Analysis I (3 credits)
• STAT7024: Linear Models and Multivariate Analysis II (3 credits)
• STAT7031: Statistics Theory (3 credits)
• STAT7032: Probability (3 credits)

Advanced Theory of Statistics

The following course is required.

• STAT8021: Advanced Theory of Statistics (3 credits)

Advanced Core Courses

Three of the following four courses are required.

• STAT8022: Advanced Bayesian Analysis (3 credits)
• STAT8023: Advanced Statistics Computing (3 credits)
• STAT8024: Advanced Statistical Modeling (3 credits)
• STAT8025: Spatial Statistics (3 credits)

Required Supplementary Courses

All students must satisfy the following course requirements.

Professional Development

One of the following two courses is required.

• STAT6051: Statistical Consulting (3 credits)
• STAT8026: Practicum in Applied Statistics (1 credit)

Statistics Seminar

The following course is required.

• STAT9081: Seminar in Statistics (1-3 credits)