Statistics, B.S.

Statistics (B.S.) 180 units

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Program Description

Statistics is the science of learning from data, and reporting the results of the analysis.  Designs of Experiments are used to plan data collection in experimental settings, such as in medical research.  Surveys are used to collect opinions from samples in populations, such as in political polling.  Observational data is collected commonly by business as part of standard business processes, such as in website analytics.  Statistical methods are used to process data into easily read visual displays, and into summary statistics for interpretation, decision making, and reporting.

Statistics has been a rapidly growing science for many years and has many uses in other fields, such as Econometrics, Business Analytics, Machine Learning, and Visualization.  Statistics is widely used by businesses and government organizations to understand changes in the economy and to make forecasts about future events based on past patterns in their data.  Statistics is used to model relationships between variables and to predict future values of output variables from input variables.  Statistical methods draw accurate inferences about large groups on the basis of a representative same from the group or population.  Descriptive Statistics are used to summarize and visualize the collected data.

The methodology of statistics can be adapted to many types of problems.  Due to the extensive development of computers and the collection of large databases, the need for statistical techniques has greatly expanded in recent years.  A society like ours, which has become increasingly dependent on its data, has a growing need for statisticians.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a B.S. in Statistics from Cal State East Bay will be able to:

1. apply basic computational skill in descriptive statistics and graphical displays; hypothesis testing and confidence intervals; modeling and error analysis;
2. communicate to others results involving descriptive statistics and graphical displays; hypothesis testing and confidence intervals; modeling and error analysis;
3. analyze data using appropriate statistical computer software and to interpret the results covering descriptive statistics and graphical displays; hypothesis testing and confidence intervals; modeling and error analysis.

Career Opportunities

• Actuary
• Biostatistician
• Business Executive
• Census Analyst
• Credit Analyst
• Data Analyst
• Economist
• Financial Modeling Specialist
• Forms Analyst
• Information Systems Analyst
• Insurance Agent
• Market Researcher
• Oddsmaker
• Quality Control Specialist
• Research Statistician
• Sales Analyst
• SAS Programmer
• Statistician
• Survey Designer
• Systems Analyst
• Teacher

Preparation

For Advanced Placement course equivalencies, see the Registration chapter.
 
The theory of statistics rests on a mathematical foundation. Even for statisticians whose primary interest is in applications, challenging mathematical problems arise continually. Calculus and computer programming are required for the major. An elementary course in linear algebra is highly recommended.
 
Courses in areas to which statistics is applied will also be helpful. Examples are business, biology, chemistry, geography, social sciences, psychology, and physics.
 
Community college students are advised to complete the sequence of elementary calculus and analytic geometry courses before transferring to Cal State East Bay. Another excellent lower-division requirement to complete before transferring is a course in introductory computer programming.

Honors in Statistics

Students earning a GPA of 3.6 or higher in courses comprising their major in Statistics will be awarded Honors in the degree provided the coursework applied toward the degree includes the courses listed in areas I and II below.

1. Required Courses for Honors (16 units)
   • MATH 2101 Elements of Linear Algebra (4)
   • MATH 2304 Calculus III (4)
   • MATH 3100 Linear Algebra (4) or MATH 3300 Analysis I (4)
   • STAT 3402 Introduction to Probability Theory II (4)
2. Required Honors Course (4 units)
   • STAT 4401 Introduction to Stochastic Processes (4) or STAT 4601 Regression (4) taken as a special honors course with permission of the instructor and the Director of the Honors Program.

Credit/No Credit Courses

It is the policy of the department that no course taken on a “CR/NC” basis may be applied toward any of the requirements. Individual petitions for waiver of this policy will be treated according to the same procedures as petitions to waive other degree requirements.

Double Major

A knowledge of statistical methods is of increasing importance to students in many areas, especially the physical, computing, decision, environmental, biological, political, and social sciences and administrative studies (including business, health care, and education). A second major in statistics along with a major in one of these areas may result in better preparation for employment or graduate study. The following three factors combine to make such a double major feasible in many cases:

1. The Statistics major allows for a relatively large number of completely unrestricted elective units. The student may elect courses required for the other major among these.
2. Up to twenty units in certain areas outside of Statistics may be applied toward the Statistics degree. (See Area of Emphasis requirement, III.2.)
3. Some other majors require Statistics courses that also count towards the Statistics major (e.g., STAT 3010, STAT 3031, STAT 3401, STAT 3502, etc.).

To obtain an illustrative program contact the Department of Statistics and Biostatistics.

Course Descriptions

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Use this link to see all Course Descriptions  available throughout this catalog.

Other Undergraduate Degree Requirements

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In addition to major requirements, every student must also complete the University requirements for graduation which are described throughout this catalog. These include the General Education-Breadth requirements; the second composition (ENGL 1002 ) requirement; the cultural groups/women requirement; the performing arts/activities requirement; the U.S. history, U.S. Constitution, and California state and local government requirement; the University Writing Skills Requirement; and the residence, unit, and grade point average requirements.