1.
The Minor is
identified as “applied”. Why?
The “applied”
description is an absolutely critical characteristic of this Minor. The sponsors of this Minor in the Department
of Mathematics and Statistics are the Statistics faculty, most of whom have
worked in private industry. Our
intention is NOT to teach theoretical statistics, but rather to use datasets
and real world examples in the classroom from a variety of disciplines,
including medicine, psychology, political science, biology and business. Our intention is to provide recipients of
this Minor with tangible skills that they can take into their professional
discipline and demonstrate their ability to convert data into information for
the purposes of superior decision making IN THEIR DISCIPLINE. This inter-disciplinary focus is why the
Minor is well positioned within the Department of Mathematics and Statistics –
we are developing a series of courses to apply quantitative methods to decision
making and problem solving in any discipline.
2.
I hate
numbers. I understand that this Minor
could help me get a job, but I’m not good at Math.
Do not be
afraid. The series of STAT courses
needed to complete the Minor in Applied Statistics and Data Analysis has been
developed with the non-Math major in mind.
The objective of our courses is focused on application, logic and
quantitative reasoning…not theoretical mathematics. We will be taking real-life problems,
real-life datasets and applying statistical concepts like practitioners do -
using one of the primary statistical software packages (SPSS, SAS, or
Minitab).
3.
How many
courses will I have to take?
The requirement
for a Minor at KSU is “…15-18 semester hours, at least 12 of which must be
non-duplicative outside the major’s primary discipline and beyond the courses
required for the student’s major and general education requirements. At least nine of the required hours must be
at the upper division level.” The Minor in Applied Statistics and Data
Analysis includes 5 courses (4 required plus 1 elective). Some majors may be able to apply one of their
major courses towards the Minor. Click here to see how your major may accommodate this Minor. In addition, students should discuss course
plans with their advisor.
- How long will it take me to complete
the Minor?
Here is a sample schedule of courses needed to complete the Minor:
Spring (Sophomore Year) – STAT3010 (Statistical Computing)
Fall (Junior Year) – STAT3120 (Statistical Methods I)
Spring (Junior Year) – STAT3130 (Statistical Methods II)
Summer (Junior Year) – STAT4210 (Applied Regression Analysis)
Spring (Senior Year) – STAT4120 (Experimental Design)*
*Most Political Science, Psychology and Nursing students can take this
course within their own departments.
|
Course
requirements/Potential Overlap |
|
|
Psychology |
Students will
have the opportunity to apply the PSYC 3301 course to both their major and
the Minor. Students can then apply
their 12 hours of Related Studies credit hours or their 12 hours of Free
Electives credit hours to the remaining 12 credit hour course requirements
for the Minor. |
|
Nursing |
Students will
have the opportunity to apply the NURS 4402 course to both their major and
the Minor. Students can then apply
their three hours of Free Elective to the remaining 12 credit hour course
requirements for the Minor. Students
would then have to take nine additional hours (3 courses), which is
incremental to the total program hours required for the degree. |
|
Political
Science |
Students will
have the opportunity to apply the POLS 2280 course to both their major and
the Minor. Students can then apply
their 12 hours of Related Studies credit hours or their 12 hours of Free
Electives credit hours to the remaining 12 credit hour course requirements
for the Minor. |
|
Economics/Finance/Marketing |
Students
would have the opportunity to apply ECON 3300 OR ECON 4750 (but not both) to
both their major and the Minor. Within
the minor, ECON3300 would substitute for STAT3120, while ECON4750 could
substitute for STAT3130. Students can
then apply their six credit hours of Non-Business Electives to the remaining
12 credit hour course requirements for the Minor. Students would then have to take six
additional credit hours (2 courses), which is incremental to the total
program hours required for the degree. |
|
Information
Systems |
Students
would have the opportunity to apply the STAT 3010 course (previously
MATH3400) to both their major and the Minor.
Students can then apply their 12 hours of Free Elective credit hours
to the remaining 12 credit hours of course requirements for the Minor. |
|
Biology |
Students have
12 hours of Free Electives, which could be applied to the requirements for
the Minor. Students would then have to
take three additional hours (1 course) which is incremental to the total
program hours required for their degree. |
|
Mathematics |
Students have
17 hours of Interdisciplinary Electives and 12 hours of free electives.
Students can place up to 12 hours of the statistics minor in their
Interdisciplinary Electives. The other 3 hours must go in either Math
Electives (if approved) or in free electives.
|