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This program has been approved by the Council of Graduate Schools as one of only four Professional Science Master's programs in Statistics nationwide (and the only one west of the Mississippi). Professional Science Master’s programs are innovative degrees designed to allow students to pursue advanced training and excel in science while simultaneously developing highly-valued business skills. The program is characterized by "science-plus," combining rigorous study in statistics with skills-based coursework emphasize writing and communication skills, and requires a final project, team experiences, as well as a "real-world" internship in a business or public sector enterprise. The program was developed in concert with industry and is designed to dovetail into present and future professional career opportunities.

Students with a bachelor's degree in engineering, the sciences, economics, business, the social sciences or any other field which uses statistics are encouraged to apply for this program in order to learn advanced statistical techniques to apply in their fields. Students with a bachelor's degree in mathematics or statistics are welcome to apply for the program in order to advance their technical skills and learn applications in areas of interest.

This degree is designed for students who wish to become practicing statisticians in business, government or industry. Students intending to pursue a PhD in statistics are encouraged to apply for the MA or MS Mathematics, Emphasis in Statistics program (however, graduates of the MS Statistics program are capable of entering PhD programs).

Admission Requirements

1. Admission to the Graduate Division.
2. International students must have achieved a score of at least 80 on the TOEFL iBT exam (or an approved score on the IELTS or PTE. There is no waiver of this requirement).
3. Calculus through multiple integration and partial differentiation, as usually gained through 3 semesters of calculus (e.g., Math 30, 31, and 32 at SJSU), each with a grade of at least B.
4. Linear Algebra (e.g., Math 129A at SJSU), with a grade of at least B.
5. A calculus-based introductory course in probability and statistics (e.g., Math 161A at SJSU) with a grade of at least B.
6. Letters of recommendation (2-3), sent directly to the Statistics Graduate Coordinator at the address below.

Students who meet the minimum requirements for admission to the Graduate Division but do not meet the admission requirements for this master's degree program may be admitted as Conditionally Classified students.

See Graduate Admissions and Program Evaluation for information on the application procedure.

Course Requirements

A total of 36 semester units (usually 12 courses) of coursework are required for this degree:

Math 163, Probability Theory
Math 164, Mathematical Statistics
Math 167, Programming in SAS
Math 203, Applied Mathematics, Computation and Statistics Projects
Math 261A, Regression Theory and Methods
Math 261B, Design and Analysis of Experiments
Math 267, Computatonal Statistics
Math 269, Statistical Consulting
Math 298, Special Study
    Or Math 299, Master's Thesis
Electives chosen with the consent of the Mathematics Graduate Advisor and/or the Statistics Graduate Advisor, to bring the total number of units in the program to 36 semester units. 

Notes on course requirements

1. Course descriptions, expected future course offerings, and other course information may be found on the Department of Mathematics course web page.
2. Further information on university requirements and programs may be found in the university catalog.
3. Elective courses, in advanced statistical methods or in a content area of the student's area of interest, must be approved in advance of registration by the Statistics Graduate Coordinator. A listing of suggested/possible electives may be found on the masters electives web page.
4. Students who enter the program having already had courses equivalent in level and content to any of those required for the degree will be allowed to substitute appropriate alternative/elective courses, upon advanced approval by the Statistics Graduate Coordinator.
5. Math 203 may be satisfied either through completion of a CAMCOS project or a pre-approved internship of at least 150 hours. In either case, a written and an oral presentation of the work performed is required.
6. The student must obtain a faculty thesis (or writing project) advisor and complete a Thesis/Math 299 (or Writing Project/Math 298) in statistics. This will include an oral and written presentation of the student's individual theoretical work or consulting/data analysis project. Project work, at the discretion of the advisor, may be an extension of work from Math 203 or Math 269.
7. The student must obtain a grade of B or better in each of Math 163 and Math 164, complete at least 18 units towards the degree with at least a 3.0 grade point average, and meet all other University requirements, including Competency in Written English, before being advanced to candidacy.

Applying for Graduation

With the aid of the Statistics Graduate coordinator, students must complete and file the Petition for Advancement to Graduate Candidacy form with Graduate Studies before the posted deadline (usually 8 months before the proposed graduation date). Students must file the application for Award of Master's degree form before the posted deadline (usually 3 months before the proposed graduation date). The forms, and the precise deadlines, are available from the Office of Graduate Admissions and Program Evaluations web page for current students.