School of Information Technology & Engineering

• Applied and Engineering Statistics
  • Faculty
  • Course Work
• Undergraduate Programs
  • Certificate in Applied Statistics
  • Minor in Data Analysis
• Graduate Programs
  • Statistical Science.M.S.
  • Combined B.S./M.S. in Applied Statistics
  • Certificate in Federal Statistics
  • Certificate in Signal Processing
  • Ph.D. Study in Statistics

Applied and Engineering Statistics

Faculty

Course Work

Statistical methods and methods for data analysis are crucial for researching and exploring the natural sciences, the social sciences, business, nursing, education, and engineering. The department offers a variety of introductory courses as well as more advanced course work in specialized statistical methodology and applications. The focus of the department's offerings is applied with special emphasis on computing, graphics and visualization, federal and survey statistics, and engineering applications of statistics and data analysis.

Introductory courses are targeted for undergraduates in the College of Arts and Sciences and in the College of Nursing and Health Science, as well as in the School of Information Technology and Engineering. The STAT 250/350 sequence is targeted for general audiences while the STAT 344/354 sequence is targeted for technical and scientific audiences. STAT 362 deals with computer statistical packages and is appropriate as a second or third course for students from a wide variety of backgrounds.

Although the department does not yet offer an undergraduate degree in statistics, a variety of advanced courses are available for inclusion in other degree programs.

Undergraduate Programs

Certificate in Applied Statistics

The Department of Applied and Engineering Statistics offers a certificate program to complement undergraduate degree programs in computer science, systems engineering, electrical engineering, civil and infrastructure engineering, or mathematics. Undergraduates majoring in other discipline areas may be admitted to the certificate program at the discretion of the department.

Because the demand for people with interdisciplinary training, which includes a background in statistics and data analysis, is great in the Washington metropolitan area, this program expands the career options available to students. Inquiries should be directed to the Department of Applied and Engineering Statistics. Students who plan to work toward the certificate should seek advice from the department.

Certificate Requirements

This certificate program requires 24 credits, consisting of STAT 344, 362, and 354 or 554, along with five courses chosen from STAT 455, 457, 463, 474, 498, 499, 544, 574 and OR 435, 442, 481.

Minor in Data Analysis

The undergraduate minor in data analysis is designed to provide students with a background in data analysis and statistical methodology. The minor is intended to complement undergraduate degree programs in the School of Information Technology and Engineering, College of Nursing and Health Science, and the College of Arts and Sciences. The minor requires 15 credit hours (five courses). The foundation of the minor is a two-course sequence, either STAT 250/350 or STAT 344/354, a course in statistical computing (STAT 362), and a course in data analysis (STAT 463). To complete the minor, an elective is chosen from a list of approved courses or with concurrence of the undergraduate program coordinator.

Requirements

This minor requires 15 credits, consisting of STAT 250/350 or STAT 344/354, STAT 362, STAT 463 and an elective chosen from STAT 455, 477, 544, 554, CS 450, 480, SYST 473, or CEIE 410.

Graduate Programs

Statistical Science, M.S.

Statistical science is regarded as one of the oldest and most successful information technology subjects, focusing on the conversion of raw data into information. In this graduate program, students are trained in the theory and practice of statistical methodology, particularly as they impinge upon high-technology applications.

The M.S. program can be thought of in matrix form, one dimension offering a choice of research or professional options and the other dimension offering a choice of subject emphases, including federal statistics, computational statistics, statistical signal processing, applied statistics, and engineering statistics. The research option is intended for students planning to continue with the Ph.D. degree or to begin or continue careers in statistical methodology research. The professional option provides M.S. degree qualifications to those seeking an expanded knowledge base in modern statistical theory and practice, but not wishing to pursue a research career. Such students might plan to work in applied statistics, go on to professional schools, teach statistics at a secondary level, or pursue other careers in which advanced work in statistical methodology is necessary or advantageous but in which independent research is not involved.

Admission Requirements

In addition to satisfying the general admission requirements for graduate study, all applicants to this program must do the following:

Course work taken to correct deficiencies in undergraduate preparation is not counted toward the degree.

Demonstrate basic computer literacy.

The GRE is not required. It is recommended particularly for those students wishing to compete for graduate teaching assistantships, fellowships, or research assistantships.

Degree Requirements

Students in both the research and professional options must complete the 12-credit core requirements for the degree:

STAT 544 Applied Probability

STAT 554 Applied Statistics

STAT 652 Statistical Inference

STAT 656 Regression Analysis

The core course work covers the basic elements of statistics at the graduate level. Applied Probability (STAT 544) covers the major mathematical framework for statistical theory and practice. Statistical Inference (STAT 652) provides basic statistical theory. After completing this course, students have the theoretical basis from which statistical methods are derived.

STAT 554 Applied Statistics is a survey of statistical methods that have become the backbone of statistical practice. Focus in this course is on techniques that quantify random behavior. The final core course is STAT 656 Regression Analysis, which focuses on determining the relationship between two or more quantities possibly measured with error, particularly with emphasis on broad scientific and technological applications. From these basic elements, the perspective M.S. student may choose one of five defined emphases or may, with the concurrence of his or her advisor, design a customized curriculum. The defined emphases are (1) applied statistics, (2) federal statistics, (3) computational statistics, (4) statistical signal processing, and (5) engineering statistics. Other courses may be chosen from any graduate STAT courses, except STAT 510, 512, and 530. STAT 679 and 798 may be repeated for credit with departmental approval. Also, many courses from other departments may be chosen with departmental approval.

Professional Option
The professional option focuses on the completion of course work in modern statistical theory and practice. The basic course work requirements include 30 credits. Twelve credits must be the core courses taken by all M.S. students, with 18 additional credits taken from the approved list or with the approval of the student's advisor. Students in this program are encouraged to pursue a broad background in statistical science and may elect to concentrate on applications of statistical methodology to other disciplinary areas. A student would normally complete the degree by taking 10 three-credit courses with no written reports such as a thesis and no oral examination. A student would have to satisfy the general degree requirements for graduate study.

A student in the professional option may write a master's essay that is not an original research report but a scholarly essay on a topic of current interest in the statistical science discipline. The essay is usually about 20 to 25 pages long and demonstrates the student's ability to read and synthesize the current technical literature into a scholarly essay. The essay is evaluated by the student's advisor, taking into account the comprehensiveness of the coverage of the scientific literature, the accuracy of presentation and interpretation, and the literary style. Students are notified of their evaluations and may be required to revise their essays to develop their skills in preparing reports on technical subjects. The essay is normally written in the context of STAT 798 Master's Essay.

Students who complete the essay take 27 credits of in-class work and three credits of STAT 798 Master's Essay. Students opting not to write an essay must take 30 credits of in-class work.

Research Option
The research option requires 30 credits, of which 6 credits must be in independent research (thesis). Research is done under the guidance of a faculty member. Research may be carried out at the university or, if appropriate, at nearby facilities. For example, students may pursue research at their places of employment on topics of interest to their employers, provided the research meets the standards of the university. The remaining 24 credits must include the 12 core credits and elective courses taken from the approved list or added with the consent of the thesis advisor.

In addition to satisfying the general degree requirements for graduate study, candidates for the research option must do the following:

1. Submit a thesis or report based on the research to the student's thesis committee, which must give preliminary approval. The composition and appointment of this committee follows graduate program policies.
2. Pass a final oral examination that concentrates on, but is not limited to, the area on which the thesis or report is written. The examination is administered by the student's thesis committee, and all interested members of the graduate faculty are invited to attend and participate in the questioning. The thesis committee makes the final decision on whether the candidate passes or fails.

Combined B.S./M.S. in Applied Statistics

The combined B.S./M.S. degree option provides a way for George Mason students to earn an M.S. in Statistical Science in a shorter period of time than if they had graduated from a suitable George Mason B.S. program and then applied to the M.S. program.

Admission Requirements

To enroll, the student must begin his or her M.S. work within six months following completion of a B.S. degree in any one of the IT&E major areas, or a B.S. in Mathematics from the College of Arts and Sciences. Admission is guaranteed to any student with an overall GPA of 3.000 in courses taken after the first two undergraduate years (60 credits) and with grades of B or better in the two 500-level STAT courses selected from STAT 544, 554, and 574.

Degree Requirements

The combined B.S./M.S. program consists of a minimum of 144 credits that satisfy the requirements for both the B.S. and the M.S. in Statistical Science, with 6 credits of overlap. Twenty-four credits are required for the M.S., provided that the student has taken two of the following three courses as part of his or her B.S. course work: STAT 544, 554, and 574.

Certificate in Federal Statistics

The graduate certificate in federal statistics is a professional program targeted at upgrading the skills of practitioners. The federal statistical system is a complex data collection and analysis system that requires a wide variety of multidisciplinary skills for its maintenance. The federal statistics certificate is intended to respond to the need for broad training in statistics, survey methods, data analysis including graphics and data visualization, databases and data security, parallel computation and related technology, geographic information systems, and issues of statistics and public policy. The certificate program is extremely flexible and can be tailored to the needs of students within the federal statistical sector, but is also intended to be responsive to the needs of those in state and local governments and those in the private sector who support the statistical system.

Admission Requirements

Potential candidates should have a bachelor's degree, including at least one course in calculus and one course in probability or statistics at the 300 level or higher. The recommended minimum preparation would include MATH 113-114 and STAT 344 or their equivalents. Students with a minimal background in mathematics or statistics should consider taking STAT 530, which is intended to enhance a student's background in calculus, matrix algebra, and probability. It does not count toward the certificate. Candidates must also be computer literate. Applicants typically have degrees in diverse fields such as sociology, economics, engineering, mathematics, statistics, and business. Candidates should inquire with the certificate coordinator for details of program planning. Courses are offered in late afternoon and evening and are particularly suitable for part-time students.

Certificate Requirements

The certificate program consists of 15 credits (five courses), which are selected from the certificate program courses and elective courses. The certificate courses are aimed at building the foundations of statistical analysis and survey methods and consist of the following:

STAT 510 Statistical Foundations for Technical Decision Making

STAT 554 Applied Statistics

STAT 574 Survey Sampling I

STAT 634 Case Studies in Data Analysis

STAT 663 Statistical Graphics and Data Exploration

STAT 665 Categorical Data Analysis

STAT 673 Statistical Methods for Longitudinal Data Analysis

STAT 674 Survey Sampling II

STAT 679 Topics in Survey Design and Analysis

All these courses, except STAT 510, may be used for credit toward the M.S. in Statistical Science.

For the certificate program, the student may choose any three of the certificate courses plus two elective courses chosen with the consent of the certificate coordinator. The electives are intended to provide a broad background supportive of the multidisciplinary needs of complex statistical systems. They include courses from computer science, economics, geography, information systems, marketing, operations research, psychology, public administration, sociology, and statistics. Some courses may have prerequisites for which the student must qualify or seek a waiver from the appropriate instructor. A cumulative GPA of 3.000 is required, and at most one course with a grade of C may be applied toward the certificate.

Certificate in Signal Processing

The Department of Applied and Engineering Statistics, in conjunction with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, offers the certificate in signal processing, which provides graduate students with a program of courses and laboratory experience. Course work for the graduate certificate can be used for credit toward the M.S. in Statistical Science as well as the M.S. in Electrical Engineering. The primary purpose is to provide a well-defined target for students who want to advance or update their knowledge in this fast-moving field. The certificate may be pursued concurrently with any of the graduate degree programs in the School of Information Technology and Engineering.

Admission Requirements

The certificate program in signal processing is open to all students who hold a bachelor's degree in any scientific or engineering discipline from an accredited university. Interested persons not already in a George Mason degree program should apply for admission in nondegree status.

Certificate Requirements

The certificate consists of five graduate courses (15 credits) in signal processing. A cumulative GPA of 3.000 is required, and at most one course with a grade of C may be applied toward the certificate. The certificate courses comprise two required foundation courses taken by all students and three elective courses. See the list of courses under Certificate in Signal Processing in the Electrical and Computer Engineering section of this chapter.

Ph.D. Study in Statistics

Doctoral study in statistics is available through two of the university's Ph.D. programs. The Ph.D. in Information Technology has an emphasis in statistical science with an engineering focus. The Ph.D. in Computational Sciences and Informatics has an emphasis in computational statistics with a basic science focus. Both degrees are interdisciplinary and allow the student a broad range of course and research options. These programs are described in this chapter and in the "School of Computational Sciences" chapter. Advanced courses in statistics at the Ph.D. level are also listed under the respective Ph.D. program descriptions.

Students may obtain more information by contacting the graduate coordinator in Science and Technology II, Room 158, (703) 993-3645.