Statistics

Statistics is an academic discipline that collects necessary data for research purposes and provides theories and methods to analyze them and to make scientific judgments about the uncertain outcomes of interest. Statistical models and methods have applications in almost all industries and academic research disciplines that seek meaningful results from data. The following lists a few examples of practical projects:

• Predict full season results of Major League Baseball players based on their historical performance measures (e.g., hitting averages)
• Classify customers based on spending behavior (e.g., the number of shops to use, the average time to spend in a shop, the average amount to spend, etc.)
• Predict whether someone will have a certain type of cancer on the basis of demographic, diet and clinical measurements
• Identify the economic impact of epidemic animal diseases and the control programs

The rapid development and increased use of information and communication technologies produce a vast amount of data that can be used for many purposes. There has recently been a marked increase in social interest and demand for statistical specialists, such as statisticians or data scientists, who effectively analyze and utilize large amounts of data frequently occurring on daily basis.

An undergraduate major in statistics will study foundation courses in statistics and probability, and both theoretical and applied courses for various applications. The goal is to provide each student with a firm understanding of each branch of this diverse discipline along with significant technical awareness of the subject. An advantage to studying statistics as an undergraduate is the vast array of opportunities available after graduation: statisticians at the BSc level are needed in industry, government, and in academics (colleges, technical/vocational schools). Naturally, the BSc degree in Statistics opens up a pathway to a graduate degree which leads to a variety of highly skilled careers such as statistician or data scientist.

Students graduating from the BSc Honours program will gain extensive knowledge of both theoretical and applied statistics. The BSc Honours program provides excellent preparation for both postgraduate studies and entry into any job market that requires the use of statistical methods.

Suggested First & Second Year for BSc and BSc Honours in Statistics Majors

In order to plan third and fourth year classes, see our Course Offerings by semester.

For further program inquiries, please contact the Academic Program Coordinator.