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General Description
Only one doctoral degree is offered by the School of Statistics, the Ph.D. in Statistics. Individual
programs and theses may be oriented toward applied statistics, theoretical statistics, or
probability. All three areas are studied in the initial phase of the Ph.D. program, which is the same
for all students.
The Ph.D. degree requires a level of knowledge and of research ability evidenced by examination and by the preparation of a dissertation. The Graduate School, itself, has no explicit major course credit requirement, but expects a solid program of coursework as preparation for the preliminary examinations and dissertation. The Graduate School expects the equivalent of about 30 semester credits of graduate work in the major and requires at least 12 semester credits in a minor or "supporting program." Credits earned in a Master's program may be counted toward these requirements. In addition, a student must enroll for 24 semester doctoral thesis credits.
A proposed course of study must be filed as an official "Degree Program" with the Graduate School before the preliminary Ph.D. oral examination. Most students file their Degree Program during the second year of the program.
The Graduate School requires the completion of all Ph.D. requirements and conferral of the degree within five calendar years following the semester in which the student passes the preliminary oral examination. During this period the student is officially a "Ph.D. Candidate."
The Graduate School requires registration for at least three semesters in the University of Minnesota Graduate School. If work is transferred from other schools, either the first two years or the last year of the Ph.D. registration must be spent in residence at the University of Minnesota.
Other Graduate School requirements are included below as requirements
of the School of Statistics. For details of Graduate School requirements,
see the section concerning the Doctor's Degree in the Graduate
School Bulletin .
All programs are planned with the aid of an adviser and must be approved by the adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies.
A Ph.D. program in statistics shall include the following courses or equivalent material:
| Stat 8111-2 | Mathematical Statistics I, II (3-3 cr) |
| Stat 8311 | Linear Models (4 cr) |
| Stat 8701 | Computational Statistical Methods (3 cr) |
| Math 8651-2 | Theory of Probability Including Measure Theory (3-3 cr) |
| Stat 8801 | Statistical Consulting (2 cr) |
| Stat 8900 | Student Seminar (1 cr) |
In addition, a program must include a minimum of 18 credits in
the following advanced topics courses:
| Stat 8121 | Theory of Inference (3 cr) |
| Stat 8131 | Predictive Inference (3 cr) |
| Stat 8151 | Statistical Decision Theory (3 cr) |
| Stat 8171 | Sequential Analysis (3 cr) |
| Stat 8201 | Topics in Sampling (3 cr) |
| Stat 8312 | Linear and Nonlinear Regression (3 cr) |
| Stat 8313 | Topics in Experimental Design (3 cr) |
| Stat 8321 | Regression Graphics (3 cr) |
| Stat 8401 | Topics in Multivariate Methods (3 cr) |
| Stat 8411 | Multivariate Analysis (3 cr) |
| Stat 8421 | Theory of Categorical Data Analysis (3 cr) |
| Stat 8501 | Introduction to Stochastic Processes with Applications (3 cr) |
| Stat 8511 | Time Series Analysis (3 cr) |
| Stat 8711 | Statistical Computing (3 cr) |
| Stat 8721 | Programming Paradigms and Dynamic Graphics (3 cr) |
| Stat 8931-2 | Advanced Topics in Statistics (3-3 cr) |
| Math 8659 | Stochastic Processes (3 cr) |
| Math 8660 | Topics in Probability (3 cr) |
Other advanced courses may be substituted with the approval of
the Graduate Faculty.
A minor or supporting program consists of a minimum of 12 credits. If all 12 credits are taken in one field, the program may be designated a "minor." If the work is split between two or more areas it is called a "supporting program." A minor field program must be approved by the student's adviser and the Directors of Graduate Studies for both Statistics and the minor area. A supporting program need only be approved by the student's adviser and the Director of Graduate Studies in Statistics. Math 8651-2 may be used as part of a minor or supporting program along with Math 5615-6.
Ph.D. graduate students are expected to maintain a GPA of 3.00 or better in courses included in their Degree Program.
There is no foreign language requirement.
The preliminary written examination for the Ph.D. degree is based
primarily on the material covered in Stat 8111-2, Stat 8311,
Stat 8701, and Math 8651-2. Knowledge of applied statistics
at the master's level is required, such as covered in Stat 8061-2.
The exam is normally given at the beginning of the fall Semester.
Students in the Ph.D. program should take the exam as soon as
possible after taking the necessary courses. The exam is given
in three sessions, of which one is of the "take home"
type. A student who fails this examination will normally be allowed
to retake it only once.
This exam covers both major and minor fields and is given by a committee that includes at least three members from the major field and at least one member from the minor or supporting program field. The exam must be taken at least one full semester before the degree is conferred. There are two possible forms the exam may take. Students, in consultation with their advisor, may select the form they prefer.
In the first form, the exam is taken as soon as possible after the student completes coursework and passes the written preliminary examination and before the thesis work has really begun. The student is examined over his course work.
The second is delayed until the student has composed his thesis proposal. The student, proposing an area of research, prepares this written document. The proposal should describe the student's research area, discuss critically the relevant literature, explain the student's research objectives, and describe initial approaches to the research objectives. The proposal is prepared in consultation with the advisor and other committee members. The proposal need not contain research results and does not limit the student's Ph.D. topic (the dissertation is expected to contain materials not in the proposal, and some aspects of the proposal may be dropped from the dissertation). The proposal need only to show that the student has a novel and substantial problem, has an approach that may succeed, and has surveyed the relevant literature.
The presentation is a formal oral presentation of the proposal. The presentation is in seminar form, lasting approximately 30-45 minutes, and all students and faculty in the School of Statistics are invited. The presentation serves several purposes: it builds the student's oral skills, it communicates the student's research plans to the members of the School, and it helps committee members assess the student's facility with the research area.
The examination is a closed oral examination conducted by the student's committee; in most circumstances the examination will immediately follow the oral presentation. The examination evaluates the student's readiness for research, as evidenced by the proposal, presentation, and oral responses to questions. Criteria for evaluation include the clarity of the proposed problem, the student's knowledge of relevant literature, the feasibility and scientific merit of the proposed problem, and the quality of the written proposal, oral presentation, and responses to questions.
The culmination of the Ph.D. program of study is a doctoral thesis, prepared with the guidance of a thesis adviser. The thesis must demonstrate originality and ability for independent investigation, and the results of the research must constitute a noteworthy contribution to knowledge in the field. The thesis must exhibit mastery of the literature on the subject and familiarity with the sources, and must be well written.
A Ph.D. candidate files a thesis proposal form with the Graduate School shortly after passing the preliminary oral examination.
The Ph.D. thesis is read by three members of the final oral examination
committee, including the student's thesis adviser, one other member
of the Statistics Graduate Faculty, and one member from the field
of the minor or the supporting program. The Graduate School has
specific requirements for the format of the submitted copy of
the thesis and the candidate should be sure to obtain the latest
information from the Graduate School.
When the thesis readers unanimously agree that the thesis is ready
for defense, a final oral examination is held. The oral examination
includes a public seminar followed immediately by a closed meeting
of the candidate with the examining committee. The examination
covers the thesis subject and related areas. The examining committee
will consist, minimally, of three members from the School of Statistics
and one member from the field of the minor or supporting program.