Statistics, Minor

Statistics is the science of the collection, organization, and interpretation of data. Statistics is essential for the proper running of government, central to decision making in industry, and a core component of modern educational curricula at all levels. Statistical ideas and methods are useful in many ways, such as the use of a Gallup Poll to learn about the opinions of the American public about a particular issue, and the use of a designed experiment to link smoking with cancer. The use of numerical data and the analysis through statistical means are common in the areas of psychology, sociology, and economics; in fact, much of public policy is directed by statistical inferences. This major provides a core curriculum in mathematics, an overview of the basic concepts of probability and statistical inference, and the introduction to the application of statistical methods to business and industry.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the baccalaureate degree, students in statistics are expected to:

• Understand what mathematics and statistics are, how they are done, and how they relate to other disciplines;
• Use the language of mathematics and statistics to communicate basic ideas, techniques, and results;
• Objectively and critically evaluate information and assess performance using mathematical ideas;
• Demonstrate appreciation for the beauty, utility, and impact of mathematics and statistics;
• Apply mathematical problem-solving techniques in novel situations;
• Use appropriate technology to attack a wide variety of mathematical tasks successfully.