Student Handbook for MS Candidates

These rules apply to the standard MS program of the Statistics Department. Special arrangements apply to the joint BS-MS program, to MS degrees that are offered to current PhD students in this or other departments, and to part-time programs. Students are in the standard program unless otherwise stated in the letter of admission.

1. General Requirements:

  1. Course Requirements—At Least Nine Courses in Total (with satisfactory letter grades):
    • The theoretical statistics sequence (STAT30030-30040-32950)
    • The applied statistics sequence (STAT34300-34700-34800)
    • NOTE: Students are required to take only one of the last courses in one of the sequences (either STAT32950 or STAT34800). The other course can be taken and used as one of the regular elective courses.
    • Four regular elective courses (see 2d below)
    • Students are allowed to take up to nine other elective courses (see 2d-2e below)
  2. A master's thesis with a half-hour oral presentation.
  3. Optional participation in the departmental Consulting Program.

2. Course Regulations:

  1. The required sequence STAT30030-30040-[32950 OR 34800] must be taken in the first year.
  2. The required sequence STAT34300-34700-[32950 OR 34800] may be taken in the first or second year depending on each student's background. Well-prepared students are strongly recommended to take this sequence in the first year. The Departmental Master's Advisor (DMA) must approve the decision of whether to take the sequence in the first or second year, or any hybrid solution.
  3. With permission from the DMA, the Ph.D. level theoretical statistics sequence (STAT30400-30100-(302X0)) may be substituted for 300X0 part of the theoretical sequence.
  4. Elective courses fall into the following categories:
    1. Regular elective courses. Ordinary courses, level 300 or above, which may not be seminars, reading courses, etc. These courses must be in the Statistics Department or on the DMA's current list of regular graduate electives in other departments. These courses count towards the minimum of four elective courses required by the degree. (Past courses that have been accepted as electives.)
    2. Preparatory courses. If the DMA determines that the student is not ready for the required sequences or for regular electives, the DMA may permit the student to take more elementary ordinary courses. Such courses can only count among the "nine other elective courses" in Article 1 above.
    3. Special-permission elective courses. Courses that are desirable for in-depth study of an applied area may be approved by the DMA. Such courses can only count among the "nine other elective courses" in Article 1 above.
    4. Research training courses. Students may take up to two quarters of STAT 40100, or STAT 39900 or seminars. This must in each case be approved by the course instructor and the DMA. The two courses can only count among the "nine other elective courses" in Article 1 above.
  5. For the purposes of these regulations, a "standard course" is one that is either required, regular elective, or preparatory. In the first Autumn Quarter of the program, students must take standard courses only. The following Winter and Spring Quarters, students must take at least two standard courses. Students who stay for further quarters must take at least one standard course per quarter.
  6. If prior to admission to the MS program a student has already taken some of the required courses under a different University of Chicago program (as an undergraduate, as a graduate student in another department, or as a graduate student at large), and if these courses cannot be counted towards the master's degree, other courses may be substituted in order to fulfill the nine-course minimum requirement. The choice of such courses must be approved by the DMA. The same rule applies to regular elective courses. For example, suppose a student has taken 30030-30040 and one regular elective course before entering the program. The student will then normally need to take the STAT34300-34700-[32950 OR 34800] sequence and two regular elective courses. To get up to nine courses, the student may then take any three standard elective courses (see 2e), subject to the rules in 2d-e, and with the approval of the DMA. 
  7. All course programs must obtain the approval of the student's faculty advisor and the DMA.

3. Grade Requirements:

  1. All courses, except research training courses, must be taken for a letter grade. If a student takes at least 12 courses outside of research training courses (2d4), one course may be taken for Pass/Fail.
  2. All Ph.D. level courses, as specified in section (d) below, must have received a grade in the C range or above in order to be counted towards the degree.
  3. All other courses counted towards the degree must have received a grade in the B range or above.
  4. For the purpose of counting grades, a course is considered a Ph.D. level course if it satisfies one of the following:
    • 300 level or above in Statistics, Mathematics, or Computer Science;
    • 400 level or above in Graduate School of Business if approved by the DMA as a Ph.D. level course;
    • 300 level or above in any department or school approved by the DMA as a Ph.D. level course.

4. Master's Thesis Regulations:

  1. The Master's Thesis must be completed, at the latest, by the end of Summer Quarter of the second year.
  2. Students may ask any faculty member of the Department of Statistics to be their master's thesis advisor. Advising is by mutual agreement between student and faculty member. This faculty member then supervises and approves the candidate's master's thesis. Students may conduct research work under the supervision of other faculty members in the University of Chicago. By mutual agreement with the researcher and the in-department thesis advisor, part of the work may be used as the main part of the student’s MS thesis. Hence a University of Chicago faculty member from another department may serve as a de facto (not obligated) coadvisor of the MS thesis, but then the in-department faculty coadvisor is needed to sign off on the final thesis. The choice of non DOS faculty as advisors needs the approval of the DMA. The DMA may approve or sign theses on instructions of the advisor if the latter is not available in person. 
    After the thesis advisor has been selected based on mutual agreement, the occasional case of needing to change advisors should be discussed with and obtain the approval of the DMA. 
  3. Every student must have a master's thesis advisor by the end of the Autumn term of the second year. Once an advisor has been found, the student must immediately inform the DMA and the Student Affairs Administrator of the choice. The advisor then also takes over the course advising role previously performed by the departmentally assigned initial advisor. In the case of co-advisors outside the department, this role falls to the departmental co-advisor.
  4. It is highly recommended that each student speak to potential faculty advisors as early as possible. An advisor may require you to have taken certain courses or read certain material before starting research. For example, you do not want to find yourself asking someone to be your advisor in Autumn of your second year, only to find that s/he requires advisees to have taken a certain course in Spring. Students usually work on the thesis for two quarters.
  5. Approval of the master's thesis is deemed to have taken place when a final copy of the thesis, signed by the advisor (or the DMA), is filed by a faculty member with the Student Affairs Administrator.
  6. In any quarter, there will be a deadline by which the thesis must be approved if the student wishes to graduate in that quarter. The deadline varies from quarter to quarter, and it is the student's responsibility to keep informed of the date. The Student Affairs Administrator will provide this information.
  7. The thesis must be presented in a 1/2 hour master's seminar before the deadline of the quarter (usually in the 7th week) in which the student graduates. A student who wishes to present in a particular week must inform and get the consent of his/her advisor and the DMA two weeks in advance of the presentation. Upon the approvals, the seminar will be scheduled by the student with the department office to reserve a room. The seminar is open to all.

5. Consulting Program:

Participation in the consulting program is optional for MS student in the standard program.

6. Length of the Program:

The Statistics Master's Program is an in-person program.  All statistics MS students should follow the PSD's residency policy for graduate students. 

We estimate that the program takes between three and six quarters to complete, plus up to two summer quarters. The length of the program depends on which year the student takes the required sequence STAT34300-34700-[32950 OR 34800], but also on other factors. Depending on background and maturity, students are recommended to stay for at least part of a second year, so as to gain as much proficiency in statistics as possible. For example, more sophistication is usually required in core computational theory and skills, as taught in STAT 30900-31xxx. Also, statistics as a field is becoming more diverse, with ever new applications ranging among medicine via biology, engineering, image- and voice-recognition, machine learning and AI, environmental science, social sciences and finance. Many of the applications require more in-depth study, in the form of applied courses, often in other departments. The overall effect of these factors is that incoming students often need to take more courses to firm up their degree. Other activities that may take time and maturation are the consulting program of the department and developing the research skills needed to write the master's thesis.

In principle, the program can be completed in three quarters, though most students stay for at least four quarters. It will not be possible to extend the program beyond 24 months (six quarters and the two summers after each academic year).

Policy on Length of Study:

  1. Full-time students pursuing a Master's Degree in Statistics are expected to meet all requirements and complete the entire program of study in no more than two years.
  2. If a student expects to be absent from the Master's program for one or more academic quarters, the student must either withdraw from the program or apply for a leave of absence.
  3. A student applying for a leave of absence for an academic quarter should submit an application and a written plan in the preceding academic quarter. The plan should state when and how the program of study will be continued and completed.
  4. The application and the plan for continuing study must be approved by the student's advisor, the Department and the PSD. 
  5. The above written plan will be kept in the student's record. The student should follow the plan to resume and complete the program.
  6. For part-time students, a "year" is considered to be any sequence of quarters during which the student registers for a total of nine courses.

Failure to meet the above terms will result in dismissal from the program unless a waiver is granted by the department.

Graduation: Statistics MS students should follow the graduation processes of the Physical Sciences Division.

7. Exceptions, Amendments, and Transition Rules:

  1. All the rules listed above will be strictly enforced and no individual faculty member can grant any waiver or exemption to any candidate. A waiver requires a simple majority approval of the entire voting faculty body. However, the faculty may, at its discretion, delegate to the DMA the power to grant or deny waivers in cases for which a precedent has been established, or in other clearly pre-specified circumstances.
  2. To petition for a waiver, a candidate must submit a written request with clearly documented supporting material to the DMA. The DMA may deny the petition if the DMA finds that there are not enough grounds to submit it to the voting faculty. In such cases, a candidate can appeal the DMA's decision to the DGA (Departmental Graduate Advisor), whose decision on whether to allow the petition to be submitted is final.
  3. The whole voting faculty body has the right to amend any of the rules by a simple majority vote.
  4. Any new rule goes into effect immediately once it is approved by the voting faculty. A candidate who is enrolled in the master's program prior to the establishment of that rule may, unless otherwise specified, choose to follow the new rule or the old rule, if it existed, as long as he/she will graduate by the end of the next academic year (not counting the year in which the new rule is approved). After that, the new rule is in effect.
  5. Students are expected to maintain good academic standing throughout their graduate career. The department may impose restrictions or take other actions (including placing a student on Academic Probation) if a student fails to remain in good standing.

8. Contact Information:

Students with questions may contact Matthew Stephens (Department Chair), Keisha Prowoznik (Student Affairs Administrator), Mary Sara McPeek (Department Graduate Advisor), Mei Wang (Department Master’s Advisor); Bahareh Lampert (Dean of Students in the Physical Sciences Division), or Amanda Young (Director, Graduate Student Affairs) in UChicagoGRAD.

9. University student manual, student union, and divisional policies:

Student Manual
The Student Manual is the official statement of University policies, regulations, and expected standards of student conduct that are applicable to all students. While students should be familiar with the manual as a whole, the following are commonly referenced by graduate students: Student Life & Conduct, Leaves of Absence, University Grievance Policy for Graduate Students, Policy on Harassment, Discrimination, and Sexual Misconduct, Policy on Title IX Sexual Harassment, Policy on Religious Accommodation for Missed Classes, Assignments, and Exams, Academic Honesty & Plagiarism, Graduate Student Parent Policy.

Graduate Student Union
The terms and conditions of employment for certain graduate students at the University of Chicago who are employed to perform instructional or research services will be determined by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the University and Graduate Students United (“GSU-UE”) for the duration of the assignment to perform such services. Students can access the CBA and review frequently asked questions about graduate student unionization on the Provost’s Office website.

Divisional Policies
The Physical Sciences Division’s student policies are applicable to all students in the Statistis MS program. Students with questions about PSD policies can reach out to their Student Affairs Administrator or the Dean of Students Office.