Version 7 - 9/26/00

Proposal to Establish a Graduate Certificate Program in Statistics

ASU Committee on Statistics

Executive Summary

The proposed certificate seeks to provide statistical training for graduate students at ASU and professionals in the metro-Phoenix area. The certificate requires 15 hours of coursework selected from approved courses presently offered in graduate programs at ASU. It will be administered by the Committee on Statistics (COS), which presently administers the MS in Statistics degree through the Graduate College.

A.  Need for the Program

Statistical analysis is one of the primary tools of modern scientific reasoning. Since the need to draw correct and defensible conclusions from data arises so widely, statistical techniques are useful in almost all disciplines. There is a consequent demand for professionals who are well educated in statistics, and the demand is growing. The proposed certificate seeks to address this need. In particular, the goal is to provide an opportunity for students to enhance their ability to apply statistics in their chosen field of expertise. Potential customers include students in other graduate programs at ASU as well as professionals in the metro-Phoenix area. This program provides the university an opportunity to better serve customers who want to improve quantitative skills.

B.  Faculty

The primary participating faculty is the set of core members of the COS. These faculty and their affiliated departments are as follows: Daniel G. Brooks (Department of Supply Chain Management), Richard K. Burdick (Department of Economics), Steven S. Carroll (Department of Biology), Michael F. Driscoll (Department of Mathematics), Norma F. Hubele (Department of Industrial Engineering), J. Bert Keats (Department of Industrial Engineering), Sharon L. Lohr (Department of Mathematics), Lawrence S. Mayer (Department of Economics), Douglas C. Montgomery (Department of Industrial Engineering), Kathryn A. Prewitt (Department of Mathematics), Mark R. Reiser (Department of Economics), George Runger (Department of Industrial Engineering), Robert D. St. Louis (School of Accountancy and Information Management), Jeffrey R. Wilson (Department of Economics), Dennis L. Young (Department of Mathematics), Yijun Zuo (Department of Mathematics).

All members of this faculty have primary research and teaching interests in statistics, and have directed graduate research.

C. Qualifications for Admission

To enroll in the certificate program, the applicant must have a bachelor's degree, an introductory applied statistics course, and one semester of calculus. The applicant is also required to have some computer literacy with knowledge of either a programming language, a spreadsheet program, or a statistical software program.

D. Certificate Requirements and Model Programs of Study

The certificate program requires a minimum of 15 hours of coursework. To qualify for the certificate, a student must complete courses in both regression analysis and analysis of variance/experimental design. The remaining nine credits are taken from the following set of approved courses. (The COS can approve changes to this list). The certificate program requires no applied project. A maximum of 9 hours from the approved list of certificate courses can be transferred to the MS in Statistics degree.

Approved Courses

The following courses are approved for the certificate program. A maximum 9 hours of statistics courses offered by departments not on this list can be applied to the 15-hour certificate requirement with approval of the COS. (Note: Some courses listed below require higher prerequisites than the minimum required for admission to the program.)

Regression analysis (one of the following is required)

·  IEE 578 - Regression Analysis

·  QBA 525 - Applied Regression Models

·  STP 530 - Applied Regression Analysis

Analysis of variance/experimental design (one of the following is required)

·  IEE 572 - Design of Engineering Experiments

·  QBA 530 - Experimental Design

·  STP 531 - Applied Analysis of Variance

Approved electives (three required)

·  ECN 580 - Econometrics I

·  ECN 581 - Econometrics II

·  ECN 582 - Econometrics III

·  IEE 475 - Introduction to Simulation

·  IEE 570 - Advanced Quality Control

·  IEE 571 - Quality Management

·  IEE 569 - Advanced Statistical Methods

·  IEE 575 - Applied Stochastic Operations Research Methods

·  IEE 579 - Times Series Analysis and Forecasting

·  IEE 582 - Response Surfaces and Process Optimization

·  IEE 672 - Advanced Topics in Experimental Design

·  IEE 677 - Regression and Linear Models

·  IEE 679 - Time Series Analysis and Control

·  IEE 681 - Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability

·  QBA 421 - Applied Quality Analysis II

·  QBA 527 - Categorical Data Analysis

·  QBA 535 - Multivariate Methods

·  QBA 540 - Forecasting

·  STP 421 - Probability

·  STP 425 - Stochastic Processes

·  STP 427 - Mathematical Statistics

·  STP 525 - Advanced Probability

·  STP 526 - Theory of Statistical Linear Models

·  STP 532 - Applied Nonparametric Statistics

·  STP 533 - Applied Multivariate Analysis

·  STP 534 - Applied Discrete Data Analysis

·  STP 535 - Applied Sampling Methodology

Course offerings under IEE 591, QBA 591, STP 591, IEE 598, QBA 598, or STP 598 can be used toward certificate requirements with approval of the COS.

Model Programs of Study

Below are four model programs of study with indicated areas of emphasis.

Emphasis in Business Statistics

·  QBA 525 - Applied Regression Models

·  QBA 530 - Experimental Design

·  QBA 527 - Categorical Data Analysis

·  QBA 535 - Multivariate Methods

·  QBA 540 - Forecasting

Emphasis in Data Analysis

·  STP 530 - Applied Regression Analysis

·  STP 531 - Applied Analysis of Variance

·  STP 532 - Applied Nonparametric Statistics

·  STP 533 - Applied Multivariate Analysis

·  STP 535 - Applied Sampling Methodology

Emphasis in Industrial Statistics

·  IEE 578 - Regression Analysis

·  IEE 572 - Design of Engineering Experiments

·  IEE 570 - Advanced Quality Control

·  IEE 579 - Times Series Analysis and Forecasting

·  IEE 582 - Response Surfaces and Process Optimization

Emphasis in Economic Analysis

·  QBA 525 - Applied Regression Models

·  QBA 530 - Experimental Design

·  ECN 580 - Econometrics I

·  ECN 581 - Econometrics II

·  ECN 582 - Econometrics III

E. Advising Procedures

The COS Student Progress Committee and the Director of the COS will approve programs of study. The Director of the COS, or his/her designee, will be responsible for student advising. A student who has completed a program of study will apply to the Director of the COS for award of the certificate. The Director will verify that the program of study has been successfully completed, and that all grade requirements specified in the Graduate Catalog have been satisfied. (These grade requirements are specified on pages 96-97 of the 2000-2001 Graduate Catalog). Notification will then be sent to the Graduation Office to post the certificate on the student's transcript. The Director will issue a certificate to the student to indicate completion of the program.

F. Administration/Budgetary Implications

The program will be housed in the Graduate College, which will also award the certificate. Applicants will be required to submit transcripts of all post-secondary course work, and two letters of academic reference. The COS Admissions Committee will review applications for admission and make recommendations to the Director of the COS who will make the final admission decision.

The number of anticipated students in the program is 15-20 a year. This demand can be satisfied with the course schedule that is presently in place. There are no new classes, library resources, equipment, or personnel required for the program. Improvements in the admission process for the MS in Statistics program allows staff resources to be reallocated to the certificate program.

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11/16/00