We would like to illustrate a few pathways through the major in statistics. These are examples, and your own path through the major should be constructed based on your background and placement, interests, and with the assistance of the statistics faculty. We strongly recommend that the mathematics core courses (MATH 111, MATH 121) and introductory and intermediate statistics courses (STAT 135/136 and STAT 230) be completed before the end of the sophomore year. Prospective statistics majors are expected to take STAT 230 before declaring their major. STAT 231, 360, and 370, must be taken by the end of the junior year, in order to register for the capstone course STAT 495 (only offered in Fall semesters).
Statistics majors must take 4 elective courses, usually in statistics and computer science, though students can ask for one suitable course in another department to count towards the major. The following pathways below generally use two electives from category A and two electives from category B as examples to satisfy the electives requirements. Other combinations are possible. See the major requirements page for details. Students interested in honors or graduate work in statistics have additional suggested coursework below.
| No prior mathematics or statistics preparation upon arrival at Amherst College | |
|---|---|
| Interested in a statistics major but have no prior mathematics or statistics preparation? No problem! This pathway starts with introductory courses in the first year, before building to advanced courses. You should take introductory statistics early and take at least one statistics course your second year to see if statistics is really for you. | |
| Year 1: | MATH111, MATH121, COSC111, STAT135 or STAT136 |
| Year 2: | STAT230, STAT231 or STAT elective, COSC 112 (or other STAT elective) |
| Year 3: | STAT360, STAT370, STAT231 or STAT elective |
| Year 4: | STAT495, STAT elective |
| Placement out of Introductory Statistics, STAT 111/135 | |
|---|---|
| If you have placed out of introductory statistics, then you have the option to start with statistics electives in your first year at Amherst. We still recommend completing the introductory mathematics and computer science courses early on during your time at Amherst. | |
| Year 1: | MATH111, MATH121, COSC111, STAT230 |
| Year 2: | STAT231, STAT elective, COSC112 (or other STAT elective) |
| Year 3: | STAT360, STAT370 |
| Year 4: | STAT495, STAT elective |
| Advanced Placement in Mathematics | |
|---|---|
| Some students enter with a mathematics placement in courses beyond Math 111. To demonstrate a pathway for these students, we consider a student who has an entering placement of Math 211. A possible pathway for such a student is: | |
| Year 1: | COSC111, STAT135 or STAT136 |
| Year 2: | STAT230, STAT231, STAT elective, COSC112 (or other STAT elective) |
| Year 3: | STAT360, STAT370 |
| Year 4: | STAT495, STAT elective |
| A Late Start to the Major (no prior preparation) | |
|---|---|
| If you arrive late at a statistics major, you should carefully plan your completion of the major, paying particular attention to the requirements for enrolling in the senior seminar capstone, Stat 495. We would like to demonstrate that it is possible to complete the major, even if you take a year off from statistics/mathematics. Thus we share this pathway, which imagines a year off as the first year. | |
| Year 1: | |
| Year 2: | STAT135 or STAT136, MATH111, MATH121, COSC111, STAT230 |
| Year 3: | STAT360, STAT370, STAT231, COSC112 (or other STAT elective) |
| Year 4: | STAT495, STAT elective, STAT elective |
| Study Away | |
|---|---|
| A similar pathway is possible for a student who wishes to study away and not take statistics courses away (though a number of institutions have a rich set of statistics offerings, see our Study Away page for more information). If you wish to take statistics courses away, please note that you will need to petition for your courses to count towards the major in advance of taking them. If you plan to study away, you should carefully plan your completion of the major, paying particular attention to the requirements for enrolling in the capstone seminar, STAT 495. This may mean completing STAT 360 and STAT 370 during your sophomore year. | |
| Year 1: | MATH111, MATH121, COSC111, STAT135 or STAT136 |
| Year 2: | STAT230, STAT360, STAT231, STAT370, COSC112 (or other STAT elective) |
| Year 3: | |
| Year 4: | STAT495, STAT elective, STAT elective |
| Transfer Students (some prior preparation) | |
|---|---|
| If you transfer to Amherst and plan to major in statistics, you should carefully plan your completion of the major, paying particular attention to the requirements for enrolling in the senior seminar capstone, STAT 495. This example pathway assumes that you are an incoming junior student who has already completed MATH 111, MATH 121, and introductory statistics. | |
| Year 3: | STAT230, STAT360, STAT370, COSC111, STAT231 |
| Year 4: | STAT495, STAT elective, STAT elective, COSC112 (or other STAT elective) |
| Students who wish to pursue a thesis in Statistics | |
|---|---|
| A thesis in statistics is available to students with a particular interest in the subject and who have qualified as outlined in Honors in Statistics. A possible pathway through the major for such a student with no prior preparation is: | |
| Year 1: | MATH111, MATH121, COSC111, STAT135 or STAT136 |
| Year 2: | STAT230, COSC112 (recommended), STAT231 or STAT elective |
| Year 3: | STAT360, STAT370, STAT231 or STAT elective, qualify for honors |
| Year 4: | STAT495, STAT elective, additional STAT elective, two thesis courses |
| Students who wish to pursue a doctoral degree in Statistics | |
|---|---|
| For students considering a doctoral degree in Statistics, a background in Linear Algebra and Real Analysis is recommended. We recommend two semesters of Analysis for such students. A possible pathway through the major that includes these two semesters of Analysis, Multivariable Calculus, and additional STAT electives (indicated with *) is: | |
| Year 1: | MATH111, MATH121, COSC111, STAT135 or STAT136 |
| Year 2: | MATH211, STAT230, MATH272, COSC112 (highly recommended), STAT elective |
| Year 3: | STAT360, STAT370, MATH355*, STAT231, STAT elective |
| Year 4: | STAT495, MATH450*, STAT elective* |
| Note that MATH450 is currently offered only every other year at Amherst. However, comparable courses may be found at UMass and elsewhere in the Valley. | |