The field of statistics is concerned with ways of understanding variability in measurements. It is the science and art of making informed decisions in the face of uncertainty. Statistical reasoning and methods are fundamental to research in many scientific fields. For example, probabilistic models of learning are used in education and psychology, and time series and regression models guide research in engineering, chemistry, economics, biology, and medicine. The statistics minor serves these students or professionals with interests in experimental design, data analysis, or statistical modeling. Having a strong background in statistics is particularly relevant for students seeking employment in scientific fields and for students planning to pursue a teaching credential or a graduate degree.

Required Courses

Students must complete one of the following courses as a pre-requisite to the Statistics Minor:

Complete one of the following courses:

  • STAT 320: Nonparametric Statistics (4 units)
  • STAT 325: Experimental Design and Analysis (4 units)
  • STAT 330: Sampling Design and Analysis (4 units)
  • STAT 420: Statistical Theory I (4 units)
  • STAT 421: Statistical Theory II (4 units)
  • STAT 440: Bayesian Inference (4 units)

Complete one of the following courses:

Complete one of the following courses that have not already been taken*:

  • SBS 366/L: Research Methods for SBS: Quantitative Emphasis (4 units)
  • ENVS 350: Quantitative Field Methods (4 units)
  • ENVS 355: Environmental Monitoring (4 units)
  • MSCI 350: Quantitative Marine Science (4 units)
  • CHHS 385: Applied Statistics/Research Methods (4 units)
  • PSY 301/L: Advanced Psychological Statistics (4 units)
  • BUS 301
  • BUS 468: Business Analytics (4 units)
  • CST 463: Advanced Machine Learning (4 units)
  • BIO 410: Bioinformatics (4 units)
  • STAT 320: Nonparametric Statistics (4 units)
  • STAT 325: Experimental Design and Analysis (4 units)
  • STAT 330: Sampling Design and Analysis (4 units)
  • STAT 420: Statistical Theory I (4 units)
  • STAT 421: Statistical Theory II (4 units)
  • STAT 440: Bayesian Inference (4 units)

Please Note: Some of the listed electives have pre-requisites outside of the minor requirement. If the proper pre-requisites have not been completed within the student's major program, the student should consider one of the STAT electives that only require one of the minor pre-requisites.

Also note that a student must complete 12 unique units of coursework for the minor and therefore cannot double count a course for the minor and the major both.

Learning Outcomes

Statistics Foundations

Students must demonstrate a depth of statistical knowledge and apply their statistical knowledge to both theoretical and applied problems.

Advanced Statistics Applications

Students must demonstrate the ability to apply advanced statistics principles and methods to solve problems from their field of study.

Technology & Statistical Software

Students must demonstrate the ability to analyze, compare and evaluate the appropriateness of technological tools and their uses in Statistics, and use statistical software to conduct investigations, make conjectures, and solve problems.