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2019-2020 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog

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Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Statistics

Requirements for a Major in Statistics (without actuarial sciences emphasis)

Students must complete the following requirements:

1. University Degree Requirements

As identified in the General Academic Regulations section of the Grand Valley State University Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog.

2. Statistics Requirements (Credits: 29)

a.) All majors must complete the following statistics core courses (Credits: 17)

b.) All majors must complete two of the following statistics core courses (Credits: 6)

c.) All majors must complete two of the following courses (Credits: 6)

The third course of STA 311, STA 315, and STA 321 that was not used to fulfill part (B) listed previously. Credits: 3

3. B.S. and B.A. Degree Requirements (Credits: 14)

Completion of MTH 201, MTH 202, MTH 204, and one of CIS 160, CIS 161, CIS 162 or CIS 261 satisfies the B.S. degree requirements for statistics majors. Completion of these courses plus the foreign language requirement for a B.A. satisfies the B.A. degree requirements for statistics majors. The following courses are required of all students majoring in statistics:

4. Application Cognates (minimum of 6 credits)

Each major in statistics must select an area of application consisting of at least six credits from a list of GVSU courses (called Application Cognate courses) that are accepted by the statistics department as applying statistical methodology. Statistics courses on this list will not be one of the required or elective statistics courses listed previously.
Students are strongly encouraged to meet with their advisor as soon as their major in statistics is declared, both to plan their course schedule over the rest of their time at GVSU and to develop specific plans for their application cognate courses.

Suggested Order of Coursework for a Major in Statistics (without actuarial sciences emphasis)

The following two sample statistics schedules assume the student is in contact with an advisor for the appropriate general education requirements and has a strong mathematical background. Students who do not begin their mathematical sequence with MTH 201 will need to make appropriate changes. Suggested order of coursework one assumes students take MTH 201 in the fall of their first year; suggested order of coursework two assumes students take MTH 201 in the fall of their second year.

Students majoring in statistics who plan to do graduate work are strongly encouraged to take MTH 203 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry III in the fall of their second year, and MTH 204 - Linear Algebra I in the winter of their second year.

Suggested Order of Coursework: One

First Year

Second Year

Third Year

Two of the following:

Fourth Year

Suggested Order of Coursework: Two

First Year

Second Year

Third Year

And two of the following:

Fourth Year

Requirements for a Major in Statistics with Actuarial Sciences Emphasis

Requirements for the major with the actuarial sciences emphasis are more specific than the major without the emphasis. Students must complete the following requirements:

1. University Degree Requirements

As identified in the General Academic Regulations section of the Grand Valley State University Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog.

2. Statistics Requirements (Credits: 29)

a.) All majors must complete the following statistics core courses (Credits: 17)

b.) All majors with actuarial sciences emphasis must complete the following courses (Credits: 6)

c.) All majors with actuarial sciences emphasis must complete the following courses (Credits: 6)

3. B.S. and B.A. Degree Requirements (Credits: 14)

Completion of MTH 201, MTH 202, MTH 204, and one of CIS 160, CIS 162 or CIS 261 satisfies the B.S. degree requirements for statistics majors. Completion of these courses plus the foreign language requirement for a B.A. satisfies the B.A. degree requirements for statistics majors. The following courses are required of all students majoring in statistics:

4. Application Cognates (Credits: 15 to 18)

Depending on whether a student takes the ECO 210 and ECO 211 sequence or ECO 200, fifteen to eighteen hours of cognate credits are required.

EITHER:

Suggested Order of Coursework for a Major in Statistics (with actuarial sciences emphasis)

The following two sample statistics schedules assume the student is in contact with an advisor for the appropriate general education requirements and has a strong mathematical background. Students who do not begin their mathematical sequence with MTH 201 will need to make appropriate changes. Suggested order of coursework one assumes students take MTH 201 in the fall of their first year; suggested order of coursework two assumes students take MTH 201 in the fall of their second year.

Students majoring in statistics who plan to do graduate work are strongly encouraged to complete the three-semester calculus sequence by taking MTH 203 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry III in the fall of their second year before taking MTH 204 - Linear Algebra I in the winter of their second year.

Business courses in the application cognates have prerequisites that mandate some sequence in completing the courses. ACC 212 is required for FIN 320 and FIN 320 is required for FIN 321. The ECO courses require MTH 110, MTH 121, or MTH 201.

Suggested Order of Coursework: One

First Year

Second Year

Third Year

Fourth Year

Suggested Order of Coursework: Two

First Year

EITHER:

Second Year

Third Year

Fourth Year

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