Thesis Requirements for the Masters Degree in Statistics at American Universities

Abstract

Now that more than 50 American universities have graduate programs in statistics, it seems appropriate that information be made available regarding thesis, nonthesis and thesis optional requirements for the masters degree in this relatively new discipline. A thesis is universally required for the Ph.D. degree in statistics at American universities; however, it was felt that information was also needed as to whether the institutions offering the masters degree program also offered a Ph.D. program in statistics. A second and more specific objective of this study was to determine whether any of those universities reporting a masters degree program in statistics requiring a thesis were considering offering a professional degree at the masters level, say, a Master of Statistics degree in addition to the Master of Science degree. In this connection, it was felt that a non-thesis or thesis optional Master of Science degree program could be used to accommodate a professional masters degree program as well as other types of programs, such as the initial one and one-half to two years of a Ph.D. program. There exists a great demand for statisticians with knowledge of both methods and theory, obtainable through the one and one-half to two years of study required for the professional, non-thesis, or thesis optional masters programs in statistics. Such programs could also be adapted to provide training for those interested in a computer science-oriented career in applied statistics. An exceptionally great number of positions are available in industry, government, and private research institutes for those with training represented by completion of a professional or non-thesis masters degree in statistics. A non-thesis masters degree program could also be used to provide suitable training for junior college and high school teachers of probability and statistics. Professional fields such as engineering, forestry, etc., with extensive and long-standing demands for specialists, have had their educational needs met by university professional masters degrree programs for many years. It would now seem desirable that such professional training programs be given serious consideration by at least the larger departments of statistics and the statistical societies. Many junior colleges and at least the larger high schools currently offer courses in probability and statistics. It is likely that this trend will continue, thereby increasing the demand in the future for junior college and high school teachers with backgrounds represented by at least a non-thesis masters degree in statistics. University departments of statistics should attempt to meet this demand. In order to provide masters degree training programs for both the needed professional statisticians and junior college and high school teachers of statistics, university departments of statistics would appear to have two choices. A university department of statistics could: (i) establish a separate professional Master of Statistics degree program in addition to a non-thesis or thesis optional Master of Science/Master of Arts degree program, or (ii) establish a thesis optional Master of Science/Master of Arts program designed to accommodate both training needs of the professional statistician, and the junior college and high school teacher of statistics. The thesis optional program should, in either case, make possible a proper non-thesis or thesis masters degree program especially for those continuing towards the Ph.D. in statistics. To avoid proliferation of degree designations, and assuming that high standards can be maintained in all these masters programs, one might expect a preference among many universities for the thesis optional Master of Science/Master of Arts program in statistics.