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Department of Statistics

Graduate Certificate in Applied Statistics

Graduate students in a variety of subject matter disciplines conduct research that requires knowledge in applied statistics. Such students may wish to demonstrate proficiency in applied statistics as it may be useful when looking for meaningful employment opportunities, in addition to helping them become better researchers in their chosen fields. In order to strengthen their educational programs and the quality of graduate education, a Graduate Certificate in Applied Statistics has been developed.

Educational Objectives

The educational objectives of the Graduate Certificate in Applied Statistics are:

  1. To help prepare graduates for research careers in their chosen fields.
  2. To enhance the educational experiences of K-State graduate students.
  3. To recognize the statistical expertise that many graduate students achieve.
  4. To provide training in statistics focused on developing data analysis skills and an ability to explore the field of applied statistics.
  5. To provide graduate students with broad knowledge in a wide range of statistical application areas with employable, highly sought after skills in applied statistics demanded by government agencies, universities, consulting firms and research industries in today’s competitive world.

Certification Requirements

The course requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Applied Statistics are:

A minimum of 15 credit hours with at least a 3.0 GPA in applied statistics courses at the 700 level and above. These courses may also be used for a student’s Program of Study in his/her chosen field if approved by the student’s Graduate Committee.

Coursework selected from the approved listing must be enrolled for graduate credit.

Courses that can be used for the Graduate Certificate in Applied Statistics Program are:

  • STAT 701, 703, or 706 (3 hrs)
  • STAT 705 or STAT 713 (3 hrs)
  • STAT 710 (3 hrs)
  • STAT 716 (3 hrs)
  • STAT 717 (3 hrs)
  • STAT 720 (3 hrs)
  • STAT 722 (3 hrs)
  • STAT 725 (1 hr)
  • STAT 726 (1 hr)
  • STAT 730 (3 hrs)
  • STAT 736 (2 hrs)
  • STAT 745 (3 hrs)
  • STAT 870 (3 hrs)

A maximum of three credit hours can be earned from coursework taken outside the Department of Statistics, either in another department on campus, or at another university. Persons wishing to apply such credits will gain approval from the director of the certificate program. Courses so approved must meet the following criteria:

  • Clearly be of an applied statistics nature.
  • Be of a duration commensurate with the number of credit hours claimed on the certificate.
  • Must be enrolled in courses at a graduate level (under no circumstances will courses taken at an undergraduate level be considered).
  • For consideration of coursework taken outside the Department of Statistics to be included on the Graduate Certificate Completion form, a syllabus must be submitted, which indicates substantive content of applied statistics.

Admission to the Graduate Certificate Program

Degree seeking graduate students at K-State who would like to pursue the certificate should contact the department and make an appointment to fill out a plan for completing the certificate.

Students wishing to pursue a Graduate Certificate in Applied Statistics, who have not been admitted to the Kansas State University Graduate School can apply for admission to the Graduate School as a non-degree student through the Kansas State University Global Campus website 

The student must meet the entrance requirements for graduate study, including English language proficiency requirements, if required.

Please be prepared to upload the following information when completing the online application:

  • Provide transcripts for each college or university where you received your bachelor's degree or completed any advanced course work or degree.
    • Failure to list any colleges or universities from which you received a degree or enrolled in graduate course work may result in dismissal from the University. (Transcripts become part of your records at Kansas State University and cannot be returned.)
    • Students whose transcripts are not in English must furnish a translation by an appropriate authority.
  • Two (2) letters of reference 
  • Provide a statement of your academic objectives, giving specific reasons for the selection of your field of study, contemplated research areas, and professional plans. Most statements are three to four paragraphs in length. The objectives allow faculty to:
    • Determine that your expectations of the applied statistics certificate program are congruent with what the program provides;
    • Review a sample of your writing skills.

Administration of the Graduate Certificate in Applied Statistics Program

The Graduate Certificate Coordinator administers/coordinates the Graduate Certificate in Applied Statistics Program. Students who would like to pursue the certificate should contact the Graduate Certificate Coordinator and make an appointment to fill out a plan for completing the certificate.

After the successful completion of the student’s plan, the student submits the Graduate Certificate Completion Form to the Graduate Certificate Coordinator for review and signature. Once approved, the department forwards the Completion Form to the Graduate School. The Graduate School will print the certificate (the certificates are printed every several months) and return the certificate to the department for signature by the Graduate Certificate Coordinator. You will be notified once the certificate is ready to be picked up/mailed.