General Statistics vs Applied Statistics

College Majors
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<p>Hello, I am currently debating between a General Statistics Major and an Applied Statistics Major.</p>

<p>I'm not too familiar with job opportunities as a statistics/applied statistics major and am having hard time figuring out whether I should major in general statistics or applied statistics. I would also appreciate some feedback on whether the idea of minoring in CS would be useful and whether it would be better to minor in CS with a general stats degree or an applied stats degree.</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

2

<p>Currently there are lots of job opportunities in statistics, especially as computer-collected data proliferates on the Internet through social media and search functions. See [url=&lt;a href=“http://ns.msu.edu/index.php/students/career/career-exploration/careers-for-mathematics-and-statistics-majors/]here[/url”&gt;http://ns.msu.edu/index.php/students/career/career-exploration/careers-for-mathematics-and-statistics-majors/]here[/url</a>] and [url=&lt;a href=“http://www.amstat.org/careers/]here[/url”&gt;http://www.amstat.org/careers/]here[/url</a>]. A minor in CS (regardless of whether you choose applied or general) is a very, very good idea. Many of the jobs in statistics in the next 5-10 years will be in Big Data/Data Science, a new-ish field that combines mathematical and statistical modeling with computer science/programming, database management, and software development. People with those two skill sets will be in heavy demand. Since a job as a statistician often involves writing code in a computer statistical program (like R or MATLAB), if you can write your own packages to modify these programs or your employer’s proprietary program, that’s great. Lots of statistician jobs also require someone who knows SQL and many want Python too.</p>

<p>As for applied or general - I don’t think it matters too much. Statistics majors in both will come out learning how to do statistical analyses for employers with computer applications. Without knowing what college you attend, I’m betting that the general statistics major emphasizes more theoretical explorations of statistical knowledge and may be targeted towards people who think they want to go to graduate school (particularly for a PhD), while the applied statistics major will emphasize computer applications and practical knowledge and be targeted towards people who think they want to work right after college as a professional statistician.</p>

<p>The main difference will probably be the version of classes you take. For example, when you take linear regression analysis there may be two versions offered - the “general” track might be more geared towards expression the regressions as equations, emphasizing the calculus base of the equations, and talk about regression from a theoretical perspective, although you’ll still learn how to run the regressions in R and interpret them. The applied class will emphasize using the computer to perform different kinds of regression analyses and interpret them, although you will also learn some of the theory behind them.</p>

<p>So really, it’s about what you think you want. Even if you want to go to graduate school, the applied statistics major will still probably be more than adequate (especially if you think you want an MA/MS in statistics so you can continue to work as a master’s level statistician). If you know that you really want a PhD in statistics one day, it might be worthwhile to do the general track.</p>

<p>What college do you attend?</p>

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<p>After a quick Google search I figured it must be UC-Davis, and another thread you posted in confirms that. Here’s what UC-Davis says about the majors:</p>

<p>The Applied Statistics option is very flexible, facilitating a double major or extensive elective course work in a field in which statistics is applied.
The general Statistics option emphasizes statistical theory and is especially recommended as preparation for graduate studies in statistics.
The Computational Statistics option emphasizes computing and it is designed for students particularly interested in the computational and data management aspects of statistical analysis.</p>

<p>Here are the major differences.</p>

<p>-Applied stats majors can choose which calculus sequence to take - it seems like there’s an easy one (Short Calculus), an intermediate one (Calculus for BioSci) and an honors/harder one (Calculus) one. General stats majors need to take the honors/difficult/top one. Personally, I recommend that regardless of which route you go - general or applied - that you take MAT 21ABC anyway.</p>

<p>-General statistics majors have to take 4 quarters of calculus and an advanced calculus class. Applied stats majors only need three quarters of calculus.</p>

<p>-General statistics majors are required to take the intro to probability and mathematical statistics sequences (STA 131ABC). I think it’s odd that applied stats majors don’t have to take that - in most colleges even the applied stats majors would have to take this. Probability isn’t absolutely essential, I suppose, but it’s important to understand.</p>

<p>-Gen stats majors have to take at least one semester of real analysis and then a semester of abstract math or a second semester of real analysis.</p>

<p>You’re not taking more classes per se; it’s just that the general statistics major classes are more rigid, whereas with applied stats you have more freedom to select the classes you really want to take. Remember, though, that as an applied stats major you could still take some or all of the classes that the gen stats students take - you just don’t have to. So for example, let’s say that you don’t want to take two more quarters of calculus but you do think it’s important to take intro to probability and mathematical statistics - then you could do that. And if you wanted to take one semester of real analysis (which can be important for economics and finance) but that’s it, you could do that, too. The applied stats major gives you more flexibility.</p>

<p>In your post on the math/CS majors forum someone recommended the computational option. I think if you are already contemplating a minor in CS, that you should take a serious look at the computational statistics option, as it emphasizes CS classes that will be most useful for a statistics major/statistician. But - again - you could always take those classes as an applied stats major if you wanted; you have more choice/flexibility.</p>

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<p>Thank you Juillet!!!</p>