MS in Statistics at Texas A&M (Online) or Cal State East Bay?

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I am pursuing a career in statistical programming/statistical consulting and am deciding between entering the MS Statistics program at Cal State East Bay in the SF Bay Area or a more recognized program (albeit Online) at Texas A&M University, College Station. The Online MS Statistics program at TAMU is taught using the same professors, tests, textbooks, assignments, etc. </p>

<p>I'm currently have zero professional experience applying mathematical or statistical techniques. I realize that such positions (e.g., SAS programmer, Data Analyst, Statistical Consultant) often require a BS/MS in Statistics. To pursue this career, I am entering a MS Statistics program this Fall at either CSUEB or TAMU.</p>

<p>I graduated from a top 20 undergrad and hope that it won't be <em>that</em> important for me to go to a more reputable Statistics program such as TAMU in order to become a statistical programmer/consultant. I hope this because I'm leaning more towards CSUEB which offers significantly lower costs (CSUEB = $10K vs. TAMU = $27K) and in-class instruction.</p>

<p>Any thoughts?</p>

<p>Cheers,</p>

<p>Thanks for your interest in California State University, East Bay (CSUEB). We offer a Master’s of Science in Statistics and a Master’s of Science in Biostatistics. Most students complete the MS program within two years. About 35 students graduate from our MS programs each year, and the programs are growing steadily. This makes the department one of the largest producers of MS-level professional statisticians in the US.</p>

<p>Our admission requirements are flexible enough to accommodate a wide range of backgrounds and interests. Successful graduates have come to the program with undergraduate majors in such fields as biology, business administration, political science, computer science, education, economics, and engineering — as well as mathematics and statistics. Also, it is not unusual for students with MS and doctoral degrees in fields other than statistics to enter the program.</p>

<p>The field of Statistics has become indispensable in the practice of almost every other scientific and social science area. Newly popular applications of Statistics include market research (Management), quality control (Engineering), financial management (Economics), government policy (Political Science), design of scientific experiments (Biology), and the analysis of sample data (Education and Psychology). Professionals in the administrative, social, biological, and physical sciences realize the importance of statistical techniques. It is hard to read the newspaper or watch or listen to the news without hearing some information that came from statistical practice.</p>

<p>Job prospects for our graduates are excellent. Our program is targeted towards the job market for MS-level statisticians in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Historically, most graduates seeking jobs have found them near their graduation date. But there are no guarantees. Your motivation, communication skills, flexibility as to location, selection of courses and Option, and quality of work in the program may all have a bearing on employability. We have a web site for students—with job postings provided by graduates and friends. A University office helps students develop resumes and interview skills.</p>

<p>Our programs are highly respected by employers in the Bay Area and beyond because they provide students with a mixture of practical applied and computational methods, and they also provide enough theoretical background so students can continue to learn new methods after leaving the University. The same contacts with alumni and local businesses that provide our students with employment opportunities also provide our faculty with an opportunity to cooperate with employers in keeping our programs up to date. Students are encouraged to participate in the Statistical Consulting Laboratory on consulting projects whenever appropriate. The goal of the lab is to develop the consulting skills of our graduate students through the practical application of statistics. Recently, the Department has participated in industry-sponsored programs that provide a variety of consulting opportunities for students who have an adequate background in applications.</p>

<p>A modern computer laboratory, equipped with a wide range of statistical software, is available for Statistics classes and for student use outside of class. Important statistical software is licensed for student use off campus. Class sizes are relatively small, usually averaging 30-40 for the beginning courses in the program and often smaller for advanced graduate-level courses. Personal contact with faculty members outside of class is encouraged. Several times a year current students, graduates of the program, and faculty get together for informal social events. Faculty makes every effort to help students devise programs that meet their individual needs. For example, individually designed programs of study have prepared about 10% to 15% of our MS graduates for PhD work in statistics at universities with international reputations.</p>

<p>The Hayward campus of Cal State East Bay is located in the rolling foothills on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay with magnificent views of the Bay Area. The Bay Area is a center of much cultural and statistical activity. Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley and UC San Francisco are all within 40 miles of campus. The San Francisco Chapter of the American Statistical Association has a regular calendar of events. Also, companies in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, computer, defense, and financial sectors participate in the statistical life of the Bay Area.</p>

<p>If you haven’t already, we encourage you to visit our campus – either in person or virtually.</p>

<p>Good luck!
Amanda Segura
Office of Admissions
California State University, East Bay</p>

<p>Hello,</p>

<p>Just saw your message from 2010, and I’m really curious to know which school you ended up deciding on - CSUEB or TAMU. I’m interested in how you arrived at your decision, and what your experience of your education has been like. I’m deciding between those two schools as well, and any advice/info you can provide would be extremely appreciated!</p>

<p>Thanks very much!</p>