Course details

Summary

We are increasingly becoming a data-driven society with advances in technology and the accumulation of massive data in many fields. Statistics is the profession associated with making meaningful sense of data. Statistics is a rapidly advancing science with many avenues open for study and work. These range from statistical theory to its application in biology, medicine, the social sciences, engineering, physics and economics. In fact, there are few disciplines that do not use statistics in some form.

Modern mathematicians and statisticians are being asked to develop new tools and techniques to deal with problems in areas from business management to biology. New insights are also being developed in the more traditional areas of physical science and engineering. All this activity leads to new applications of mathematics and statistics, as well as new theoretical work on the structure of the mathematics and statistics involved.

Some projects involving statisticians include:

• measuring the rate that cystic fibrosis develops in lung tissue
• describing the spatial distribution of wood fiber lengths in trees
• monitoring endangered animals to detect critical rates of decline
• measuring the impact of government policy on education
• estimating the working life of mechanical equipment before it requires repair
• measuring the extent to which participation in group-therapy anger-management sessions reduces the chance of re-offending.

A large number of students benefit from taking an introductory course in Statistics because it is used in so many subjects, including Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, Biological Sciences, Psychology, Forestry, Geography, Communication Disorders and Management.

A Bachelor of Science (BSc) will extend your knowledge in multiple interest areas, satisfying many questions you may have about the world and encouraging you to investigate even further.

Qualification structure and duration

The Bachelor of Science requires a minimum total of 360 points:

• a minimum of 255 points of Science courses
• the remaining 105 points can be from either Science courses or courses from other degrees.
• At least 225 points must be from courses above 100-level, with at least 90 points at 300-level.

Further study

Higher level study is available in Arts or Science from honours to doctoral level. Study can be in Mathematics, Statistics, mathematics and statistics, computational and applied mathematical sciences, economics and mathematics, finance and mathematics, finance and statistics, mathematics and philosophy, and mathematical physics.

Career opportunities

Statistics is an integral part of many industries, management and scientific research programmes. Statistics demands the ability to use analytical techniques, statistical methods and information technology for the manipulation and interpretation of information. Many of our graduates are employed by Statistics New Zealand as statisticians and in other organisations as research officers, analysts and statistical programmers. The Crown Research Institutes also employ a large number of statisticians, particularly biometricians. Other graduates are employed in the financial sector and by insurance companies, and industrial and commercial companies. Many large companies employ statisticians to deal with the increasing demand for the collection and interpretation of data.

Many other jobs, while not requiring people with a degree in Statistics, need employees with a working knowledge of statistics, in particular competence in using statistical software packages.

Entry criteria

Admission to UC with University Entrance, or equivalent, is required to enrol for a Bachelor's degree. Applicants must have completed New Zealand University Entrance through NCEA; or Cambridge International Examinations (CIE); or International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) or any other equivalent overseas qualification.

Other English language requirements: TOEFL PBT with a minimum score of 550 and TWE with a minimum score of 4.5; CCEL EAP Level 2 with a minimum C+ grade; CAE or CPE minimum score of 169 with at least 162 in reading, writing, listening and speaking; Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE with an overall score of 57 and no PTE communicative skills score below 50.