This background provides a strong preparation for future graduate study or employment. Statisticians work in commerce and industry, in government, and in universities and other research institutions. There are also some statisticians who maintain private consulting practices. Statistical training is seen as quite desirable in several professions where the primary activity is not statistics. Similarly, a background in statistics helps medical researchers to design their projects, to describe and analyze their data, and to draw conclusions based on these data.
Actuaries work in insurance companies and in other settings.
Statistics can also provide good preparation for someone who aspires to an MBA degree and who has a quantitative orientation or an interest in market research. An undergraduate statistics major requires prior training in calculus of several variables and in linear algebra. Students who expect to eventually obtain a PhD in statistics should take additional mathematics coursework. Since modern statistical work relies heavily on computers, students should also have some ability to use computers. Students majoring in statistics take a minimum of eight statistics courses offered by the Departments of Statistics, Mathematics, or Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences.