Unusual flexibility exists within this program, in that only one of the areas need be chosen within the Department. A student may choose both concentrations from the above areas. A student preparing for an academic career in a department of mathematics may wish to combine study in probability and stochastic processes with functional analysis in the Department of Mathematics. A student interested in applying statistics to environmental problems might combine study in applied statistics with ecological studies in the Department of Biological Science. Many such combinations are possible and have been completed by graduates of our program.
Students are responsible for the material normally covered in the core course work of that program.
Formal requirements for course work for the Ph.D. degree are kept to a minimum to allow for maximum flexibility in developing programs of study. Students are strongly encouraged to register for STA 6468r, Advanced Topics in Probability and Statistics, whenever topics to be covered are related to the student's areas of concentration. Course programs and exact degree requirements are determined individually for students through consultation with their supervisory committee. There is no formal language requirement, although a student's advisory committee may suggest reading knowledge of a foreign language if that is relevant to the research work being planned or the student's career plans. This program is consistent with the Department's emphasis on interdisciplinary research.