Statistics Major

Students must also complete the Undergraduate Registration Requirement and the degree requirements of their home school.

NOTE: This Catalog describes Weinberg College BA requirements that pertain to students who matriculated at Northwestern after spring quarter 2023. Refer to the Archives if you are following BA requirements described in the 2018-2019 through 2022-2023 editions.

Requirements for the Statistics Major

Department courses (10 units); includes 3 electives

Related Courses (may be double-counted with another major, or with a minor). Related courses in mathematics MUST be taken EARLY in the program of study; includes prerequisites for required department courses.

For details see course lists, below.

Department Courses

Course Title
Department Courses (see course descriptions for prerequisites in mathematics)
2 introductory courses:
STAT 201-0Introduction to Programming for Data Science
or COMP_SCI 110-0 Introduction to Computer Programming
(students who do not take STAT 201-0 are responsible for independently learning content not covered in alternative course) 1
STAT 202-0Introduction to Statistics and Data Science
or STAT 210-0 Introduction to Probability and Statistics
or STAT 232-0 Applied Statistics
5 core courses
STAT 320-1Statistical Theory & Methods 1
or STAT 383-0 Probability and Statistics for ISP
or MATH 310-1 Probability and Stochastic Processes
or MATH 311-1 MENU: Probability and Stochastic Processes
or MATH 314-0 Probability and Statistics for Econometrics
or MATH 385-0 Probability and Statistics for MMSS
or ELEC_ENG 302-0 Probabilistic Systems
or IEMS 302-0 Probability
(students who do not take STAT 320-1 are responsible for independently learning content not covered in alternative course) 1
STAT 320-2Statistical Theory & Methods 2
STAT 320-3Statistical Theory & Methods 3
STAT 348-0Applied Multivariate Analysis
or STAT 351-0 Design and Analysis of Experiments
or STAT 354-0 Time Series Modeling
STAT 350-0Regression Analysis
3 additional 300-level approved elective courses (see list below)
1

Lists of topics not covered in substitute courses can be found on the department website.

Electives

List of approved 300-level electives for the major (students choose 3). For updates please refer to department website list of Electives Approved for the Statistics Major

Course Title
STAT 301-1Data Science 1 with R 1
STAT 301-2Data Science 2 with R 1
STAT 301-3Data Science 3 with R 1
STAT 303-1Data Science 1 with Python 1
STAT 303-2Data Science 2 with Python 1
STAT 303-3Data Science 3 with Python 1
STAT 302-0Data Visualization
STAT 328-0Causal Inference
STAT 344-0Statistical Computing
STAT 348-0Applied Multivariate Analysis 2
STAT 351-0Design and Analysis of Experiments 2
STAT 354-0Time Series Modeling 2
STAT 352-0Nonparametric Statistical Methods
STAT 353-0Advanced Regression
STAT 356-0Hierarchical Linear Models
STAT 357-0Introduction to Bayesian Statistics
STAT 359-0Topics in Statistics
STAT 365-0Introduction to the Analysis of Financial Data
No more than one of the following:
Data Structures and Algorithms for Data Science
Information Management for Data Science
Advanced Machine Learning for Data Science
Data Science Project
No more than one of the following courses from other departments may be substituted for a department elective:
Stochastic Models
Optimization Methods in Data Science
Analytics for Social Good
Intro to Financial Engineering
Probability and Stochastic Processes
1

Students may receive credit for only one Data Science sequence: either Data Science with R (301 sequence), or Data Science with Python (303 sequence).

2

Eligible as an elective if not being applied as one of the 5 core courses.

Related Course Requirement

In addition to the 10 department courses, students must complete related courses in mathematics; see list below. Related courses in mathematics MUST be taken EARLY in the program of study; these are prerequisite courses for required department courses.

Related courses required for the major

Course Title
See course descriptions for prerequisite sequencing of mathematics related courses
MATH 220-1
MATH 220-2
Single-Variable Differential Calculus
and Single-Variable Integral Calculus
or MATH 218-1
MATH 218-2
MATH 218-3
Single-Variable Calculus with Precalculus
and Single-Variable Calculus with Precalculus
and Single-Variable Calculus with Precalculus
MATH 230-1Multivariable Differential Calculus
or MATH 228-1 Multivariable Differential Calculus for Engineering
or MATH 281-1 Accelerated Mathematics for ISP: First Year
or MATH 285-2 Accelerated Mathematics for MMSS: First Year
or MATH 290-2 MENU: Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calculus
or MATH 291-2 MENU: Intensive Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calculus
MATH 226-0
MATH 230-2
Sequences and Series
and Multivariable Integral Calculus
or STAT 228-0 Series and Multiple Integrals
or MATH 235-0 Series and Multiple Integrals
or MATH 226-0
MATH 228-2
Sequences and Series
and Multivariable Integral Calculus for Engineering
or MATH 226-0
MATH 281-2
Sequences and Series
and Accelerated Mathematics for ISP: First Year
or MATH 226-0
MATH 285-3
Sequences and Series
and Accelerated Mathematics for MMSS: First Year
or MATH 226-0
MATH 290-3
Sequences and Series
and MENU: Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calculus
or MATH 226-0
MATH 291-3
Sequences and Series
and MENU: Intensive Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calculus
MATH 240-0Linear Algebra
or MATH 281-3 Accelerated Mathematics for ISP: First Year
or MATH 285-1 Accelerated Mathematics for MMSS: First Year
or MATH 290-1 MENU: Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calculus
or MATH 291-1 MENU: Intensive Linear Algebra and Multivariable Calculus
or GEN_ENG 205-1 Engineering Analysis I

The Statistics Major with Additional Majors or Minors

The major in Statistics fulfills the Weinberg College requirement of completion of a major, but it also can be completed alongside another major, or with a minor. The general Weinberg College policies apply to such combinations. Below is clarifying text about how this works with certain combinations, and where particular exceptions to general rules are approved.

The Statistics Major for Students in the Integrated Science Program

Students complete all requirements for ISP major, and requirements for Statistics major are modified as follows:

All other statistics major course requirements remain the same.

The Statistics Major for Students in the Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences Program

Students complete all requirements for the MMSS adjunct major, and requirements for Statistics major are modified as follows:

All other statistics major course requirements remain the same.

For triple major limitations see MMSS Adjunct Major

Statistics Major with a Data Science Major

see Data Science Major

Statistics Major with a Data Science Minor

see Data Science Minor

Honors in Statistics

Majors with strong academic records and an interest in pursuing honors should contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies no later than the start of senior year. Accepted students take 2 quarters of STAT 399-0 Independent Study, during which they develop and write a research paper; these enrollments do not count toward the major.

Students whose theses and grades meet department criteria are recommended to the college for graduation with honors. For more information consult the Director of Undergraduate studies and see Honors in the Major.