Prospective Students

Students have the option to pursue specialisations in data science or/and finance and business statistics. Data science focuses on computing concepts and skills to manage the collection, storage and analysis of voluminous data while finance and business statistics focuses on the application of statistics to the areas of investment and financial analysis, insurance, marketing research and management.

You will fulfill the specialisation requirements by passing at least five elective courses from a prescribed list. Up to 8 units (40% of the unit requirements for a Specialisation) may be double counted and used to meet the Specialisation requirement and another requirement (Primary Major, 2nd Major, Minor, Common Curriculum, etc.). Strictly no triple-counting of courses is allowed.

The world is becoming more quantitative and data-focused. Many professions, organisations and businesses depend on numerical measurements to make decisions in the face of uncertainty. Therefore, statistics graduates may look forward to being employed as statisticians in government agencies, the medical and pharmaceutical industries, manufacturing and engineering companies, banking and financial institutions, research and development, and educational institutions. Furthermore, there are many jobs that do not bear the word “statistician” but will significantly rely on the knowledge and skills acquired from studying statistics. These include business, risk and financial analysts, quality assurance or pharmaceutical engineers, marketing professionals, banking and telecommunication executives, actuaries, and data scientists, amongst others. The more entrepreneurial graduates have also set up their own business ventures.

Statistics graduates who are interested in pursuing a career in teaching may refer to https://www.moe.gov.sg/careers/become-teachers/pri-sec-jc-ci/postgraduate-diploma for more information about teaching in primary schools or in secondary schools/junior colleges (JCs). NUS Statistics graduates are able to teach mathematics in secondary schools/JCs. It should be noted that the Ministry of Education (MOE) generally requires applicants to have two teaching subjects for secondary schools/JCs.

A frequently asked question is how the major in Statistics differs from the major in Data Science and Analytics (DSA). The DSA major is jointly offered by the Statistics and Data Science department and the Mathematics department in NUS, with support from the School of Computing. There are more compulsory mathematics and computing courses in the DSA program. In contrast there are fewer compulsory mathematics and computing courses in the Statistics major. Statistics majors can still read these mathematics and computing courses by choosing them as electives. In addition the needed mathematics and computing background for specific statistical applications are also taught within the statistics courses.

To be admitted to read a Major in Statistics, you will need to apply for admission to the Faculty of Science. After you are successfully admitted, you would be able to declare Statistics as your major.

To be able to read the first-year core course (ST1131), you will need a good H2 pass or equivalent in Mathematics/Further Mathematics. If you do not have the background, you are to read the bridging course, MA1301 or MA1301X, first.

The requirements and sample study plan of the programme can be found here.