The Probability and Statistics group (4 Professors, 3 Senior Lecturers and 10 Lecturers) in the School of Mathematics have a long-standing reputation and experience of offering one year, high quality taught courses in areas of Statistics leading to the degree of MSc. These courses have aimed to offer a thorough professional training which prepare students to embark on statistical careers in a variety of areas. (There is a shortage of statisticians trained to postgraduate level in the UK and the employment prospects for such people remain good.) They have also provided a very good foundation for further study at PhD level. Our current MSc programme in Statistics allows students to take one of two different MSc degrees, depending on their interests and career aspirations. There is the main programme in Statistics and one associated pathway in Financial Statistics. Each is built around a common core of five modules and then students study an additional set of three specialist modules to make a total of eight in all.
The MSc in Statistical Science is a twelve-month full-time taught master’s degree running from October to September each academic year. The MSc has a particular focus on modern computationally-intensive theory and methods.
The MSc in Statistical Science will aim to train you to solve real-world statistical problems. When completing the course you should be able to choose an appropriate statistical method to solve a given problem of data analysis, implement the analysis on a computer and communicate your results clearly and succinctly. The MSc offers a broad high-level training in applied and computational statistics, statistical machine learning, and the fundamental principles of statistical inference. Training is delivered through mathematically demanding lectures and problems classes, hands-on practical sessions in the computer laboratory, report writing and dissertation supervision. You will have around three months to work on your dissertation with guidance from your supervisor.
The MSc in Social Research Methods and Statistics is designed to be accessible to non-statisticians, yet is more focussed than many other existing master's courses in social research methods. You'll need a base level of knowledge in undergraduate research methods which you will build on throughout the course, to gain comprehensive statistical and analytical skills. A series of pre-sessional training courses are available prior to the MSc start date.
The MSc has a strong connection with the Cathie Marsh Institute for Social Research (CMI), reflecting our commitment to interdisciplinary, integrated research. Research activities within the Social Statistics discipline area are both methodological and substantive. We focus on a wide range of subject areas including social inequalities, population dynamics and survey methodology. The course is recognised by both the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the North West Doctoral Training Centre, from whom we receive a large number of Advanced Quantitative methods (AQM) and CASE awards each year. We develop future social scientists who will have a thorough grounding in research, and are equipped with the tools for collecting and analysing statistical data.
- Benefit from a thorough grounding in advanced quantitative methods taught within an applied social science framework.
- Learn methods of data analysis, including advanced statistics for complex data.
- Study a skills-based course with practical training that is highly regarded for future employment within government, the private and voluntary sectors and academia.
Statistics support many aspects of the modern world, from science and technology to finance and business. They allow us to overcome scientific, industrial and social problems and a Masters-level understanding of them is beneficial in many careers.
Our Royal Statistical Society (RSS) accredited Masters programme combines a blend of theoretical study with real-world application. This means that over the year, you will develop advanced statistical skills and knowledge, while having the opportunity to put what you learn into practice and gain valuable, real-world experience. As a result, after graduation, you will be ideally placed to pursue your career ambitions, and progress in your field.
Based in our purpose built facility, the Postgraduate Statistics Centre (PSC), you will have access to specialist software and equipment, such as our dedicated super computer. These facilities will support you as you engage with one of our specialist statistical pathways. The pathways you can choose from are:
As part of your programme, you will also complete our Statistics in Practice module. Providing a strong foundation for Masters-level study in statistics, you will gain key practical skills using software, including R and SAS. Your scientific writing abilities will also be enhanced as we help you to present rigorous, written mathematical arguments, and develop your understanding of scientific papers. Oral presentations will also allow you to put your public speaking skills into practice, specifically in the context of presenting summaries of papers.
As well as providing the fundamental foundations for other aspects of the programme, this module will also equip you with valuable professional skills and experience that will help you to achieve your career aspirations.
The Master of Applied Statistics (MAS) program was created in response to the rapid rise in demand for data-centric skills in the Los Angeles area. Recent changes in the economy and the growing reliance of businesses and government agencies on data have created an increased demand for workers who can manage data and produce informative visualizations of data, and are guided by fundamental statistical principles. The MAS will help meet this need by providing working professionals the means to obtain a first-rate postgraduate-level education in applied statistics and quantitative analytics. The MAS is designed for working professionals, and as a result, courses will be offered in the evening to allow timely completion of the program. In addition the program is perfect for those who wish to transition to a more quantitatively focused career. All classes will be taught by regular departmental faculty. The degree will require a thesis project that will involve working closely with an industry partner and a faculty member to solve a real scientific or business problem. This will often be in the field where the student is working, thus deepening their understanding of it. The Department has various business, industry and government partners to provide internships, thesis topics, support for their employees, and job prospects for graduating students.
Social statistics and social research provide policymakers, academics and others with valuable insights into the behaviour of people. This Masters course will give you an understanding of social research, with a particular focus on quantitative methods and social statistics. You’ll learn about social research methods and the theories behind them, while undertaking detailed training on a wide range of statistical methods. You’ll also gain a thorough knowledge of statistical software and learn a range of highly sought-after technical skills, including accessing, preparing, analysing and summarising complex quantitative datasets. To meet the demands of our dynamic technological environment, you can also choose advanced modules in data management and important emerging areas such as big data and social network analysis.
This course is designed to provide you with an in-depth understanding of social research, with a particular focus on social statistics and quantitative methods. It includes orientation material on social research methods as a whole, and detailed training on a wide range of statistical methods, with advanced modules on data management and emerging priority research areas, such as big data and social network analysis. Teaching covers the theories behind the methods and training in using datasets and analysing them with statistical software. You’ll gain a variety of highly marketable skills in the areas of social research and social statistics.
You can develop a detailed working knowledge of important statistical techniques and how they can be applied in a variety of different areas. Depending on which course you are taking these areas could include social, medical and environmental science, and finance.
You'll be able learn how to use statistical modelling to analyse and draw meaningful conclusions from data, develop your programming skills using the statistical computing software R, and gain knowledge of fundamental data manipulation procedures. As you progress, you'll have the chance to improve your report-writing, presentation and group-working skills.
The MSc Statistics course also highlights the ethical considerations around designing experiments involving living organisms. Our teaching is built on a deep understanding of the professional responsibilities of statisticians in society.
Statistics is one of the most important fields of study in the world. The techniques we use to model and manipulate data guide the political, financial and social decisions that shape our modern society. If you are a logical person and enjoy solving problems, statistics at Essex is for you. Our Department of Mathematical Sciences embraces pure mathematics, applied mathematics and statistics, and operational research, and our course offers you the opportunity to study statistics alongside other mathematical subjects. Providing a balance of solid statistical theory and practical application, this course builds your knowledge in all areas of statistics, data analysis and probability. You also have the opportunity to specialise, taking optional modules in topics including:
Our interdisciplinary research recognises that mathematics, including what can be very abstract mathematics, is an essential part of research in many other disciplines. Our department has an international reputation in many areas including semi-group theory, optimisation, probability, applied statistics, bioinformatics and mathematical biology. We are genuinely innovative and student-focused. Our research groups are working on a broad range of collaborative areas tackling real-world issues.