Key information
Duration
- Full-time
- 48 months
- The average time to a degree is roughly 7 years for PhD students in Statistics.
Start dates & application deadlines
- Starting August 2027
- Apply before December 2026
The priority deadline for funding decisions is December 15th. The final application deadline is January 15th.
Language
English
- Duolingo English Test: 120
- TOEFL iBT: 80
- IELTS: 6.5
Credits
60 SCH
Delivered
On Campus
Campus Location
- Bozeman, United States
Disciplines
Statistics
Overview
Key facts
In the graduate Statistics program at Montana State University, doctoral candidates gain a solid background in the theory of statistics, as well as hands-on practice in applying statistical concepts to actionable problems. Doctoral candidates push their statistical knowledge to its furthest reaches by pursuing research projects for a dissertation.
Statistics graduate students can work with faculty members on projects such as the North American Bat Monitoring Program, developing programs to monitor bat demographic information in an effort to eliminate the numerous threats to population numbers.
For further information, please email math@montana.edu.
Statistical Consulting Training course embedded in the program enables the students to experience,
- Research planning and design for upcoming projects, data organization and management
- Analysis of statistical methods and models for in-progress research projects, exploratory data analysis and creative visualization of data, and interpretation of statistical results
- Conveying the statistical results in final disseminations of research
Careers after Graduation
- Graduate alumni in Statistics embark on a wide range of careers within 10 years of their graduation.
- Nearly 44% are working in for-profit, 37% in academia, and about 10% for nonprofit. Top industry employers include Montana State University and Atrium.
- Across all career paths, the estimated salary of alumni within 10 years of graduation ranges from $60,000 to $150,000+ with an average of $95,000 (source of data Academic Analytics).
Programme Structure
A Ph.D. student typically takes at least 30 credits of STAT rubric courses numbered 500 and higher.
- Additional course work in statistics and/or mathematics may be necessary, depending on the candidate's chosen area of specialization and background.
- It is expected a Ph.D. student will participate in the Statistical Consulting Seminar. Through this participation, the student will gain important experience in practical problem solving, computational statistics and statistical report writing.
- A minimum of two credits of Statistical Consulting Seminar are required, which can be satisfied as part of the MS degree in Statistics at MSU.
- Also, it is required that a Ph.D. student will take a directed study course in Doc Reading & Research in his/her area of specialty before taking the written and oral comprehensive exams, followed by Doctoral Thesis credits after passing the comprehensive exams.
Lecturers
- Katharine Banner
- Mark Greenwood
- Stacey Hancock
- Andrew Hoegh
- Jess Kunke
- Ian Laga
- Shinjini Nandi
- Samidha Shetty
Admission requirements
Academic requirements
GPA: 3
English requirements
- Duolingo English Test: 120
- TOEFL iBT: 80
- IELTS: 6.5
Other requirements
General requirements
Applicants must earn a B or better in each of the following prerequisite courses
- Multivariable Calculus
- Linear or Matrix Algebra
- Methods of Data Analysis
- Probability
- Mathematical Statistics
Fees and funding
Tuition Fees
- International: 40,971 AUD / year (≈ 28,800 USD / year)
- Out-of-State: 40,971 AUD / year (≈ 28,800 USD / year)
Living costs
Bozeman, United States: 1,563-3,236 AUD / month
The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.
Funding
All students who meet the minimum application requirements are eligible to be considered for a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA). We assume all applicants are interested in a GTA unless they make note of it in their application. Decisions regarding GTA support are separate from admission decisions and are based on the availability of department resources.
GTA positions typically cover 6-9 credits of out-of-state tuition, along with a biweekly stipend to support graduate students. Fees and housing are not included in GTA positions.
Other internal and external funding options are also available.