NUS Open House
Date: 14 & 15 Mar 2009
Time: 9am - 6pm
Venue: Sports & Recreation Centre, Kent Ridge, NUS
Website: http://www.nus.edu.sg/openhouse/
What
is Statistics?
Statistics is the mathematical science dealing with the collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of masses of numerical data. How does a business determine if an available site for a new restaurant is a potentially successful location? How does the health authority assess statistical evidence for the effectiveness of a new vaccine? How does an insurance company determine the risk level of a new proposal?
Statisticians open the door to such decision making in the face of uncertainty for business, government, and science. They provide the needed expertise for the design and analysis of complex surveys on health, consumer and business issues. They are also involved in the design and analysis of experiments and research studies, enabling knowledge discovery in various fields of application.
Biostatistics is the application of statistics to questions about human health. Because the factors that affect human health are various, biostatistics is an umbrella term that encompasses statistical research in several subject matter areas. These areas include pharmacology, medicine, biotechnology, biology, genetics, and public health.
Programmes
The Department of Statistics and Applied Probability, established in 1998, currently has some 30 faculty members who are accomplished scholars with diverse research interests in statistics and probability. We are the only university department in Singapore to offer degree programmes in Statistics.
At the undergraduate level, we offer B.Sc. and B.Sc. (Hons.) degree programmes with a primary major in Statistics; Honours students majoring in Statistics have the option to specialize in Biostatistics or in Finance and Business Statistics. The interdisciplinary nature of Statistics is reflected in our curriculum. Statistics students also read modules in Mathematics and Computer Science, which respectively provide the theoretical foundation and the computational tools. Students may also pursue Statistics as a second major (alongside another primary major) under the framework of a double major programme. We also offer a minor programme in Statistics, which is an excellent opportunity for students in other majors to enhance the analytical skill and statistical reasoning in dealing with information related to their majors.
B.Sc. & B.Sc. (Hons) major in Statistics
This programme is designed to provide a sound knowledge of statistics, it prepares students for careers in business, industry, and government, and for graduate study in statistics.
B.Sc. (Hons) major in Statistics with Specialisation in Biostatistics
This programme is designed to provide a sound knowledge of biostatistics, it prepares students for biostatistics careers in industry, and government, and for graduate study in statistics/biostatistics.
B.Sc. (Hons) major in Statistics with Specialisation in Finance and Business Statistics
The programme provides students training in various statistical techniques for the area of investment and financial analysis, insurance, marketing research, and management. It helps to prepare students for careers in the business and finance sectors, as well as for further graduate study in finance and business statistics.
Entry requirement for B.Sc. programmes: Good pass in a mathematics subject at the GCE 'A' Level Examination or equivalent.
At the graduate level, we offer research programmes leading to the M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees, as well as coursework programmes leading to the M.Sc. degree.
Career
Opportunities
Statistics is a universal discipline, finding application in all areas of Science, Engineering, and Commerce. There are increasing employment opportunities for professionally-trained Statisticians across the developed world. In a 2002 ranking of 250 jobs by the Jobs Rated Almanac, the cumulative score in six core factors (environment, income, outlook, physical demands, security, and stress) placed the Statistician as the ninth best job.
This year's JobsRated.com report ranks statistician as the third best job in U.S.A. And according to the Chief Economist of Google, Hal Varian, statistician is the dream job of the next decade.
Statistics – Dream Job of the Next Decade
Hal Varian
Chief Economist, Google
Graduates from our Statistics programmes have been able to gain employment in the following industries or sectors: government, manufacturing, financial, pharmaceutical, IT, marketing research, and private consulting. A recent highlight is Kris Song from the Honours class of 2007.
SELECT FEW: Ms Song (left), who studied Statistics at the National University of Singapore, and Ms Bhargava are among 21 trainees UBS picked from over 700 applicants for its fast-track programme for middle and back-office functions. The Swiss bank spends more than US$100,000 (S$144,400) over 18 months on each candidate.
Saw Swee Hock Gold Medal
- Awarded to the most outstanding student with First Class
Honours in Statistics
Lijen Industrial Development
Medal - Awarded to the Honours year student with the best
academic exercise/project in the discipline
Testimonials
"Someone once said,
"Statistics may be defined as 'a body of methods for
making wise decisions in the face of uncertainty'".
How true it is. In my years spent as a student with the
Department, I have learnt how to analyse numbers and to
search for patterns that can help to make sense of these
numbers. The wide range of modules offered allows me to
explore the wide real-life applications of statistics. I
learn something new in every module!"
~ Chong Yan-Ci Elizabeth,
Honours student, 2007
"The undergraduate
curriculum has indeed introduced me to a wide gamut of subjects
which has broadened my horizon on the different aspects
of Statistics"
~ Kwan Pei Fen, Lee Kuan Yew and Saw Swee Hock Gold Medal
Award Winner B.Sc (Honours), 2004
"The rigorous Statistics
course had trained me to be more analytical, resourceful…"
~ Alan Wong, Senior Police Officer Singapore Police Force
B.Sc (Honours), 1998
