Bachelor of Statistics

Statistics opens the door to understanding our world through the exploration of data and the modelling of uncertainty.

The need for statistics is growing rapidly as our ability to collect massive amounts of data outruns our ability to understand and use the data we collect.

Hal Varian, Chief Economist at Google, declared that “the sexy job in the next ten years will be statisticians”, as the challenge of understanding large, complex data structures mounts.

It is estimated that 2.5 exabytes of data is generated every single day, with the accumulated amount of data doubling every 18 months, and that 90% of all data ever gathered was produced within the last two years.

What’s more, statistics is critical for every discipline for which data play a role, and in responding to the world’s biggest challenges such as climate change, terrorism, health and medicine, and global economic conditions.

Some of the world’s largest employers of statisticians include Google and Facebook as well as governments, financial institutions, medical and pharmaceutical industries, universities and many other sectors.

By completing a BStat at ANU, you stand ready to meet humanity’s biggest challenges by understanding the world we observe through the eyes of data and statistical and probability modelling.

Program Requirements

The Bachelor of Statistics requires completion of 144 units, of which:

A maximum of 60 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses

The 144 units must include:

48 units from the completion of one of the following statistics majors:

Applied Statistics

Probability and Stochastic Processes

Statistical Data Analytics

Theoretical Statistics

6 units from completion of the following compulsory courses:

STAT2005 Introduction to Stochastic Processes

6 units from completion of an introductory statistics course from the following list:

STAT1003 Statistical Techniques

STAT1008 Quantitative Research Methods

6 units from completion of an introductory mathematical statistics course from the following list:

STAT2001 Introductory Mathematical Statistics

STAT2013 Introductory Mathematical Statistics for Actuarial Studies

6 units from completion of a regression course from the following list:

STAT2008 Regression Modelling

STAT2014 Regression Modelling for Actuarial Studies

6 units from completion of an introductory computing course from the following list:

COMP1100 Programming as Problem Solving

COMP1730 Programming for Scientists

12 units from completion of an introductory mathematics courses from the following list:

MATH1013 Mathematics and Applications 1

MATH1014 Mathematics and Applications 2

MATH1115 Advanced Mathematics and Applications 1

MATH1116 Advanced Mathematics and Applications 2

6 units from completion of a discrete mathematics course from the following list:

MATH2301 Games, Graphs and Machines

MATH3511 Scientific Computing

48 units from completion of elective courses offered by ANU

For majors and minors offered by the ANU College of Business and Economics, students may count a course towards multiple majors and minors. If a minor is a subset of all stated courses and/or prerequisites for a major, then completion of the major overrides completion of the minor, and only the major is regarded as having been completed. If all courses in a major and/or minor are compulsory courses in the degree, the major and/or minor will not be listed on the transcript.

Honours

Students may proceed to the fourth honours year in Statistics. Entry to the honours year program is subject to an appropriately high average grade (generally distinction level or above) in the 3000-level compulsory subjects described in the course listings and requires the approval of College. Other conditions may also apply. Students who are interested in the honours program should seek further advice from the Convenor of the Program in the Research School of Finance, Actuarial Studies and Applied Statistics.

Minors

• Business and Economics Essentials

Elective Study

Once you have met the program requirements of your degree, you may have enough electives to complete an additional elective major, minor or specialisation.

Study Options

Year 1 - 48 units

Year 2 - 48 units

Year 3 - 48 units

Admission Requirements

At a minimum, all applicants must meet program-specific academic/non-academic requirements, and English language requirements. Admission to most ANU programs is on a competitive basis. Therefore, meeting all admission requirements does not automatically guarantee entry.

In line with the university's admissions policy and strategic plan, an assessment for admission may include competitively ranking applicants on the basis of specific academic achievement, English language proficiency and diversity factors.

Domestic applicants

? School leavers will be assessed on:

• the minimum Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) requirement or equivalent for this program,

• the co-curricular or service requirement, and

• any program specific requirements that are listed below.

? Non school leavers:

a) will be assessed on:

• the minimum Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) requirement or equivalent for this program,

b) Non school leavers who:

• complete a recognised Australian (or equivalent) post-secondary qualification, or

• complete one standard full-time year (1.0 FTE) of an Australian (or equivalent) degree qualification, or

• complete an approved tertiary preparation course/program without undertaking any further study,

will be assessed on the basis of an equivalent selection rank that is calculated upon application. Non school leavers must also meet any program specific requirements that are listed below.

International applicants

Applicants who complete a recognised secondary/senior secondary/post-secondary/tertiary sequence of study will be assessed on the basis of an equivalent selection rank that is calculated upon application. A list of commonly observed international qualifications and corresponding admission requirements can be found here. Applicants must also meet any program specific requirements that are listed below.

Diversity factors & English language proficiency

As Australia's national university, ANU is global representative of Australian research and education. ANU endeavours to recruit and maintain a diverse and deliberate student cohort representative not only of Australia, but the world. In order to achieve these outcomes, competitive ranking of applicants may be adjusted to ensure access to ANU is a reality for brilliant students from countries across the globe. If required, competitive ranking may further be confirmed on the basis of demonstrating higher-level English language proficiency.

Prerequisites

ACT: Specialist Mathematics (Major/Minor) (160+)/Specialist Methods(Major/Minor) (160+), NSW: Mathematics Extension 1 (Band E3) or equivelant. More information about interstate subject equivalencies can be found here.

Adjustment Factors

ANU offers rank adjustments for a number of adjustment factors, including for high achievement in nationally strategic senior secondary subjects and for recognition of difficult circumstances that students face in their studies. Rank adjustments are applied to Bachelor degree applicants with an ATAR at or above 70. Points are awarded in accordance with the approved schedules, and no more than 15 points (maximum 5 subject/performance-based adjustments, maximum 10 equity-based adjustments and maximum 5 Elite Athlete adjustments) will be awarded. Please note that Adjustment Factors vary and do not apply to a select few programs, please visit the ANU Adjustment Factors website for further information.

Scholarships

ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.

Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are. Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.

For further information see the Scholarships website.

1. Review and synthesise a broad range of statistical knowledge from their chosen major
2. Use the R statistical computing language to carry out a wide variety of statistical tasks
3. Carry out model selection in a multiple linear regression modelling context
4. Describe the concepts of stochastic processes in discrete and continuous time
5. Describe and interpret probability theory, continuous random variables, and sampling distributions and the central limit theorem
6. Analyse programming problems to suggest, design and implement appropriate modular program structures, based on a data-directed approach.