In addition to the course work, students are required to pass the Master's Written (Basic) Examination and the Master's Final Oral examination.
Master's Written (Basic) Exam
To get a Master of Statistics or Master of Science, students must pass the Master's Written (Basic exam). This is a
comprehensive exam that will cover the topics from ST 511-ST 512,
ST 521-ST 522, and ST 552.
For a more detailed syllabus of topics covered on the exam, see the Basic Exam Syllabus. Students are responsible for material described in the syllabus,
whether or not it is covered in classes. Copies of the old exams are available from the graduate secretary.
The exam is currently offered in August and January. Students should take the Master's exam as soon as they have completed the core courses. For most students this will be in the summer before beginning the third semester. If a student does not pass the Basic Exam on the first try, s/he should retake it as soon as possible. Students are allowed to take this exam at most two times.
Master's Final Oral Exam
The final oral exam is required for all Master's students. The student may request to schedule his/her final
oral exam during the semester s/he expects to complete all course work requirements. For Fall graduation, the
final oral exam should be held before November 6, and for Spring graduation, before March 30. The student should
return the signed forms from the final oral exam to the graduate secretary immediately after the exam.
Prior to scheduling the final oral exam, the student must have passed the Basic exam and have a GPA above 3.0. The student should find a final oral exam date that is suitable for his/her advisory committee and should inform the graduate secretary at least 20 working days prior to the exam date. The student will be required to answer questions based on courses listed in his or her plan of graduate work and the core of the master's program. Areas in which the student demonstrated weakness on the Basic exam may be emphasized.
