Bachelor of Science in Statistics
The Bachelor of Science in Statistics is an interdisciplinary program offered for students who intend to pursue an advanced degree, or who are planning careers as statisticians in industry, business, government, or scientific research.
To give the students both breadth and depth and to introduce them to a variety of fields where statistics may be applied, we offer three emphases for the degree: science, business, and economics.
CR/NC grades are not acceptable in courses to be counted for a mathematics major or minor program.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Bachelor of Science in Statistics a student will be able to:
- Apply statistical knowledge and computational skills to formulate problems, plan data collection, and analyze data to provide insight.
- Build and assess statistical and machine learning models, and employ a variety of formal inference procedures.
- Use mathematics to understand the underlying structure of common models used in statistical and machine learning.
- Prepare data for use with a variety of statistical methods and models, and recognize how the quality of data and data collection affect conclusions.
- Communicate effectively to a variety of audiences using oral, written, and visual modes.
Statistics (B.S.) — 55 units minimum
All major courses must be completed for a letter grade. CR/NC grades are not accepted.
Core Requirements (46 units)
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 226 | Calculus I | 4 |
| MATH 227 | Calculus II | 4 |
| MATH 228 | Calculus III | 4 |
| MATH 301GW | Exploration and Proof - GWAR | 3 |
| Select One: | 3-7 | |
| Mathematical Computing | ||
| Introduction to Computing and Intermediate Computer Programming | ||
| Computer Programming | ||
| MATH 325 | Linear Algebra | 4 |
| MATH 338 | Introduction to SAS | 3 |
| MATH 424 | Introduction to Linear Models | 3 |
| MATH 440 | Probability and Statistics I | 3 |
| MATH 441 | Probability and Statistics II | 3 |
| MATH 442 | Probability Models | 3 |
| MATH 447 | Design and Analysis of Experiments | 3 |
| MATH 448 | Introduction to Statistical Learning and Data Mining | 3 |
| MATH 449 | Categorical Data Analysis | 3 |
Guided Electives (9 units)
Select three courses from one of the areas (Science, Economics, Business: Decision Sciences, or Business: Information Systems) listed below:
Science
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Select three courses in consultation with a statistics advisor: | ||
| MATH 370 | Real Analysis I | 3 |
| MATH 376 | Ordinary Differential Equations I | 3 |
| MATH 400 | Numerical Analysis | 3 |
| MATH 425 | Applied and Computational Linear Algebra | 3 |
| MATH 430 | Mathematics of Optimization | 3 |
| MATH 460 | Mathematical Modeling | 3 |
Economics
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Select three courses in consultation with a statistics advisor: | ||
| ECON 301 | Intermediate Microeconomic Theory | 3 |
| ECON 302 | Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory | 3 |
| ECON 312 | Introduction to Econometrics | 3 |
| ECON 715 | Mathematical Economics | 3 |
| ECON 731 | Econometric Methods and Applications | 3 |
| ECON 825 | Applied Time Series Econometrics | 3 |
Business: Decision Sciences
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Select three courses in consultation with a statistics advisor: | ||
| DS 311 | Technologies in Data Analytics | 3 |
| DS 408 | Computer Simulation | 3 |
| DS 412 | Operations Management | 3 |
| DS 604 | Applied Business Forecasting | 3 |
| DS 624 | Quality Management | 3 |
Business: Information Systems
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Select three courses in consultation with a statistics advisor: | ||
| ISYS 363 | Information Systems for Management | 3 |
| ISYS 463 | Information Systems Analysis and Design | 3 |
| ISYS 569 | Information Systems for Business Process Management | 3 |
| ISYS 650 | Business Intelligence | 3 |
General Education Requirements
| Requirement | Course Level | Units | Area Designation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Communication | LD | 3 | A1 |
| Written English Communication | LD | 3 | A2 |
| Critical Thinking | LD | 3 | A3 |
| Physical Science | LD | 3 | B1 |
| Life Science | LD | 3 | B2 |
| Lab Science | LD | 1 | B3 |
| Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning | LD | 3 | B4 |
| Arts | LD | 3 | C1 |
| Humanities | LD | 3 | C2 |
| Arts or Humanities | LD | 3 | C1 or C2 |
| Social Sciences | LD | 3 | D1 |
| Social Sciences: US History | LD | 3 | D2 |
| Lifelong Learning and Self-Development (LLD) | LD | 3 | E |
| Ethnic Studies | LD | 3 | F |
| Physical and/or Life Science | UD | 3 | UD-B |
| Arts and/or Humanities | UD | 3 | UD-C |
| Social Sciences | UD | 3 | UD-D |
| SF State Studies | |||
| Courses certified as meeting the SF State Studies requirements may be upper or lower division in General Education (GE), a major or minor, or an elective. | |||
| American Ethnic and Racial Minorities | LD or UD | 3 | AERM |
| Environmental Sustainability | LD or UD | 3 | ES |
| Global Perspectives | LD or UD | 3 | GP |
| Social Justice | LD or UD | 3 | SJ |
Note: LD = Lower-Division; UD = Upper-Division.
First-Time Student Roadmap (4 Year)
The roadmaps presented in this Bulletin are intended as suggested plans of study and do not replace meeting with an advisor. For a more personalized roadmap, please use the Degree Planner tool found in your Student Center.
SF State Scholars Roadmap
The San Francisco State Scholars program provides undergraduate students with an accelerated pathway to a graduate degree. Students in this program pursue a bachelor’s and master’s degree simultaneously. This program allows students to earn graduate credit while in their junior and/or senior year, reducing the number of semesters required for completion of a master’s degree.
Bachelor of Science in Statistics, Master of Science in Statistical Data Science Scholars Roadmap
Transfer Student Roadmap (2 Year)
For students with an AS-T in Mathematics.
MATH ADT Roadmap
This degree program is an approved pathway (“similar” major) for students earning the ADT in Mathematics
California legislation SB 1440 (2009) mandated the creation of the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) to be awarded by the California Community Colleges. Two types of ADTs are awarded: Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) and Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T).
Note: no specific degree is required for admission as an upper-division student. However, the ADT includes specific guarantees related to admission and graduation and is designed to clarify the transfer process and strengthen lower-division preparation for the major.
An ADT totals 60 units and in most cases includes completion of all lower-division General Education requirements and at least 18 units in a specific major. (The Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Science AS-T degrees defer 3 units in lower-division GE area C and 3 units in lower-division GE area D until after transfer.) Students pursuing an ADT are guaranteed admission to the CSU if minimum eligibility requirements are met, though not necessarily to the CSU campus of primary choice.
Upon verification that the ADT has been awarded prior to matriculation at SF State, students are guaranteed B.A. or B.S. completion in 60 units if pursuing a “similar” major after transfer. Determinations about “similar” majors at SF State are made by faculty in the discipline.
Degree completion in 60 units cannot be guaranteed when a student simultaneously pursues an additional major, a minor, certificate, or credential.
A sample advising roadmap for students who have earned an ADT and continue in a "similar" major at SF State is available on the Roadmaps tab on the degree requirements page for the major. The roadmap displays:
- How many lower-division units required for the major have been completed upon entry based on the award of a specific ADT;
- Which lower-division requirements are considered complete upon entry based on the award of a specific ADT;
- How to complete the remaining 60 units for the degree in four semesters.
Students who have earned an ADT should seek advising in the major department during the first semester of attendance.
General Advising Information for Transfer Students
- Before transfer, complete as many lower-division requirements or electives for this major as possible.
- The following courses are not required for admission but are required for graduation. Students are strongly encouraged to complete these units before transfer; doing so will provide more flexibility in course selection after transfer.
- a course in U.S. History
- a course in U.S. & California Government
For information about satisfying the requirements described in (1) and (2) above at a California Community College (CCC), please visit http://www.assist.org. Check any geographically accessible CCCs; sometimes options include more than one college. Use ASSIST to determine:
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy any lower-division major requirements for this major;
- Which courses at a CCC satisfy CSU GE, US History, and US & CA Government requirements.
Remedial courses are not transferable and do not apply to the minimum 60 semester units/90 quarter units required for admission.
Additional units for courses that are repeated do not apply to the minimum 60 units required for upper-division transfer (for example, if a course was not passed on the first attempt or was taken to earn a better grade).
Before leaving the last California Community College of attendance, obtain a summary of completion of lower-division General Education units (IGETC or CSU GE Breadth). This is often referred to as a GE certification worksheet. SF State does not require delivery of this certification to Admissions, but students should retain this document for verifying degree progress after transfer.
Credit for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or College-Level Examination Program courses: AP/IB/CLEP credit is not automatically transferred from the previous institution. Units are transferred only when an official score report is delivered to SF State. Credit is based on the academic year during which exams were taken. Refer to the University Bulletin in effect during the year of AP/IB/CLEP examination(s) for details regarding the award of credit for AP/IB/CLEP.
Students pursuing majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines often defer 6-9 units of lower-division General Education in Areas C and D until after transfer to focus on preparation courses for the major. This advice does not apply to students pursuing associate degree completion before transfer.
Transferring From Institutions Other Than CCCs or CSUs
Review SF State's lower-division General Education requirements. Note that, as described below, the four basic skills courses required for admission meet A1, A2, A3, and B4 in the SF State GE pattern. Courses that fulfill the remaining areas of SF State’s lower-division GE pattern are available at most two-year and four-year colleges and universities.
Of the four required basic skills courses, a course in critical thinking (A3) may not be widely offered outside the CCC and CSU systems. Students should attempt to identify and take an appropriate course no later than the term of application to the CSU. To review more information about the A3 requirement, please visit bulletin.sfsu.edu/undergraduate-education/general-education/lower-division/#AAEL.
Waiting until after transfer to take a single course at SF State that meets both US and CA/local government requirements may be an appropriate option, particularly if transferring from outside of California.