This program is not accepting applications at this time.
Our certificate program can bolster the data analytic skills of a practicing professional or serve as a graduate "minor" for students pursuing a Ph.D. or master's degree in another discipline. The program focuses on the application of statistics to your field of interest, whether it be academics, business, industry, government or education and is completely available online.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can find the full list of required courses on the academic bulletin.
No. All classes may be viewed online while the Columbia class meets, asking questions by phone or live texting, or viewed later within 24 hours. Classes may be viewed as many times as needed, with pause, fast-forward, and rewind capabilities. Students in the Columbia area may attend the live class in the studio. Assignments are submitted online. Exams (if time-limited) may be taken with an approved proctor near your location, usually without charge.
The program emphasizes the application of statistical tools to an area of interest, not theory. As such, there are no required previous math courses, although 1 semester of upper-division or graduate statistics is strongly recommended.
Yes. You can apply for Non-Degree (ND) status through the Graduate School. If you later enter the CAS program, you will be able to transfer up to 6 credit hours of approved coursework taken in non-degree status into your CAS program of study. Note: there is a 6-year limit on courses before they are out-of-date and can not be counted toward a program of study without recertification.
Students interested only in SAS Certification may take the ND approach in order to complete STAT 540 and 541; these will prepare you for the certification exams offered by the SAS Institute.
All courses taken toward a CAS certificate are applicable to the Masters of Applied Statistics degree if admitted to that program, as long as the candidate has not used the courses for the CAS certificate. You cannot use the same courses for both the CAS and the MAS, nor can you be concurrently enrolled in the CAS and the MAS.
Required courses are:
- STAT 700 - Applied Statistics I
- STAT 701 - Applied Statistic II
or the equivalent. The remaining two courses can be any two approved STAT graduate courses at the 500 level or above. Up to 2 courses may be outside the STAT designator and/or transferred from another institution with the Graduate Director’s approval. With the approval of the department(s), and subject to the regulations of the Graduate School, all courses taken in a certificate program can be applied toward other (non-STAT) graduate degrees. Certificates may not be earned following graduation from the student's concurrent graduate program.
Some electives that may be chosen based on your area of interest include, but are not limited to:
Industrial: STAT 525, STAT 761, STAT 750
Education: STAT 778, STAT 530, STAT 519
SAS Certification: STAT 540, STAT 541
If you are already in a graduate program at USC, go to the Graduate School site and click on "Prospective Students" at the top of the page. Then choose "Apply and Update Application/Admission" on left side of page. Finally, choose "Request for Concurrent Enrollment in Second Program" and follow instructions. Your transcripts, letters of recommendation and test scores will already be on file with the Graduate School.
If you are not currently in a graduate program at USC, go to the Graduate School Page and start a new online application. You will be asked to submit (eventually) all previous undergraduate transcripts, statement of purpose and CV / resume, two letters of recommendation, and GRE or GMAT scores. Also, TFL scores for students who do not already have a degree from a U.S. institution.
A Bachelor’s Degree and GRE total (V+Q) of at least 300, or the GMAT percentile equivalent.
Tuition is on a per credit hour basis; most courses are three credit hours. The current rates are about $500 per credit hour for SC residents as shown on the Bursar’s Fee Schedule. Out-of-state students in Arkansas, Georgia or Kentucky may apply to The Southern Regional Education Board's Academic Common Market in order to obtain a tuition credit which will bring tuition down to the in-state tuition rate. Others pay the current out-of-state tuition, which is currently about $1100 per credit hour.
You can find complete information about our program's gainful employment disclosure on the Graduate School page for disclosures.