IX. Graduate Programs

Mathematics and Statistics

MSc Program

The department offers an MSc degree with several options. Students choose between either mathematics or statistics fields and complete their program either by thesis or project. The two main program types are regular and interdisciplinary.

Interdisciplinary programs involve faculty members of this and other university departments and focus on problems of common interest to both departments. Examples include joint studies in quantitative genetics involving faculty in the Department of Animal and Poultry Science; studies of economic management of renewable resources involving faculty from the economics departments; modeling of physiological processes involving faculty from the Ontario Veterinary College or the College of Biological Science; toxicological modeling or risk assessment in collaboration with faculty involved in the Toxicology Research Centre.

Admission Requirements

For the MSc Degree Program, an honours degree with an equivalent to a major in the intended area of specialization is preferred. Applicants with an honours degree with the equivalent of a minor in mathematics or in statistics as defined in the University of Guelph Undergraduate Calendar will be considered.

An applicant who does not meet the requirements must register as a nondegree undergraduate student and take courses to achieve an equivalent to the above. Such students are encouraged to consult the departmental graduate officers or the chair of the department. The department's undergraduate diploma in applied statistics fulfils the requirement of a minor equivalent in statistics.

Degree Requirements

For both regular and interdisciplinary programs, the degree requirements may be met by taking either:

  • an MSc by thesis which requires at least 2.0 credits (four courses) plus a thesis; or

  • an MSc without thesis (by project) which requires at least six courses; i.e., 3.0 credits, 2.0 of which must be for graduate-level courses plus successful completion within two semesters:

    One of:

    MATH*6998 [1.00] MSc Project in Mathematics
    STAT*6998 [1.00] MSc Project in Statistics

All programs of study must include the appropriate core courses (see below). Students who have obtained prior credit for a core course or its equivalent will normally substitute a departmental graduate course at the same or higher level, with the approval of the graduate co-ordinator. The remaining prescribed courses are to be selected from either graduate courses or 400-level undergraduate courses. Courses taken outside of this department must have the prior approval of the graduate program committee.

Mathematical Area of Emphasis

All candidates for the MSc by thesis with a mathematical area of emphasis are required to include in their program of study at least two of the core courses. All candidates for the MSc without thesis (by project) with a statistical area of emphasis are required to include in their program of study at least three of the core courses.

The core courses are:

MATH*6011 [0.50] Dynamical Systems I
MATH*6021 [0.50] Optimization I
MATH*6400 [0.50] Numerical Analysis I
MATH*6041 [0.50] Partial Differential Equations I

Statistical Area of Emphasis

All candidates for the MSc by thesis with a statistical area of emphasis are required to include in their program of study at least two of the core courses. All candidates for the MSc without thesis (by project) with a statistical area of emphasis are required to include in their program of study at least three of the core courses.

The core courses are:

STAT*6801 [0.50] Advanced Data Analysis I
STAT*6802 [0.50] Advanced Data Analysis II
STAT*6841 [0.50] Statistical Inference
STAT*6860 [0.50] Linear Statistical Models

It is required that students take the undergraduate course Statistical Inference, STAT*4340, if this course or its equivalent has not previously been taken.

Interdisciplinary Programs

  1. The general course requirements, above, must be met.

  2. The project or thesis of an interdisciplinary program must directly integrate the study of mathematics or statistics with another discipline.

University of Guelph
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Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1

Canada
519-824-4120