FROM STUDY TO SKILLS
All academic programs offered at UM help students develop valuable transferable skills. Statistics is concerned with the critical reasoning skills needed for understanding our quantitative world. As a central part of a liberal arts education, statistics focuses on the process of learning from data: how to ask the right question, how to collect information effectively, how to summarize information, how to make predictions, and how to draw meaningful inferences from data and understand their limitations. Statistics concentrators gain a foundation in data analysis that may be applied to the social, behavioral, natural, and health sciences, as well as in humanistic research.
Related fields include Mathematics, Computer Science, Economics, Political Science, Program in the Environment, Public Policy, Public Health, Psychology, Sociology, and Survey Methodology.
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Analytical Skills
Applying methods to solve problems
Projecting from data
Reasoning critically
Categorizing data
Developing theories
Designing systems for processing data
Designing data visualizations
Quantitative Skills
Computer programming
Mathematical modeling
Mathematical analysis
Computer simulations
Using statistical software
Interpreting data from tables / charts
Research and Presentation Skills
Identifying areas for research
Translating theory into research plans
Assessing a data collection plan
Designing questionnaires
Evaluating collected data
Determining cost benefits offsets
Presenting alternative explanations
Designing graphs / charts
Writing reports
Problem-Solving Skills
Formulating problems
Applying logic to problems
Assessing needs
Distinguishing relevant / extraneous information
BUILDING YOUR SKILLS OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
Employers seek out individuals who can demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills, teamwork and interpersonal skills, initiative, and a strong work ethic. Student organizations and campus employment offer valuable opportunities to add to the skills you are developing in your classes. Most concentrations sponsor specific student groups like an undergraduate organization or an honor society. Other options include study abroad, off-campus employment or volunteering in the community. Finally, a summer internship may be the best way of all to test out a career field and develop marketable skills.
FROM SKILLS TO CAREER
Statistics concentrators develop both general and technical skills applicable to a wide range of careers. For example, the ability to derive meaningful conclusions from a body of data is equally valuable whether working as a public opinion researcher, an economist, or a legislative researcher.
Many concentrators go on to graduate or professional school. The list below is a sample of careers undertaken by Statistics graduates.
Analytical Skills
Economist 
Credit risk modeler
State disability insurance analyst
Demographer
Transportation system statistician
Investment manager
Logistics analyst
Sales forecaster
Network performance analyst
Quantitative Skills
Agricultural statistician
Statistical analyst
Biostatistician 
Statistical software designer
Simulation / modeling laboratory manager
Health intervention analyst
Actuary
Opinion pollster
Gaming statistician
Research and Presentation Skills
Social Security claims reviewer
Legislative researcher
College instructor
K-12 teacher
Documents librarian
Operations research analyst
Problem-Solving Skills
Program specialist for a non-profit
Employment specialist
College student services administrator
Precision quality control officer
Production manager
= Further Study Required = Green Job
For more career information, see O*Net at http://online.onetcenter.org/
CONCENTRATION REQUIREMENTS
In addition to three prerequisites (Math 215 and 217, and EECS 182 or 183), the concentration requires a minimum of 30 credit hours (see the LSA Bulletin for more specific information).
Department of Statistics
439 West Hall
734-647-8192
www.stat.lsa.umich.edu/
Newnan Advising Center
1255 Angell Hall
734-764-0332
www.lsa.umich.edu/advising
NEXT STEPS / RESOURCES
Statistics Undergraduate Program Facebook group:
http://facebook.com/ugrad.stats.umich, and American Statistical Association at www.amstat.org/careers/
To begin connecting to professionals in fields that interest you, create your own LinkedIn account:
www.careercenter.umich.edu/article/getting-started-linkedin
To identify internships or job opportunities, visit Handshake: https://careercenter.umich.edu/article/handshake
On campus jobs (work-study and non work-study jobs) are listed at:
https://studentemployment.umich.edu/JobX_Home.aspx
Maize Pages list hundreds of organizations for students to get involved in: http://studentorgs.umich.edu/maize
The Career Center
3200 Student Activities Building
734-764-7460
www.careercenter.umich.edu
www.facebook.com/careercenter.umich
http://twitter.com/careercenter
The Career Guide series was developed by the University of Michigan Career Center, Division of Student Affairs, in cooperation with the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. ©2011 Regents of the University of Michigan