MSc in Statistics

Programme Director
Dr Peter Foster
Peter.Foster [at] manchester.ac.uk
+44(0)161 27 55915
Admissions Tutor
Dr Georgi Boshnakov
Georgi.Boshnakov [at] manchester.ac.uk
+44(0)161 30 63684

The Probability and Statistics group (4 Professors, 3 Senior Lecturers and 8 Lecturers) in the School of Mathematics have a long-standing reputation and experience of offering one year, high quality taught courses in areas of Statistics leading to the degree of MSc.
These courses  have aimed  to offer a thorough professional training which prepare students to embark on statistical careers in a variety of areas.  (There is a shortage of  statisticians trained to postgraduate level in the UK and the employment prospects for such people remain good.)    They have also provided a very good foundation for further study at PhD level.
From September 2012, our newly revised MSc programme in Statistics allows students to take one of two different MSc degrees, depending on their interests and career aspirations. There is the main programme in Statistics and an associated pathway in Financial Statistics.  Each is built around a common core of five modules and then students study an additional set of three specialist modules to make a total of eight in all. 

The taught part of the programme is divided into two 12-week semesters, each followed by a two-week period of examinations.  This in turn is followed by a period of approximately 12 weeks of research work over the summer which is supervisd by a  member of the academic staff  and ends with  submission of the MSc dissertation in September.  
 
In the taught part of the course, full-time students attend weekly lectures and support classes for four modules (4 x 15 credits) in each semester.  Students are also able to enrol on a part-time basis if they wish.  In this case they study over a two year period and only take two modules per semester, with the dissertation being completed at the end of the second year.

Details of the programme structure which will be offered  from September 2012 are given below.

Main MSc Statistics
 Semester One:

• Linear Models & Nonparametric Regression
• Statistical Computing
• Statistical Inference
• Multivariate Statistics

  Semester Two:

• Generalized Linear Models & Survival Analysis
• Longitudinal Data Analysis
• Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC)
• Design and Analysis of Experiments

 This degree is accredited by the Royal Statistical Society.

Financial Statistics Pathway
This comprises a core of five modules which are common to the main programme, plus three specialist modules in financial statistics.

Semester One:

• Linear Models & Nonparametric Regression
• Statistical Computing
• Statistical Modelling in Finance
• Extreme Values and Financial Risk

   Semester Two:

• Generalized Linear Models & Survival Analysis
• Longitudinal Data Analysis
• Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC)
• Time Series Analysis and Financial Forecasting

Dissertation
Following the successful completion of the taught part of the programme (worth a total of 120 credits) students are then expected to work on a dissertation from June to September which is worth a further 60 credits, making 180 credits in total.  Information on the various topics and projects which will be available for dissertation are provided to the students in May from which they  are invited to state their preferences.  

The normal entry requirements are at least an upper second class honours degree from a UK University, or the equivalent from an overseas University, in Mathematics or in a subject with some significant mathematical content.  Students should also have some basic knowledge of probability and statistics in their degree.  
Specialist knowledge of finance for the Financial Statistics pathway is not required.
All applicants for this programme should have a very good level of ability in written and spoken English.  For students whose first degree programme was not taught in English, we require a minimum overall IELTS score of 6.5, with at least 5.5 in each module and 6.0 in Writing.

For entry in September 2013, the tuition fees for this MSc are £7200 for UK/EU students and £13000 per annum for international students.

Latest News: There will be up to 10 scholarships spread across the five MSc programmes worth £1500 each for the top students in the 2013/14 academic year.

In addition, all graduates from the University of Manchester will receive loyalty bursaries of £1,000 each. There will be a further 10% fee discount for University of Manchester graduates with a 1st Class Honours Degree. These apply to all MSc programmes.

Details of other current funding opportunities for this programme can be found here.

You can apply online at http://www.manchester.ac.uk/postgraduate/howtoapply/.
Choose one of the following: MSc Statistics or MSc Statistics (Financial Statistics pathway).

Please contact either the Programme Director or Admissions Tutor for this MSc at the email addresses given above.