Procedures for Rutgers Graduate Students for Further Study in Statistics and Biostatistics

Master of Science in Statistics and Biostatistics as a Second Degree for Current Rutgers Graduate Degree Candidates

The Graduate School-New Brunswick regulations allow students who are current graduate degree candidates at Rutgers to earn an additional Master of Science Degree in another field. A new application is not required. Such candidates remain coded in their existing home graduate programs. Current Rutgers graduate students who wish to earn a Master of Science in Statistics and Biostatistics should consult with both their own graduate directors and with the Statistics and Biostatistics graduate director. Furthermore, graduate students whose tuition is being paid as part of a research assistantship should make their intention to pursue an MS degree in statistics clear to the employer paying the tuition.
Students should furthermore keep in mind that no more than 12 credits of coursework may be counted towards two Rutgers graduate degrees.

Doctoral Study for Current or Former Rutgers Candidates for the MS Degree in Statistics and Biostatistics

Alumni of the Rutgers MS program must formally apply for the PhD program. Current students in the Rutgers MS program should speak with the graduate director about changing their program. The mathematical prerequisites for the PhD program are more stringent than for the MS program. Students should first complete a course equivalent to 640:311 before beginning doctoral work, and should complete a course equivalent to 640:411 early in their PhD program.
Furthermore, students who have completed the MS at Rutgers have generally taken the MS theory sequence 960:580/2-3, and the Rutgers registrar will not allow students who have taken these courses to register for the first year PhD theory sequence 960:592-3. Such students are encouraged to audit 960:592-3 in order to prepare for the PhD written exam and for the second year theory sequence 960:652-3. PhD students are required to take 960:663, 960:680-1, 960:587, and two additional 600-level courses. Students who completed the MS at Rutgers will generally have at least 24 of their 30 credits earned towards the MS degree from courses numbered 540-599 and not 587, and may count these 24 credits towards the PhD degree, to complete the PhD course requirements.

Doctoral Study for Current Rutgers Graduate Students from Other Programs

Students wishing to enter the PhD program, and are currently in other graduate programs, may provide the same credentials as for a normal admission to the graduate director. The graduate director will then see that these credentials are assessed along with other doctoral applicants in the next application cycle. Rutgers graduate students who take 960:592-3, and who take and pass the PhD written exam prior to evaluation of their application, are considered very strong candidates for admission.

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