MathsPostgraduate degrees in stats
An MSc degree in statistics is near enough an entry qualification for many careers as a professional statistician. Of course there are also countless statistical careers which you can enter at BSc level, but the MSc is valued by many employers because of the extra depth of statistical training that it gives. Some employers will even sponsor new employees to go on MSc courses.
Some MSc degrees are designed for people who already have a BSc in Statistics and want to go much further in particular areas. Others are designed for people whose first degrees did not contain much statistics (perhaps a mathematics degree with little if any statistics, or a degree in a science or engineering subject) and who now want a "conversion course".
There are also research degrees in statistics, usually MPhil or PhD. If you want to enter an academic career, you will almost certainly need to study for a PhD.
A detailed article about postgraduate degrees in statistics can be accessed by the first link given below, which leads to the Royal Statistical Society's careers website. The second link leads to the website of the Committee of Professors of Statistics and gives a list of all universities that offer postgraduate opportunities in statistics, with links to each department.
Related Links
The RSS guide to postgraduate statistics
COPSTAT guide to postgraduate statistics
Date Published: January 27, 2010