Statistical methods and the application of probability theory are essential to the understanding of data and underlying processes in a very wide variety of fields, including health sciences, economics and finance, social science, government, engineering, biological and physical sciences. The Department of Statistics is internationally renowned for innovative, wide-ranging research, and for its high-quality degree programmes.

Undergraduate degrees: Mathematics and Statistics, MORSE

Our 3-year and 4-year degree programmes attract well-qualified students from the UK and across the globe, and produce graduates who are in great demand (see, e.g., Wall Street Journal 2013, an earlier New York Times article, this YouTube clip from Google and the Maths Careers website; the Wall Street Journal's report on Best Jobs has Mathematician, Statistician and Actuary all in the top ten!). Statistics is central to the current explosion of activity relating to business analytics and "big data": a 2011 study by international business consultants McKinsey Global reports that "By 2018, the United States alone could face a shortage of 140,000 to 190,000 people with deep analytical skills". Career choices of our recent alumni illustrate some of the wide range of options for our graduates.

Postgraduate degrees: MSc or PhD in Statistics

• MSc: a flexible programme of lecture courses and project work towards the highly sought-after Master's degree in Statistics.
• PhD: research doctorate, supervision normally available in all areas of probability and statistics.
  Funding available includes (new in April 2013) several EPSRC DTA awards for eligible UK/EU students.

The MSc equips its graduates for high-level employment or for doctoral research (PhD). We currently host around 50 PhD students, working in all areas of probability and statistics. A further twelve or so PhD students each year enjoy exciting new opportunities at the interface between statistics, probability and applied mathematics, in the EPSRC-funded MASDOC initiative. The Department also leads the EPSRC-funded Academy for PhD Training in Statistics, a collaboration with eight other prominent UK research groups to organise intensive courses for first-year PhD students.

Research in Probability and Statistics

The Department's research ranges from probability theory, through statistical methodology and computation, to substantive applications in many different fields. Sustained programmes of research seminars, international visitors and workshops are organised through:

• Centre for Research in Statistical Methodology (CRiSM), funded by EPSRC and HEFCE as a major national Science and Innovation initiative.
• Probability at Warwick (P@W), which helps support a community of researchers in probability both locally and nationally through open workshops and seminars.
• Stochastic Finance at Warwick (SF@W), which draws together a variety of finance-related research and activities taking place within the Department of Statistics.

In the most recent national Research Assessment Exercise (RAE 2008), the Department had 70% of its activity rated as internationally excellent (grade 3* or higher), with more than a quarter classed as world leading (grade 4*). We rank second nationally in Statistics and Operational Research for the volume of work graded 4*.

Statistical Consultancy

RISCU provides a high-level statistical consulting service both to external organisations and to researchers in other departments within the University.

Other close links at Warwick: