Frequently Asked Questions

• Why should I consider taking a statistics course?

Statistical methods are useful anywhere there is data to be analyzed. Science, technology, medicine, economics, government, business, social science, law, etc.

• Doesn’t statistics require hard mathematics?

Not necessarily. Many useful statistical techniques require only the application of data presentation skills. These are not mathematical. There are statistical computer packages that do all the hard calculations. Statistical thinking requires understanding how to deal with the variability that is present in most data sets.

• Will statistics help me if I major in another subject?

Statistical methods are used in many other subjects. For example, biology, Earth science, psychology, technology, demography, sociology, market research, management systems, and economics all make use of statistical methods. Students often find the statistics courses they took are very helpful later in their university career.

• Will statistics help me find a career?

There are many career paths open to someone who majors in statistics, both here in New Zealand and overseas. Our graduates do not have trouble finding a job after graduation.

• Who employs our Waikato University Statistics graduates?

Many of our graduates work for the NZ Department of Statistics. Some work in agricultural research as biometricians. Some work in industry and manufacturing (eg. the dairy industry). Others work in market research. Others work financial institutions while pursuing actuarial training. Some pursue careers in education either at secondary or tertiary level. Others pursue further study either in New Zealand, or elsewhere.

• I only want to take one mathematics course in 7th form. Which one do you recommend?

Either one is adequate preparation for taking our first year statistics papers. If a student can only take one, and is also taking science papers, we recommend that it be the mathematics with calculus paper. He/she can pick up statistics in one or more of our STAT121 Introduction to Statistical Methods, STAT122 Introduction to Bayesian Statistics or STAT160 Management statistics paper during their first year at Waikato.

• Which first year statistics should I choose?

Our three first year courses are aimed for students taking different qualifications.
· If you are enrolling in the School of Management you are required to enrol in STAT160 Management Statistics.
· Most students in the Schools of CMS, Science, Social Science, or Education will normally enrol in STAT121 Introduction to Statistical Methods.
· Students in the Schools of CMS and Science who have 65% or above in a bursary math paper are encouraged to enrol in STAT122 Introduction to Bayesian Statistics. It is highly recommended for students who are planning to major in Statistics and Mathematics, and for some of the specified BCMS and BSc programmes in the CMS school. Students may enrol in STAT122 Introduction to Bayesian Statistics after completing one of the other first year statistics papers.

Return to the Statistics home page