Master Degree Program in Statistics
Discipline code: Statistics: 0714

Ⅰ. Overview of the discipline and research fields
In 2003, the enrollment of statistics for postgraduate students started (depend on the systematic engineering); In 2007, the enrollment of probability theory & mathematical statistics for master' s degree started; In 2012, the enrollment of statistics for master' s degree started (jointly with School of Finance & Economics in Jiangsu University). Since then, the program of statistics has contributed many statisticians to various industries, including education, management, finance and so on.
The master degree program in Statistics focuses on:
1. Markov chains and stochastic processes
2. Financial Economics and quantitative investment
3. Machine learning and artificial intelligence
4. Queuing theory

Ⅱ. Goal
The postgraduates have a solid and broad statistical basis, mainly engaged in scientific research, data analysis, financial market and other departments with work.

Ⅲ. Objectives
In order to adapt to the era of big data, and to cultivate advanced data analysists and statisticians, master students in statistics need to achieve the following goals:
(1). With correct outlook on life and values, good moral character, strict style of study, strong sense of enterprise and pioneering spirit.
(2). With firm grasp of the basis theory of statistics, professional knowledge and practical skill, professional development and frontiers; being competent of reading and writing scientific papers; with the ability to independently carry out scientific research work, being competent in the specialized field of teaching, research, and statistics-related enterprise survey; with a better understand of the theories, techniques, and methods in the field of statistics, with new insights in scientific or specialized statistical technique.
(3). With physical and mental health.

Ⅳ. Degree requirements
1. Years of study
Duration of study is typically last three years for full-time graduate students. If some students cannot finish the program as expected, the extension period is generally no more than one year. An excellent master candidate can apply for early graduation. Advance years and higher than the normal graduation requirements are detailed in the "Jiangsu University graduate degree application for academic papers published during the academic requirements".
2. Training methods
Graduate training implements mentor responsibility system and is encouraged to implement the steering group responsible system under mentors, in order to guide the whole process of postgraduate training. Mentors (Steering group) are not only responsible for the formulation of graduate training programs, guiding scientific research, professional practice and dissertations and other works, but also for graduate ideological and moral, academic guidance, demonstration and supervision.

Ⅴ. Requirements for the course credits
The course of the graduate students is divided into the course of study and practice. The total credits of the course of study should reach 24 credits, including at least 14 credits for degree courses.

Ⅵ. Credits Requirement for Practice
Practice credits and theory credits cannot transfer to each other, only when both of the practice credits and theory credits requirements are satisfied; the MSc students may proceed to submission and defense of their dissertations. The total practice credits are no less than 6.
(1). Academic Activities (2 credits)
MSc students must participate in various kinds of academic activities, which include “Lectures on academic ethics” organized by JSU, lectures presented by well-known scholars, seminars as well as graduate forum, during the MSc period, the students must present no less than 10 times.
Assessment of academic activities is in charge of discipline-team; furthermore, the students must have an academic paper that is accepted in the international conference or top level national conference. The students will obtain 2 credits when they have qualified academic activity attendance and published papers or reports.
(2). Literature Review (2 credits)
MSc students should read a number of literatures for the development of the ability to acquire knowledge by themselves. The ability to do literature review will be assessed by the group of experts. The students will get 2 credits when qualified, otherwise, they will not be able to proceed to the opening. 
(3). Academic Report (1 credit/time)
MSc students must attend demonstration of literature review, progress report or research seminar no less than one times. The discipline team leader will assess the report, the qualified students will get 1 credit per time.
(4). Practice (1 credit)
MSc students should attend a practical session during their master’s on less than one month. The practical session includes teaching practical and production practice. Teaching practice consists of the tasks of coursework correction, question answering and experimental teaching. Production teaching requires technical experience of students in an industry place for at least one month. MSc students need choose one of them and thereafter they must complete a practical report. The practical session is assessed by the master’s supervisors. The qualified students will obtain 1 credit.
(5). Dissertation
The master postgraduate research of this discipline consists of fields in the computer application technology and the research of application foundation, and promotes the study of theory and technologies in the leading and the cross subjects. Degree thesis should represent that the master postgraduate students have a firm and comprehensive grasp of basic theories and profound and systematic specialized knowledge in the discipline concerned, master the scientific research approaches and experiment skills of their research areas, and have the ability to undertake the research task independently.
Degree thesis should be fluent, logical and well-reasoned. The main opinions should have sufficient novelty. The degree thesis must consist of abstract (English & Chinese), introduction, main body, conclusion and references, and so on.
The degree thesis process is distributed into four stages: proposal, progression report, dissertation writing up and dissertation defense.
· Proposal
Master postgraduate students must conduct massive literature review and related investigation before writing up. This aims to investigate the history and current situation of their research areas, and then identify the research topic and complete the proposal. The proposal should describe some key issues of the research, such as: topic basis, research approaches, expected goals and novelty and schedule.
The dissertation defense must be arranged 1 years (at least 11 months) later after getting a pass of the proposal.
· Progression Report
The progression report must be conducted around 6 months later after the proposal.
· Publications and Achievements
Master postgraduate students are encouraged to publish academic thesis and make more research attributes.
· Dissertation Writing-up
The master postgraduate student must complete degree dissertation independently under the direction of the supervisor. Dissertation format can be found from “Jiangsu University Degree Thesis Writing-up Format Requirements”.
· Dissertation Assessment and Defense
Dissertation assessment and defense requirements can be found from “Jiangsu University Academic Degree-conferring Detailed Codes” and “Jiangsu University Degree Thesis Blind Review Implementation Details”.

Ⅶ. Advisory Committee and Supervisory
The Steering Committee as a graduate student is composed of the Faculty Committee and regularly inspects and guides.