Study Applied Statistics 

Applied statistics is a uniquely analytical career field. Students who study applied statistics build critical-thinking and problem-solving skills in data analysis and empirical research, preparing themselves for work in a variety of industries — from engineering to healthcare and beyond. If you’re interested in managing, analyzing, interpreting, and drawing conclusions from data, then a degree with a focus on applied statistics might be for you. 

Applied statistics involves analyzing data to help define and determine business needs. While potentially bringing you closer to your career goals, an applied statistics master’s degree program teaches students how to take their advanced statistical knowledge and complex quantitative skills and turn them into must-have assets for companies — big and small. 

Statisticians, data analysts, and other data professionals use applied statistics across industries to solve practical problems in today’s data-centric world. Applied statistics has a wide variety of uses, from studying the effectiveness of new pharmaceutical products to improving efficiency in marketing and sales. Government agencies and nonprofits can even use data to help prevent disease, collect demographic information, and steer political campaigns. And knowing your numbers pays off: according to a 2018 study conducted by the Boston Consulting Group and Google, companies that employed data-driven marketing strategies saw a 20 percent increase in revenue and a 30 percent decrease in spending. 

As business leaders grow their understanding of the power of data for their companies, the need for statisticians and other professionals with advanced applied statistics skills is becoming apparent. A wide variety of opportunities may be available to graduates with degrees with a focus on applied statistics. Such career paths include:

Both data science and applied statistics are rooted in and related to the field of statistics. Applied statistics is the foundation on which data science has been built, and both make big data relevant to businesses and industries. Much of the core courses and training designed for professionals in data science, statistics, and analytics are based on similar statistical education. Fields that involve analyzing data-based findings or results often leverage trained operations research analysts, statisticians, and scientists to interpret and report information. 

Earning a master’s in data science may be a viable choice for professionals interested in learning how to data mine in order to make predictions and data-driven decisions. Data science is an emerging field that continues evolving, and data science technology has the power to differentiate and optimize the way business leaders approach decisions, processes, and the future. Data scientists employ complex computing techniques to extract information from large data sets, help companies forecast potential problems, focus on areas with growth potential, and make strategic, data-driven business decisions. 

A master’s in data science provides students with the ability to recognize patterns in data and to skillfully obtain, continually reorganize, and manage data. While data science is rooted in statistics, applied statistics takes a mathematical approach to analyzing and solving problems with gathered data. Applied statistics is useful for solving real-world problems and drawing conclusions for business decisions. 

The Master of Information and Data Science (MIDS) program delivered online from the UC Berkeley School of Information prepares data science professionals to be leaders in the field. The WASC-accredited program features a multidisciplinary curriculum that draws on insights from the social sciences, computer science, statistics, management, and law.

While all universities and programs are different, courses are designed to provide students with an understanding of how data science is used to inform decision making in organizations. The MIDS curriculum features a wide range of core and elective courses including:

The multidisciplinary online Master of Information and Data Science program educates burgeoning data science leaders by preparing them to derive insights from real-world data sets, use the latest tools and analytical methods, and interpret and communicate their findings in ways that change minds and behaviors. The core curriculum focuses on research design, data cleansing, data engineering, information ethics and privacy, statistical analysis, and other essential and specialized skills data science professionals typically use in the field. 

With flexible program paths, it’s designed for the working professional’s schedule and can be completed through one of three paths: accelerated, standard, or decelerated:

Last updated November 2021.

Earn a Master of Information and Data Science online from UC Berkeley.