Graduate Interdisciplinary Program (GIDP) in Statistics
Graduate Student Handbook

The Graduate Interdisciplinary Program (GIDP) in Statistics at the University of Arizona focuses and enhances statistical training and research across the UA campus.  It  administers both the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees, as well as a Ph.D. Minor, in Statistics; a Graduate Certificate is under development.  The Program boasts a diverse and distinguished research faculty who hail from a variety of campus units, including departments in the Colleges of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Education, Management, Medicine, Public Health, Science, Social & Behavioral Sciences, the BIO5 Institute, and the Arizona Research Laboratories.  This diversity fuels an intellectually stimulating atmosphere in which modern statistical research is developed and put directly into practice.

The educational goal of the GIDP in Statistics is to train active and creative researchers and practitioners who will work at the forefronts of modern scientific study, and who will develop statistical techniques and practical innovations that advance the subject matter in those forefront areas.  Such an interdisciplinary focus requires strong analytical and computational skills, in addition to a deep knowledge of the discipline from which the new research problems arise.  Developing this level of expertise is a challenging goal, and requires honest dedication on the part of our students.

The GIDP receives enthusiastic support from all departments and colleges with which it interacts.  In addition, the Program sponsors a variety of seminars, colloquia featuring distinguished invited speakers, special lecture series, workshops, and conferences.  Faculty in the Program receive grant and contract support from numerous Federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Agriculture (USDA), and several other private foundations and companies.  This grant and contract support provides many opportunities for students to secure research assistantships as well as funds for special Program activities.

The University of Arizona is renowned for its atmosphere of flourishing interdisciplinary research.  As the list of faculty research interests reflects (see Appendix 1), the GIDP in Statistics fits naturally into this environment, encompassing a wide range of transdisciplinary studies in both theoretical and applied statistics.  It is from this list that students can select an advisor and begin developing their graduate research directions.

This handbook describes the Program's current regulations and procedures as well as the various requirements that must be met for the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or the Master of Science (M.S.) degrees.  It also details the Ph.D. Minor and pending Graduate Certificate in Statistics.  (This material is intended to be used by current graduate students already enrolled in the Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in Statistics. If you are a prospective student looking for information about the Program, please visit the Program Information or Admissions sections of this website.)  Since every student’s graduate experience will be different, however, it is important to discuss any questions about Program requirements with the Program director.