As a Statistics PhD student at the University of Arizona, selecting a doctoral minor is an opportunity to deepen your expertise, expand your interdisciplinary knowledge, and tailor your academic path to your research and career goals. Whether you're interested in enhancing your theoretical foundation, applying statistics in engineering or healthcare, or leveraging computational tools for data analysis, a well-chosen minor can provide valuable perspective and skills.
Common doctoral minors include:
- Biostatistics - Focuses on the development and application of statistical methods to biological, medical, and public health research. Ideal for students aiming to work in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, or epidemiology.
- Systems Industrial Engineering - Equips students with tools for systems modeling, decision analysis, and optimization. A strong choice for those interested in operations research, logistics, or complex systems analysis.
- Applied Mathematics - Emphasizes practical problem-solving using mathematical modeling and computation. This minor complements statistical theory with tools from differential equations, optimization, and numerical methods.
- Mathematics - Provides a rigorous foundation in theoretical math, enhancing analytical depth in probability, linear algebra, and mathematical analysis—useful for theoretical or methodological research in statistics.
- Computer Science - Offers a deep dive into algorithms, data structures, and programming—valuable for data-intensive statistical computing, machine learning, and software development.
- Information Science - Explores the intersection of people, technology, and data. It includes topics like data curation, human-computer interaction, and data ethics—ideal for students focused on data-driven decision-making in societal contexts.
- Management Information Systems - Blends data analytics, information systems, and business strategy. This minor supports work in data-driven business intelligence, tech management, and organizational analytics.
The minors listed above are some of the most commonly pursued by our students, but they are by no means the only options (for example, students may also consider doctoral minors in Optical Sciences, Genetics, Hydrology, Astronomy). Students are encouraged to select a doctoral minor that aligns with their research interests and career goals. With approval from your faculty advisor and the minor department, you can choose any PhD minor offered at the university—whether it's in a related quantitative field or a complementary discipline that enhances your interdisciplinary perspective.
Note: Each doctoral minor has its own specific requirements. These may include a minimum number of credit hours, required core or elective courses, qualifying exams, or formal approval processes. Be sure to consult with the minor department early in your planning to understand the expectations and ensure timely progress toward your degree.