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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Statistics

USA

What will I learn?

The MA in Statistics is earned as part of working toward the PhD program, which is designed around a three-year course of study. By the end of the third year, successful students will have completed courses and started on full-time research.

Upon completing the MA and PhD degrees in the field of Statistics, students will be able to:

  1. Master fundamental theory in probability and statistics.
  2. Become familiar with a broad range of statistical methods for applications.
  3. Become proficient at statistical computing.
  4. Develop effective communication skills as a professional statistician.
  5. Develop the skills to do independent research.

Students pursuing the PhD degree in the field of Statistics must complete:

  • A minimum of 90 credit hours of approved coursework beyond the bachelor's degree and a minimum of 60 hours beyond a master's degree.
  • A satisfactory performance on a required qualifying examination and an original thesis with a public oral defense.

All Statistics graduate students are assigned a limited amount of teaching or other departmental service as part of their graduate education. The assignment usually entails approximately 10 hours per week, averaged over the semester. Students completing the PhD degree in 4 years can expect no more than 4 semesters of service.

Which department am I in?

George R. Brown School of Engineering

Study options

Full Time (90 credit hours)

Tuition fees
US$59,784.00 per year
USD $29,892 per semester

*Price shown is for indicative purposes, please check with institution

Start date

25 August 2025

Venue

George R. Brown School of Engineering

Duncan Hall 1016,

6100 Main Street,

HOUSTON,

Texas,

77005, United States

Entry requirements

For international students

Prerequisites:

Prospective students applying to the Ph.D. in Statistics program generally have the following mathematics background. If you do not satisfy these prerequisites, we invite you to contact the Graduate and Undergraduate Program Administrator or chair of the Ph.D. admissions committee to seek advice.

Students can apply directly from a bachelor’s program (three-year bachelor’s degrees are accepted). In general, applicants should have at least a 3.0 (B) grade point average, or the equivalent, in their undergraduate work.

Applicants who are foreign nationals and those whose native language is not English must provide evidence of English proficiency. The following language proficiency tests are accepted by Rice graduate programs and will be used to assess English language proficiency:

The TOEFL IBT or IBT Home Edition. A minimum score of 90 is required
IELTS Indicator. A minimum score of 7 is required.
Duolingo. A minimum score of 115 is required.

The priority deadline that begins reviews is December 1. The final submission deadline is December 31.

*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.

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About Rice University

Rice University is one of the USA’s leading research universities, consistently ranking in the country’s top 20 colleges.

  • Top 20 US college (USNWR, 2024)
  • 6:1 student-faculty ratio
  • 300-acre, leafy city-center campus
  • Fifth best value school in the USA (USNWR, 2024)

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