Doctor of Philosophy in Data Science and Statistics
The program offers extensive coursework and intensive research experience in theory, methodology, and applications of statistics (see degree requirements).
- Faculty members with broad and diverse research interests are available to supervise doctoral dissertations.
- Financial support in the form of assistantships, full tuition support, and scholarships and awards are provided. Additional scholarships are available for US citizens and permanent residents.
- Our students, both domestic and international, have a strong record of starting in full-time jobs right after graduation.
- Students have opportunities to participate in active Statistics Seminar series and the departmental Colloquium series.
- To enhance career prospects, students can pursue Graduate Certificate in Data Science, and possibly use the certificate courses to fulfill the PhD degree elective requirements.
- NSM Career Success Center is available to support professional development and experiential learning of students.
- GRE test score is not required for admission.
Placement
100% of our 22 PhD graduates since 2020, both domestic and international, secured full-time employment within a few months of receiving their degrees.
Placement of 2022 & 2023 PhD Graduates
| Year | Placement |
| 2023 | Postdoctoral Fellow, T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University |
| 2023 | Assistant Professor, Peter O’Donnell School of Public Health, UT Southwestern Medical Center |
| 2023 | Principal Biostatistician, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, NY |
| 2023 | Biostatistician, Medpace Inc. |
| 2023 | Assistant Vice President, Citibank, Tampa, FL |
| 2022 | Senior Data Science Analyst, Discover Financial Services |
| 2022 | Statistician, MacroStat Clinical Research Co., Ltd., Shanghai |
| 2022 | Assistant Professor, Saudi Electronic University |
| 2022 | Analyst, MUFG Bank |
Assistantships
Graduate Teaching Assistantships are offered to qualified PhD students on a competitive basis. These assistantships include a monthly stipend (currently set at $2,400) along with a full tuition waiver (covering 9 credit hours per term in the Fall and Spring semesters). The assistantship additionally covers the cost of health insurance purchased through the university and most fees. Graduate Research Assistantships for advanced PhD students are also available on some faculty members’ research grants. Typically, assistantship support is provided for five years and encompasses the Summer semester as well.
All admitted students are considered for assistantships; no separate application is necessary.
Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards
PhD students are additionally supported through the following awards:
- NSM McDermott PhD Admission Fellowship (for highly qualified new students, offered at the time of admission)
- Dean’s Fellowship and EEF Scholarship (for highly qualified new students who are U.S. citizens and permanent residents, offered at the time of admission)
- Julia Williams Van Ness Merit Scholarship and Mei Lein Fellowship
- Outstanding Teaching Assistant of the Year Award
- Dean of Graduate Education Dissertation Research Award
- Best Dissertation Award, David Daniel Thesis Award, and Outstanding Graduate Student Award
Conference Travel Support
NSM Conference Travel Award and Betty and Gifford Johnson Travel Award are available to provide financial support to PhD students to present their research at professional conferences.
Ready to start your application?
Before you apply, visit our How to Apply page to get familiar with the admission requirements and application process.