Academic Advising
Academic advising for undergraduate students is coordinated by faculty in the Department of Statistics and staff from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) Academic Services Center.
All incoming first-year and transfer students majoring in statistics or (pre-)statistical data science are assigned an advisor in the Department of Statistics. Mathematics-statistics majors are assigned both an advisor from the Department of Statistics and the Department of Mathematics. Students can view their advisor assignments through the Student Administration System.
Regardless of class level, major, or assigned advisor, all students are welcome to make an appointment with the statistics staff advisor.
Statistics Advisors
Staff Advisor
Alyssa O'Keefe
Academic Advisor
Contact Regarding
- General Education and major requirements
- Double majors, dual degrees, and minors
- Permission numbers for statistics courses
- Course planning and registration
To make an appointment with the statistics staff advisor, please call (860) 486-2822.
Faculty Advisors
Elizabeth Schifano
Associate Professor of Statistics and Undergraduate Program Director
Haim Bar
Associate Professor of Statistics and Undergraduate Faculty Academic Advisor
Contact Regarding
- Statistics and data science internships
- Research
- Career and graduate school plans
Please make an appointment with a faculty advisor via the Nexus scheduling application.
Selecting Courses
At your initial meeting, your assigned advisor will go over with you the overall plan of courses you should take each semester so that you may graduate on time. Both you and your advisor will keep a copy of this course plan. We recommend that you refer to this plan each time you contact your advisor about course advising. The advisor might sometimes find it necessary to adjust the plan to help you track your progress toward graduation.
At the first meeting, your advisor will review your plan of study. You should submit your final plan of study via the Student Administration System the semester before you graduate so that your advisor can review it. For more information, review the steps to successful graduation.
Each semester until you graduate, you must contact your advisor for advising appointments. Make sure to set up your appointment before the registration period (in mid-fall for the spring semester and in mid-spring for the fall semester). Your advisor will then go over your course selections for the major and lift the advising hold so that you can register for courses. It is your responsibility to make sure that your advising hold is lifted so that you may register on time. Until the hold is lifted, you will be unable to register.
Keep in mind that your advisor cannot lift the Bursar hold. If you have a Bursar hold on your account, you will need to contact the Office of the Bursar. Please keep in mind that some courses tend to fill up very quickly, so be prompt.
Your advisors will have access to your academic information in the Student Administration System. They will review your degree progress to make sure you have fulfilled all graduation requirements before they approve your final plan of study.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find my assigned advisor?
Students can view their advisor assignments through the Student Administration System. Find step-by-step instructions on how to view your advisor in Student Administration.
As a major, will I be able to easily get into my statistics courses?
The Department of Statistics holds a number of seats in reserve for majors in statistics, mathematics-statistics, and (pre-)statistical data science. Even so, with the increased demand for statistics courses, you must try and enroll as quickly as possible when your registration period opens.
During registration, I receive a “prerequisite not met” message, even though I’ve taken the prerequisite course. How can I resolve this?
Sometimes, you may not be allowed to register due to a “prerequisite not met” if, for example, you transferred the prerequisite course in. Immediately contact the statistics staff advisor. If your request is valid and a seat is available, a permission number can be granted to resolve this problem.
Can I use transfer credits toward my major?
Except in special cases to be determined on a case-by-case basis, you may not transfer credits toward upper-division major courses. You may send requests with supporting material to the undergraduate program director for consideration.
Can I do course credit by examination for any statistics course?
The Department of Statistics does not currently allow for course credit by examination.
Can I do a regular course as an independent study?
The statistics faculty are in general unable to offer a routinely offered course as an independent study. We reserve an independent study for a topic that is outside the stream of courses regularly offered in the statistics department.
What are my responsibilities toward graduation?
It is the student’s responsibility to complete all the requirements prior to graduation. You should go into the Student Administration System and verify through Degree Progress that you have completed all graduation requirements. This includes all general education requirements, requirements for your major, related courses (for statistics majors), and requirements for your minor (if you opt to do a minor).
In order to graduate, your major GPA must be 2.0 or above. In order to graduate with a statistical data science major, your cumulative GPA must also be 3.2 or above. If not, you must take courses in the major to bring up your GPA.
For graduation, your final plan of study should be submitted via the Student Administration System for your academic advisor to review the semester prior to your graduation. Mathematics-statistics majors must submit the plan to both their STAT and MATH advisors.
What is the statistics departmental assessment?
In your final semester, you will be asked to complete a departmental assessment. You will receive an email regarding this from the Department secretary. The Department will administer and collect the questions. This is not an assessment of the student, but of the Department in its teaching effectiveness.
Forms and Other Resources
For Statistics Majors
For Mathematics-Statistics Majors
For Statistical Data Science Majors
Learn Through Experience
As part of the College of Liberal arts and Sciences (CLAS), your statistics and data science education connects you to countless opportunities to grow through hands-on experiences. Whether you participate in an internship, research, or study abroad, you’ll apply what you learn in class and gain transferable skills that prepare you for any career.