STANFORD UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY ONLINE COURSES
Through the Stanford Center for Professional Development, you may take online individual graduate and professional courses in engineering and related fields. Graduate courses may also be audited. Earn a graduate or professional certificate or a master of science degree in engineering part-time, at a pace that works for you.
View all Stanford University online courses and certificates.
Master’s Degrees
Stanford part time graduate students come from around the world and from many different industries. Balancing work, life, and a rigorous academic schedule, they contribute their real-world experience to the classroom and bring the innovative spirit of Stanford back to industry. Are you ready to join this exceptional community of learners?
Pursue a Stanford University master of science degree on a part-time basis through the Honors Cooperative Program (HCP). As a HCP student, you will be a fully matriculated graduate student of Stanford University.
How it works:
- Apply to the academic department through the normal graduate admissions process
- Complete 45 quarter units of master’s degree study in five years or less
- Receive the same student privileges, rights, and responsibilities as a full-time residential student, including access to the full Stanford curriculum
- You are welcome to come to campus at any time to attend class, meet with instructors and classmates, and use Stanford libraries
The Stanford Center for Professional Development provides online access to courses and customer service and handles financial transactions for tuition and related fees. If they are not already, your employer must become a member of the Stanford Center for Professional Development for you to pursue your master’s degree as an HCP student.
While preparing your application, you may take individual courses under the Non Degree Option. Up to 18 graduate credit units earned while taking individual courses or earning a graduate certificate can be applied toward your degree program.
Applying for your Master’s Degree
- Step 1: Choose a Course of Study
Explore available graduate degrees listed by department to the right.
Decide which degree program is right for you.
Ensure you meet any applicable prerequisites.
- Step 2: Prepare Your Application
Review the graduate admissions process. Your Graduate Record Exams (GRE) scores may be no older than 5 years.
Ensure you meet any applicable prerequisites.
Discuss your plans with your employer to gain their support.
Know your company’s tuition reimbursement policies.
Consider enrolling in an individual graduate course for credit first to determine if distance learning and part-time graduate studies are right for you.
- Step 3: Submit your Application Package
Select the appropriate application deadline. Several departments accept applications only once a year, others have rolling admissions for HCP applicants.
Follow the graduate admissions process for submitting your application package.
- Step 4: Complete the Admissions Process
Description
The department requires that students take 45 units of work from offerings in the Department of Statistics or from authorized courses in other departments. The units break down into 4 required categories:
- Statistics Core
- Statistics Depth
- Linear Algebra Mathematics
- Programming
The required courses must be taken for a letter grade and students must maintain an overall GPA of 2.75 or higher to earn their Master’s degree. In addition to the required courses, students must take elective courses to complete the unit requirement. This degree requires on campus attendance, as a majority of the coursework is not available at a distance. To view the list of required courses and approved electives, please refer to the Statistics Department web site: Statistics Department Degree Program
Statistics Core Requirement
To satisfy the breadth requirement students must take 4 core courses in statistics. These courses are:
- Probability (Stats116)
- Stochastic Processes (Stats217)
- Applied Statistics (Stats191)
- Theoretical Statistics (Stats200)
All must be taken for a letter grade. Students with a prior background in any of these areas may replace specific courses with a more advanced course from the same area. For replacement course options please use the link located above in “Description” section.
Statistic Depth Requirement
To satisfy the depth requirement students must take four additional courses in statistics from the 200 or 300 level. All must be taken for a letter grade.
Linear Algebra Mathematics Requirement
Students must take one of the following courses to satisfy the mathematics requirement:
- Applied Matrix Theory (Math 104)
- Linear Algebra and Matrix Theory (Math 113)
Students who have had linear algebra may take a more advanced mathematics course, (e.g. Math 115 – Functions of a Real Variable or Math 171 – Fundamental Concepts of Analysis) or other math courses with their program advisor’s approval.
Programming Requirement
Students may take one of the following courses to satisfy the programming requirement:
- Programming Methodology (CS106A)
- Programming Methodology and Abstractions (CS106X)
- Intro to Scientific Computing (CS137)
Students who have these skills may elect a more advanced CS course.
Electives
Graduate courses crosslisted with the Statistics department are approved as electives for the program. Please refer to the Statistics Department web site for a list of approved elective courses: Approved Elective Courses
Other graduate courses (200 or above) may be authorized by the program advisor if they provide skills relevant to statistics or deal primarily with an application of statistics or probability and do not overlap with courses in the student’s program.
MS in Statistics
The MS in Statistics is a popular degree as either a terminal degree or together with a doctorate in another field. Visit this Admissions page for instructions on applying to add the degree (for those already enrolled at Stanford).
Program Summary
The department requires that the student take 45 units of work from offerings in the Department of Statistics or from authorized courses in other departments. Of these 45 units, eight statistics courses from the list of required courses must be taken for a letter grade. Units for a given course may not be counted to meet the requirements of more than one degree, that is, no units may be double-counted (for example, students who have already taken STATS 116 and have counted it toward their undergraduate or another Master’s degree should discuss with their advisor a choice of a suitable replacement course). An overall 2.75 grade point average (GPA) is required. Additional courses from the list of authorized electives may be used to complete the unit requirement. Because departments often change their offerings, please contact one of the master’s advisors for approval of courses not on this list. Each student must also complete the mathematics and the programming requirements. Courses other than the eight required statistics courses may be taken for a letter grade or Credit/No Credit. There is no thesis requirement.
Department seminars are an integral part of the program and provide an opportunity to interact with leading academic and industry speakers.
You cannot count more than six units of Stats 260ABC (Workshop in Biostatistics), Stats 298 (Industrial Research), Stats 390 (Consulting Workshop), Stats 299 (Independent Study) or Stats 399 (Research) toward the master’s degree requirements.
Courses below 200 level are generally not acceptable, with the following exceptions:
Stats: 116, 191
Math: 104, 113, 115, 151, 171, 180
CS: 106A, 106B, 106X, 140-181
At most, one of these two courses may be counted:
1. Math 151 or Stats 116
2. Math 104 or Math 113
With the advice of the masters advisors and of peer students, each student selects his/her own set of electives and pace of study. Ordinarily, four or five quarters are needed to complete all requirements. Students who do not complete all requirements within three years of admission will have their program terminated.
Accelerated load (9 months – not typical): September-June; typically 5 courses per quarter for 3 quarters
Normal load (12 months): September-August; 3-4 courses per quarter for 4 quarters, including one summer quarter
Normal load (15-18 months – more common scenarios):
September-June, September-December or March; This allows for greater flexibility in choosing electives and a lighter course load in the last quarter (which can then be dedicated to job interviewing).
All students are expected to abide by the Honor Code and the Fundamental Standard.
Masters Advisor
Students’ academic progress is monitored by a faculty advisor, currently Brad Efron, David Donoho, and Joseph Romano.
Office hours for Winter Quarter:
Brad Efron: By appointment only
David Donoho: By appointment only
Joseph Romano: On sabbatical this quarter; please contact Professor Efron or Professor Donoho if you need to speak with an advisor regarding your courses and have your program proposal approved.
Careers
Students with a master’s degree have found employment in industry, pharmaceuticals, government and business, or have completed further study toward a PhD (at Stanford or another institution).
The American Statistical Association, in conjunction with other statistical societies, has prepared a brochure, “Careers in Statistics”, that can be obtained by writing to the ASA (1429 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-3402). The ASA also maintains a website, www.amstat.org, and the section on education and careers may be helpful.
The book 101 Careers in Mathematics, published by the Mathematical Association of America (P.O. Box 91112, Washington, DC 20090-1112; phone 1-800-331-1MAA; fax 1-301-206-9789) provides a description of careers in the mathematical sciences, and includes about ten careers in statistics. This book also includes an appendix that provides information about finding a job.