Profile and Career

Statistics is largely the use of models to describe the real world. You often need to design the models specifically to describe a certain problem. This process requires your creativity in combination with your mathematical skills.

In practice, statistics is a combination of three different disciplines:

• Probability theory, which is the field of mathematics that describes uncertainty.
• Theoretical statistics, which comprises philosophical considerations about how best to translate between mathematics and reality.
• Practical data processing, which is an area of applied computer science.

Competence Description

The MSc programme in Statistics gives you the competences to:

• conduct independent statistical analysis, complex experiments, and observational research
• research contemporary topics with probabilistic methods
• develop new statistical solution models
• independently take responsibility for your own professional development and specialization. 

See the full description of the knowledge, competencies and skills you obtain in the curriculum for Statistics.

Career Opportunities 

Being a statistician, you are in high demand and there is virtually no unemployment. Statisticians find jobs in, for instance:

• the pharmaceutical industry
• the public health insurance sector
• the financial sector
• agricultural research.

Some statisticians are employed at universities as scientists or teachers. This requires you to get a PhD. Others work as consultants or as private entrepreneurs.