Overview

Course Objectives

The postgraduate Applied Statistics program aims to enable students to develop:

• Proficiency in statistical software packages such as SPSS and SAS
• An understanding of the need for, and methods of, acquiring good data
• Quantitative skills in areas such as exploratory data analysis, estimation and hypothesis testing, factor and regression analysis, discriminant analysis and forecasting
• An appreciation for the role of statistical analysis for revealing underlying relationships and behaviours in business and society

Career Outcomes

The demand for applied statisticians continues to grow as data production grows in all areas of the economy. Graduates are employed in areas such as the following:

• Marketing
• Government agencies
• Market research
• Education
• Medical and biological sciences
• Town planning
• Social research
• Insurance
• Banking
• Medical Research

Eligibility

Academic

Applicants must have an undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in any discipline. Applicants with an appropriate postgraduate diploma or equivalent are also eligible to apply.

Work Experience

Non-graduates with several years of practical statistical experience are eligible to apply and be eligible to commence Graduate Certificate level studies.

International applicants must have an IELTS score of 6.5 average, with at least 6.0 on every section of the test.

How to Apply

This course is restricted. Students are required to apply and be approved by Swinburne University of Technology before they can enrol in units through OUA.

Applications for the Master, Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate of Science (Applied Statistics) are due by Friday two weeks prior to the close of enrolment.

Please complete the application form below.

1. Read information requirements

   • Select to apply for one or more courses listed on the application form, taking note of the eligibility criteria for each course. If you want to apply for a (restricted) course with a different university, you'll need to submit a separate application from the relevant course page.

   • Read all parts of the application form in advance:

     Receive a faster response by ensuring you have all the required information ready before you start. If you have a web account, sign in first to pre-fill personal details we already have for you on record.

     If you do not have a web account, you'll need to register one within the application form. Once you've registered an account, you'll then be signed in. From here you can choose to complete your application and submit it, or save and return to it later.

     Completing this application should take 15 to 20 minutes.

   • Need help completing your application? Contact us:

     If in doubt about any of the information required to support your application, the more information you can provide the better. If you have any academic queries including how to request credit transfer, contact Swinburne University of Technology directly. For all other enquiries, contact us.

   • Next steps:

     After submitting your application, you should receive a confirmation email containing a copy of your application for your records.

     Your application will be assessed within 2-4 weeks, and if further information is required, we will contact you. Once your application has been assessed, we will be in touch via email to notify you of the outcome. At the latest this will be one week after the closing date for applications.

     If, after submitting your application, you wish to change your preferences or submit an additional document, please email apply@open.edu.au. Include your full name as it appeared on the application.

2. Prepare supporting documents

   • Check that you have all the required documents, according to individual course requirements and your personal circumstances, specifically:

     1. Your curriculum vitae - required for entry into postgraduate courses only.
     2. Certified copies of academic transcripts - required in most cases but check course eligibility rules.
     3. A letter of recommendation from your employer on company letterhead - recommended for entry using work experience.
     4. Certified legal documentation - if you have changed your name e.g. a marriage certificate, deed poll name change certificate.
     5. Certified legal documentation - if you need to correct an error in your date of birth e.g. a birth certificate.
     6. English language test results - if your courses were not predominantly in English e.g. IELTS or equivalent test results.
     7. Official translations of any documents not in English.

     A "certified" copy is a copy bearing the recognised mark of a Justice of the Peace, Commission of Oaths or declarations, Public Notary or a Solicitor.

   • Create an electronic copy of your attachments:

     For each certified document, scan and save it on your computer. Save your curriculum vitae to your computer, then get ready to upload all documents in the form.

   • Do not send original documents as they will not be returned.

Special Requirements

The media used to teach this course include printed materials and also some online study material. You will need easy and frequent access to a computer with the internet and email.

Additionally, students will be required to purchase and/or have access to the statistical software package SPSS.

SAS software required in Graduate Diploma and Master of Science units will be supplied by DVD. Please note: SAS will only run on a Windows platform.

Award Requirements

To qualifiy for the award of Graduate Diploma of Science (Applied Statistics) students must complete eight units.

Students completing the Graduate Diploma will be eligible to apply for the Master of Science (Applied Statistics).

Recognition of Prior Learning / Credit

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a process where a student may be granted credit or partial credit towards a qualification in recognition of skills and knowledge gained through work experience, life experience and/or formal training. Entry to the course is available through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and relevant experience. Entry points will vary according to Swinburne Exemption and RPL policies.

Normally a maximum of 2 units in the Graduate Diploma or Master of Science (Applied Statistics) is available. A maximum of 4 units is possible in exceptional circumstances.

For further information about Swinburne University’s credit transfer arrangements please refer to: policies.swinburne.edu.au/ppdonline or contact the OUA Coordinator at Swinburne University.

Related Courses

This course sits within a group of courses, giving you the flexibility to study towards different levels of qualification. The courses are listed from the highest to the lowest qualification.

• Master of Science (Applied Statistics)
• Graduate Diploma of Science (Applied Statistics)
• Graduate Certificate of Science (Applied Statistics)

Course Structure