Prospective Students

Degree Programs

Simon Fraser University offers Master's and Doctoral programs in Statistics and a Master's program in Actuarial Science. The Department also offers co-operative work experiences for M.Sc. students.

The Statistics M.Sc. program is designed to give a broad grounding in several areas of statistics with a particular emphasis on theory and applications. Students do course work, participate in the Statistical Consulting Service, and complete a project (typically based on a practical problem involving statistical analysis) that they present and defend orally at the end of their program. 

The Statistics Ph.D. program is designed to allow a student to specialize in a particular area of statistics. Students complete some course work and are required to pass a comprehensive examination. In addition, they are required to defend a thesis that makes a significant contribution to statistical knowledge.

The Actuarial Science M.Sc. program provides advanced training in key areas of actuarial science and statistics while developing research skills. It is primarily geared to students interested in research-focused employment in the insurance and reinsurance fields. Students do course work and complete a project based on an actuarial problem (either practical or theoretical) that they present and defend orally.

Although we do not currently offer a Ph.D. program in Actuarial Science, interested students may be able to enrol in the Statistics Ph.D program but base their theses on actuarial science problems.

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Admissions

Admissions are competitive. Most years, we are forced to turn away many qualified applicants. For admission to the Statistics M.Sc. or Ph.D. program, students normally must have completed a B.Sc. or M.Sc. degree, respectively, in Statistics. For admission to the Actuarial Science M.Sc. program, students must have completed a B.Sc. program, ideally in actuarial science. Students with degrees in other areas who have a strong quantitative background and have completed advanced coursework in statistics will also be considered. We evaluate students' overall academic ability and potential to succeed in the program, prioritizing a background in statistics or actuarial science, communication, and programming skills.

Typicallly, applications are due in January, and accepted students begin their programs in September of the same year. Students are assigned a supervisor on admission.

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Tuition and Financial Support

Graduate students must pay tuition fees each semester. For graduate students not supported by NSERC scholarships, financial support is provided by the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science. This support may consist of both a teaching component (teaching assistantships) and an academic component (graduate fellowships, research funding, and other sources). 

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Statistics & Actuarial Science co-op

SFU has a thriving co-operative education program. Qualified students work for one or two semesters with companies or government agencies. Co-op students gain experience working in the discipline and often make contacts that lead to permanent jobs after graduation. In Statistics and Actuarial Science, participation in the co-op program is optional but welcomed for both M.Sc. and Ph.D. students. 

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Academic Resources

Extensive library and computing resources are available to graduate students.

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Moving to SFU

Learn about life on the SFU campus and find information about moving to SFU.

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