General Info

The Department of Statistics and Operations Research consists of a resident faculty and an interdisciplinary faculty with programs of study that offer considerable opportunity for the pursuit of individual student interests. Both the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees are offered, with specialization possible in deterministic optimization theory (such as nonlinear and integer programming) in stochastic processes and applied probability (such as queueing theory and simulation), or in an approved area of application (such as management science). The M.S. program is intended for the student who is preparing for a career in industry, government, or consulting. The Ph.D. program emphasizes theoretical depth and is tailored primarily to the student who is preparing for a career in teaching and/or research.

Each program includes study of the mathematical foundations of Operations Research. In either case the specific program of study for each student is determined to a large extent on an individual basis through consultations with a faculty advisor to obtain a balance between application and theory. Although it is possible for the well-prepared student to complete the M.S. requirements in three semesters, it more typically requires four semesters. The Ph.D. program, including the dissertation, generally requires four or five years past the bachelor's degree.

Students interested in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology are encouraged to investigate BCB traineeships at UNC. BCB trainees pursue a joint Ph.D. program in Operations Research while participating in special courses, seminars, and laboratory rotations in bioinformatics and computational biology, with support available from the university. See the BCB website for more information.

The Department offers a minor for Ph.D. students in other departments. The Department also offers a course sequence that enables qualified UNC-Chapel Hill undergraduates in the Mathematical Decision Sciences B.S. degree program to fulfill the requirements for the M.S. degree in Operations Research in one additional academic year beyond the four years required for the undergraduate degree.

Requirements

Applicants must have demonstrated a high level of scholastic ability in their undergraduate studies and must satisfy the entrance requirements of the Graduate School. In particular a Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year institution is required for admission, and at most six semester hours of credit from previous graduate study may be applied toward satisfying degree requirements. Three letters of recommendation from faculty or others qualified to judge the applicant's potential for graduate study are requested. No restrictions are placed on the undergraduate major for admission to the Department.

Official Records

The Graduate School requires official copies of course transcripts from your university and of GRE scores and TOEFL scores (for international students) from the Educational Testing Service sent directly to UNC-CH. Without these official records, no official acceptance or offer of financial assistance can be made. In addition, a course transcript must include an applicant's grades through the fall semester during or preceding which he/she applies for admission.

Adequate Preparation

To be prepared adequately for study in Operations Research, an applicant should have a good mathematical background, including courses in advanced calculus, linear algebra (covering matrix analysis) and probability (calculus based). Applicants must have taken these courses for credit before they can matriculate at UNC-CH. The faculty also encourages applicants to have taken coursework in at least one general-purpose programming language such as FORTRAN, C or PASCAL and to be familiar with computing in a PC environment.

Online Application

A fully interactive online application form is available for from the Graduate School. See the Graduate School's Apply to UNC-CH. If you cannot use this method, or if you have any questions regarding the application process, write the department at department.or.unc.edu.

Deadline for Applications

The deadline for applying for admission and departmental financial aid is January 31. However, the Graduate School requires that all applicants who wish to be considered for Graduate School fellowships and awards must have submitted completed applications no later than January 1. To give students the greatest opportunity for financial support, we encourage all applicants to meet the January 1 deadline.

Financial Assistance

The department has available several means of providing financial support for qualified students. These include departmental fellowships, teaching assistantships and appointments as research assistants to members of the faculty. In addition to awards from the department, students are also eligible for fellowships and assistantships granted by the Graduate School in university-wide competition. Several of the many research institutes and centers affiliated with the University (for example, the Health Services Research Center and the Highway Safety Research Center) have also provided assistantships for qualified students in Operations Research.

There is also the possibility of part-time employment at many of the research projects, institutes and centers of the UNC complex. Hours and pay range from that equivalent to a Graduate Research Assistantship up to full time work.

The department normally supports most of its students, with awards carrying stipends of $12,000 to $15,000 annually, as well as tuition and student health insurance.

Further Information

The department welcomes applicants for admission and aid from members of minorities. Admission and aid are awarded without consideration of race, religion, sex, ethnic origin, or handicap.

For more information, contact the department's OR Admissions Coordinator,  Charlotte Rogers, at crogers@email.unc.edu, or contact us via

Graduate Admissions
Department of Statistics
The University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3260
919-962-2307