Introduction to the Major
Statisticians help to design data collection plans, analyze data appropriately, and interpret and draw conclusions from their analyses. The Statisticsmajor provides a systematic and thorough grounding in applied and theoretical statistics as well as probability. The UC Berkeley Statistics department has particular strength in Machine Learning, a key ingredient of the emerging field of Data Science. Our department excels at interdisciplinary science. A Statistics degree from Berkeley is excellent preparation for a career in science or industry, or for further academic study in a wide variety of fields.
What You Will Learn
Collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data is growing more important every year in nearly every field. Whether you go into business, academia, medicine, journalism, activism, or government, claims about data will profoundly influence your career and the world around you. The Statistics major helps students develop:
-
Strong mathematical and critical thinking skills
-
The ability to formulate real-world questions quantitatively
-
Creative thinking for new kinds of problems
-
Computing skills
-
Communication and visualization skills
Amplify Your Major
-
Consider the teaching emphasis in the major and join Calteach if interested in teaching statistics or mathematics at the secondary level.
-
Participate in a data competition.
-
Gain valuable experience as a Reader, Tutor, or UGSI
-
Already have an intended major? Consider adding a Statistics minor.
First Year
Explore Your Major
- Enroll in Statistics prerequisite courses and prepare for declaring your major.
- Form study groups with classmates.
- Start mapping out a 4-year plan of study.
- Review your major and college requirements.
- Join the Happenings Mailing List to receive the Statistics newsletter.
Connect and Build Community
- Discover student organizations at Calapalooza.
- Get matched with a grad student mentor through Berkeley Connect or L&S Mentors Program.
- Utilize tutoring services at the SLC.
- Check out the Basic Needs Center and the Recalibrate website.
Discover Your Passions
- Visit the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarships to learn about research opportunities on campus.
- Take L&S 1 for an introduction to the College.
- Explore the intersectionality of disciplines in a Big Ideas course.
Engage Locally and Globally
- Plan for studying abroad and meet with a Study Abroad Advisor.
- Explore volunteering opportunities on campus.
- Engage in community service through the Public Service Center.
Reflect and Plan Your Future
- Develop a plan for getting career ready.
- Visit the Statistics website and join Handshake and BearX to access career resources.
- Set up a LinkedIn profile and start building your resume.
- Shadow alumni in the Cal Job Shadow Program.
Second Year
Explore Your Major
- Apply to the major in the term when you are finishing your last prerequisites.
- Review upper division major requirements.
- If taking STAT 134, consider taking the adjunct course offered by the SLC
- Start designing your Statistics Applied Cluster.
Connect and Build Community
- Consider becoming a Reader, Tutor or Lab Assistant for the Statistics Department.
- Join SUSA and SAAS to connect with Statistics majors.
- Engage in individual discussions with professors during office hours.
Discover Your Passions
- Find a mentor and connect with faculty who share your research interests
- Apply for the Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program
- Participate in a data competition.
- Start looking for research opportunities in statistics for summer or a later term.
Engage Locally and Globally
- Study abroad as a sophomore, junior, or senior with Berkeley Study Abroad
- Join Bridging Berkeley to become a math mentor to middle schoolers.
Reflect and Plan Your Future
- Learn about alumni career paths in the Career Connections Networking Series
- Conduct informational interviews to learn about different career fields
- Get Berkeley Career EngagementCareer Center help for resumes, portfolios, and interviews.
- Attend internship fairs.
Third Year
Explore Your Major
- Meet with a major advisor to check your progress.
- If you have an internship related to statistics, apply for STAT 197 credit.
- Pursue an emphasis in teaching
- Consider doing a senior honors thesis
- Transfers: Map out a 2-year plan of study.
Connect and Build Community
- Join campus organizations like the Cal Actuarial League or Data Science Society
- Connect with student government and co-curricular activities through the LEAD Center
- Gain valuable teaching experience by becoming a Statistics Undergraduate Student Instructor.
Discover Your Passions
- Join CalTeach to explore a career in education.
- Apply for fellowships to fund your own research project.
- Apply to summer research opportunities, such as SURF and Haas Scholars Program.
Engage Locally and Globally
- Study and intern in Washington D.C. with UCDC or Cal in the Capital
- Take classes at another UC or college througha visitor and exchange program
- Volunteer for the Statistics Department on Cal Day.
- Participate in the Big Ideas Contest.
Reflect and Plan Your Future
- Apply for a STEM Beyond Summer Internship
- Explore post-graduation options at career and graduate school fairs
- Attend events sponsored by the Statistics Department and its industry partners
- Update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
Fourth Year
Explore Your Major
- Confirm university, campus, and L&S requirements by checking your Academic Progress Report
- Meet with your major advisor to verify completion of major requirements.
- To graduate with honors, enroll in STAT H195 and write a senior honor thesis.
Connect and Build Community
- Become a Golden Bear Orientation Leader and welcome new students to the UC Berkeley campus and community.
- Apply to become an L&S peer advisor
- Attend a seminar series hosted by the department to hear about the latest research in statistics.
Discover Your Passions
- Facilitate a DeCal course on a topic you are interested in.
- Present a statistics research poster at Cal Day or a conference sponsored by the American Statistical Association.
Engage Locally and Globally
- Explore gap year opportunities prior to your next adventure.
- Apply for a postgraduate fellowship
- Go on service trips over spring or winter break with the Alternative Breaks program.
Reflect and Plan Your Future
- Utilize job board tools in your job search.
- Find career opportunities with icrunchdata or the American Statistical Association
- Find full-time jobs and paid internships through the On-Campus Recruiting program.
- Apply to graduate and professional school programs.
Jobs and Employers
- Actuarial Analyst, Fidelity
- Business Tech. Consultant, Deloitte
- Bioinformatics Programmer, UCSF
- Business Analyst, Wells Fargo Bank
- Consultant, Applied Predictive Tech.
- Credit Analyst, Standard & Poor’s
- Data Analyst, Golden State Warriors
- Data Scientist, Capital Group
- Developer, SAP
- Financial Analyst, Abbott Labs.
- Product Technician, Esurance
- Quant. Software Engineer, Two Sigma
- Researcher, Stanford University
- Software Engineer, Intuit
- Staff Advisor, Ernst and Young LLP
- Underwriting Analyst, AIG
Graduate Programs
- Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
- Business Administration
- Computational Mathematics
- Computer Science
- Data Science
- Economics
- Financial Engineering
- Investments and Securities
- Management Science and Engineering
- Neurobiology
- Physics
- Quantitative Psychology
- Statistics
Examples gathered from the First Destination Survey of recent Berkeley graduates.
Connect With Us
Cal Day
Come to Berkeley’s annual Open House in April for information sessions, campus tours, special talks, and more.
Golden Bear Orientation
Attend a Statistics info session during the new student orientation week at the start of your Berkeley studies.
Events
Join the Happenings Mailing List to receive information about career fairs, jobs, and events related to the field of statistics.
Advising
Staff advisors are available for advising and to assist with enrollment issues during remote drop-in hours and either remote or in-person appointments. Refer to statistics.berkeley.edu/academics/undergrad/advising. Check in at the Statistics Front Office in 367 Evans Hall (3rd Floor) for in-person appointments.
For quick advising questions, email stat-ugrad@berkeley.edu
For enrollment issues, email stat-enrollments@berkeley.edu
How to Use this Map
Use this map to help plan and guide your experience at UC Berkeley, including academic, co-curricular, and discovery opportunities. Everyone’s Berkeley experience is different and activities in this map are suggestions. Always consult with your advisors whenever possible for new opportunities and updates.
