Courses of Study 2018-2019 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
Courses of Study 2018-2019 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Biometry and Statistics


In the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences .


Course Offerings  

Quantitative prediction and interpretation are increasingly essential components of biological, physical, and social sciences. Complex patterns, structures, and interactions raise fundamental and fascinating questions that can be addressed only using mathematical, statistical, and computational methods. The wealth of data that can be acquired using modern methodologies to address these questions, in turn, requires substantive quantitative approaches to make possible appropriate analysis and interpretation. Computational power, meanwhile, continues to increase exponentially, providing the means for sophisticated analysis of complex phenomena.

The Biometry and Statistics major, in the Department of Biological Statistics and Computational Biology, focuses on the application of statistical and mathematical techniques to the sciences. Biometry applies statistics and mathematics to problems with a biological component, as seen in agricultural, environmental, biological, and medical science. Statistics is concerned with quantitative aspects of scientific investigation: design, measurement, summarization of data, and reaching conclusions based on probability statements. Students with ability in mathematics and an interest in its applications will find this a rewarding and challenging major.

The work of an applied statistician or computational biologist can encompass research, teaching, consulting, and computing in almost any combination and in a wide variety of fields of application. Opportunities for employment are abundant in academics, government, and businesses ranging from large corporations to small firms; salaries are usually excellent. Experience gained through summer employment, undergraduate research, or work as an undergraduate teaching assistant is highly recommended. For further details on the Biometry and Statistics major/minor, please contact the director of undergraduate studies, Professor Giles Hooker (1186 Comstock Hall), at gjh27@cornell.edu or go to bscb.cornell.edu.

Faculty


M. Wells, chair (1190 Comstock Hall, (607) 255-8801, 255-5488); S. Basu, J. Booth, A. Clark, G. Hooker, A. Keinan, S. McCouch, P. Messer, J. Mezey, M. Wells, A. Williams, H. Yu

Requirements for the Major (beyond the college requirements):


Ten core courses, plus an approved concentration consisting of four courses. Only courses for which the student receives a grade of C- or better will count toward the major in biometry and statistics.

Statistics Electives:


Students must additionally complete two courses from the Statistical Methods Electives list below, and another 3 courses of Related Electives that make a thematically-linked sequence. (for complete list, go to bscb.cornell.edu/majReq.php):

The Minor:


A minor in biometry and statistics is available to all undergraduate students in CALS. To complete the program, students must submit a minor program of study form, available in 1198 Comstock Hall. Each student will retain a copy of the form and will be responsible for planning the minor program of study in conjunction with the advisor in the student’s major and a BSCB faculty advisor. Students and advisors in other departments should contact the director of undergraduate studies in the Department of Biological Statistics and Computational Biology if they have general questions about Biometry and Statistics courses or the minor. A BSCB faculty member will supervise and assist each minor in course selection.

Note:


Three additional statistics electives from the advanced statistics course list given above. (Linear Algebra, BTRY 4030 - Linear Models with Matrices  BTRY 4090 - Theory of Statistics  and BTRY 4520 - Statistical Computing  can also be counted towards this requirement.)

Only courses for which the student receives a grade of C– or better will count toward the minor in biometry and statistics.