Master of Science in Applied Statistics

The Master's programme in Applied Statistics at Trier University focuses on modern applied methods of statistics and trains students to become applied statisticians with a broad knowledge of the field and a specialisation in one of four topics. Due to the Economic and Social Statistics Department’s main research priorities, a special emphasis is put on computational (survey) statistics. The four specialisations are as follows: Survey Statistics, European Master in Official Statistics (EMOS), Data Science, and Geostatistics. In addition to profiting from the curriculum of the programme, students can get insights into actual statistical research through the Research Institute for Official and Survey Statistics (RIFOSS) located at Trier University. As the need for evidence-based policies and thus for sound complex data analyses rises, the need for well-trained applied statisticians increases as well. Through its structure, the Master's programme ensures that students are not only trained in statistics but also get insights into subject matters like economics, social sciences, etc., creating a multidisciplinary environment. Graduates are thus able to fine-tune their profiles to prepare for their desired future lines of work (even within their chosen specialisation tracks). This ability is further enhanced by a collaboration with the University of Bamberg, using modern teleteaching facilities. This ensures a broad spectrum of lectures from which students may choose. A study abroad using ERASMUS funding is possible. Double Master's degrees in combination with programmes such as Business Mathematics, Data Science, Economics, and Economic Sociology provide further possibilities for students to shape their individual study tracks. Trier is located close to the Statistical Office of the European Union (Eurostat) and other European institutions in Luxembourg. It is not far from the German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) in Wiesbaden and the German Central Bank (Deutsche Bundesbank) in Frankfurt am Main either. Accordingly, high-profile internship opportunities are nearby. Graduates will typically work in national statistical institutes (NSIs), central banks, or quantitatively-oriented research institutes, or they can pursue PhD studies (for especially excellent students potentially at the Economic and Social Statistics Department at Trier University) and an academic career. Other likely future employers include banks and investment fund corporations, consultancies, market research firms, international organisations, and governmental agencies. The Master's programme in Applied Statistics is a two-year, full-time, on-site programme. It offers the following different module types: Compulsory modules (i.e. Elements of Statistics and Econometrics, Monte Carlo Simulation Methods, and Statistical Programming with R) Elective core modules (depending on the chosen specialisation track) Elective modules in General Statistics (e.g. Statistical Modelling, Multivariate Statistics, etc.) Elective application modules (e.g. from Data Science, Economics, Sociology, etc.) Research project Master's thesis These modules provide a broad knowledge of statistical methods. Further, methodological and thematic priorities may be chosen within the modules. For example, computer-intensive methods, econometric methods, Monte Carlo techniques, and survey sampling methods are taught. The method-oriented lectures provide the basis for a thorough understanding of applications in statistics and other fields. Furthermore, they are the basis for the students' own first research activities within the research project. Some lectures are accompanied by tutorials (including programming exercises, e-learning elements, etc.). Students complete the programme with a Master's thesis.