Statistics

Entry requirements

A postgraduate diploma can usually be taken at any time after the completion of your bachelor's degree.

If your first language is not English you need to meet our English language requirements as follows: IELTS score of 6.5 in the academic module (with no individual band below 6.0); we also accept a number of other English language tests. Due to COVID-19, we currently accept Duolingo English Test (DET), IELTS Indicator Test, and TOEFL iBT Special home Edition.

Don’t meet the English language requirements? The University of Otago Language Centre "English for Otago" programme offers a pathway for Undergraduate and Postgraduate students to meet the English language requirements for undergraduate and postgraduate study.

Months of entry

February, July

Course content

The Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (PGDipArts) requires two semesters of full-time study. It entails a structured programme of postgraduate coursework and, in some instances, a piece of supervised research that counts for one or two of the required papers. The normal admission requirement is a completed Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in the major of the proposed programme.

Graduates are employed in administration, business, education, government, industry and journalism where their advanced knowledge of an academic area, ability to solve problems, research and writing skills are valued. It is also a recognised qualification for admission as a candidate for the Master of Arts (MA) and, if a dissertation is included, the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

Statistics as a field of study is concerned with the collection, analysis and interpretation of numerical data. The main emphasis is on the role of random variation in observations that are made, which is why statistical theory is built on the concepts of probability.

Although the study of statistics in any depth requires some proficiency in algebra and calculus, it is not just another branch of mathematics. The use of statistical methods requires skills in problem formulation, computing and the assessment of evidence that are not always closely related to mathematical ability. Furthermore, a key ingredient for being a successful statistician is the ability to communicate complex ideas to other people in written and verbal reports.

Statistics can be studied at all undergraduate levels at the University of Otago. Many students take a first year Statistics paper as a prerequisite for their main subject of interest, or just because it is generally useful to have some knowledge of basic quantitative methods. Often these students then continue the subject with papers at 200-level and 300-level while majoring in disciplines like Botany, Ecology, Economics, Finance, Geography, Marketing Management, Psychology or Zoology.

Other students study Statistics as their major subject because they:

• are looking for a practical and useful application of their mathematical abilities, with good employment prospects
• would like to work with researchers, in a wide range or disciplines, in solving important problems
• want a job which involves them in contributing to policy or management decisions for government or private industry
• have a concern for social or environmental issues and want to use their skills in biological, environmental or medical research.\

Level of Award of the Diploma

The diploma may be awarded with distinction or with credit.

Diploma in a Second Subject

A student who has obtained the diploma in one subject may become a candidate for the diploma in any other subject.

Information for international students

Otago offers students an unrivalled campus experience and a vibrant, social student culture. The majority of Otago’s 21,000 students live, work and play in Dunedin - New Zealand’s only true university city. Otago is home to over 3,000 students, from over 100 countries.

Fees and funding