Why do a PhD in Statistics?

Statistics and probability are growing disciplines that open doors to a particularly wide variety of interesting and rewarding careers.

This reflects the general global demand for graduates with good statistical skills; a PhD represents the pinnacle of advanced training in statistical methods and is widely recognised by major employers.

• The need for good PhD-trained statisticians in academia and other scientific research establishments continues to be very strong indeed, with demand out-stripping supply.

• Demand for statistics PhD graduates outside academia, for example in finance, pharmaceuticals, marketing, internet services and other areas of public activity and commerce, is also very strong.

Why Warwick?

The University of Warwick has one of the largest Statistics departments in the world, with a thriving PhD program and a long-established reputation for research activity of the highest quality, enhancing both the PhD-student experience and the demand for our PhD graduates.

We have been ranked in the top group at the national Research Excellence Framework REF 2014 and at its predecessor, the Research Assessment Exercise RAE 2008. Our overall satisfaction rate in the latest Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) was 100%.

Key benefits for our doctoral students

• PhD supervision in all major areas of probability and theoretical, applied and computational statistics as well as related areas such as complexity science, systems biology and mathematical finance.
• Warwick Statistics leads the national EPSRC-funded Academy for PhD Training in Statistics (APTS), which provides a unique programme of intensive courses and networking opportunities for first-year PhD students.
• Involvement in several doctoral training centres and research initiatives covering a wide range of theoretical and applied fields.
• A large and active community of PhD students offering e.g. the regular Young Researchers' Meeting to promote scientific interaction in a particularly friendly environment.
• PhD students gain valuable experience in UG teaching such as problem classes. Teaching is part of academic life and leads to a deeper understanding of the subject benefitting your own research and helps acquiring communication, team work and organizational skills, which are highly sought after by employers in academia or other sectors. PhD students will undertake teaching (paid by the hour) and receive training and ongoing support for this work.
• Funding from various sources to support PhD students, either partially or fully; awarded annually on a competitive basis. Funds are also available for external training (e.g. APTS), research workshops and conferences.