Data Analytics Graduate Student Guidebook

2022-2023

Data Analytics Online Master’s and

Certificate Programs

2022-2023

Data Analytics

Graduate Student Guidebook

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Contents 
A. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................................3 
A.1   Fields of Study ....................................................................................................................................3 
A.2   Program Learning Objectives .............................................................................................................3 
A.3   Program Features ...............................................................................................................................3 
A.4   Terminology ........................................................................................................................................5 
A.5   Preferred Communication ..................................................................................................................6 
A.6  General Contact Information..............................................................................................................6 
A.7  Faculty ................................................................................................................................................6 
B.  ADMISSION PROCESS .........................................................................................................................................8 
B.1   Admission Timeline ............................................................................................................................8 
B.2  Types of Admission .............................................................................................................................8 
B.3  Admission Prerequisites .....................................................................................................................9 
B.4  Application Process ......................................................................................................................... 11 
C.  STUDENT ONBOARDING AND SUPPORT ......................................................................................................... 15 
C.1  Orientations ..................................................................................................................................... 15 
C.2  Preparing for the First Day of Class ................................................................................................. 16 
C.3  Department Resources and Services ............................................................................................... 16 
C.4   Campus Resources and Services ...................................................................................................... 17 
C.5  External Resources .......................................................................................................................... 17 
D.  THE MS DEGREE IN DATA ANALYTICS .............................................................................................................. 18 
D.1   Degree Requirements ...................................................................................................................... 18 
D.2  Degree Timeline ............................................................................................................................... 19 
D.3  Course Offerings .............................................................................................................................. 19 
D.4  Recommended Schedule for Your First Year in the Master’s Program ........................................... 20 
D.5  Advising ........................................................................................................................................... 20 
D.6  MS Program of Study and Graduate Committee ............................................................................. 20 
D.7  Petitions ........................................................................................................................................... 21 
D.8  Annual Review of Student Progress ................................................................................................ 21 
D.9  Capstone Project (ST 595) ............................................................................................................... 21 
D.10  Final Oral Examination ..................................................................................................................... 22 
D.11  Diploma ........................................................................................................................................... 22 
E.   THE GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN DATA ANALYTICS ......................................................................................... 23 
E.1  Certificate Requirements ................................................................................................................. 23 
E.2  Course Schedule for Your First Year in the Certificate Program ..................................................... 23 
E.3  Advising ........................................................................................................................................... 23 
E.4  Certificate Program of Study ........................................................................................................... 23 
E.5  Petition for Change of Major to MS ................................................................................................ 23 
E.-6  Certificate Completion..................................................................................................................... 24 
F.  ACADEMIC POLICIES ........................................................................................................................................ 25 
F.1  Continuous Enrollment .................................................................................................................... 25 
F.2  Unauthorized Break in Registration ................................................................................................ 25 
F.3  Leave of Absence from Program ..................................................................................................... 25 
F.4  Drop/Withdraw from a Course or Term .......................................................................................... 25 

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F.5  Grades .............................................................................................................................................. 26 
F.6  Satisfactory Progress ....................................................................................................................... 27 
F.7  Student Conduct .............................................................................................................................. 27 
F.8  Dismissal from Program .................................................................................................................. 28 
F.9  Student Files .................................................................................................................................... 29 
 
   

A. INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this guidebook is to acquaint current and future students with the organization, policies, and

procedures of the Data Analytics programs offered by the Department of Statistics at Oregon State University.

All graduate programs at Oregon State University (OSU) fall under the authority of the Graduate School, and so

students should be aware of all Graduate School policies and procedures as well. Additional material about the

department, admissions, policies and procedures can be found online.

 Statistics Department: stat.oregonstate.edu

 Ecampus: ecampus.oregonstate.edu/online-degrees/graduate/data-analytics/

 Graduate School: gradschool.oregonstate.edu/

 OSU Academic Catalog: catalog.oregonstate.edu/college-departments/science/statistics/

A.1 Fields of Study

The Department of Statistics offers online graduate programs leading to the Master of Science (MS) or Graduate

Certificate in Data Analytics. The Graduate Certificate requires five core courses, which are a subset of the

courses required for the MS degree.

The general categories of skills and knowledge encompassed within the certificate and MS programs are

computer programming and statistics. Prior programming experience and calculus are not required.

The certificate coursework is a good general introduction to the fields of statistics and computer science.

Our master’s program has more detail but focuses on statistical methods used for big data. Students learn and

use the programming languages Python, in the computer science courses, and R in the statistics courses.

A.2 Program Learning Objectives

The learning objectives for the Master’s degree are:

1. Gain a thorough understanding of applied principles of statistics.

2. Demonstrate the ability to summarize a technical report and/or statistical analysis and interpret results;

also, show the ability for broader implication of application in the statistical field.

3. Communicate statistical concepts clearly and professionally in oral form.

4. Demonstrate preparedness to provide guidance in statistical design and analysis.

A.3 Program Features

These cutting-edge programs in data analytics offered by Oregon State University's renowned College of Science

and Department of Statistics through OSU’s top-rated Ecampus, are designed for ambitious professionals who

want to add more statistical or analytical skills to their repertoire and who are seeking advancement or a

transition to a new functional area. The programs’ key features are as follows.

Online Classroom

Our philosophy for designing online courses is to use OSU-supported technology to best deliver the content in

the most flexible way while keeping the technology transparent to you. We use Canvas, a centralized platform

where you can logon to your classroom. There you can get assignments, interact with faculty and peers, reply to

message boards, and more.

Our courses are created in partnership with our faculty and our distance-education instructional designers to

ensure a learning experience that is tailored to the subject matter and the expected learning outcomes. We

approach the development of our online courses very seriously, so that they mirror the exact same quality

content as you would expect on campus.

Courses are delivered in an asynchronous format that allows students to access them at their convenience

during the day or evening. Online classes do have certain start and end dates that follow OSU’s academic

calendar (registrar.oregonstate.edu/osu-academic-calendar). While there may be time-sensitive assignments

like homework, quizzes, midterms, finals or participation, students are not required to sign on at certain times in

a day to watch live lectures.

Faculty Instruction

All statistics classes in our data analytics programs are developed and taught by full-time OSU faculty in OSU’s

Statistics Department. Our core computer science courses are taught by instructors in the College of

Engineering at OSU.

Quarter System

OSU and the online program are on a quarter system. The Data Analytics curriculum is taught in the Fall, Winter,

and Spring terms (September-December; January-March; late March-mid June). Classes are 11 weeks long,

including one week for finals. Summer classes are not offered for this program, with the exception of the

prerequisite course, ST 351.

Fall Quarter Admission

Newly admitted students must begin their programs in September because the foundational courses—ST 516,

517, and 518—must be taken in sequence during Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters.

Concurrent degree applicants (students who are already registered as a graduate student at OSU) may apply for

admission in Fall, Winter, or Spring. (More at B.2 Types of Admission.)

Time to Completion

The Master’s program consists of 45 quarter credits (13 courses). It typically takes five academic quarters of full-

time registration to complete. Full-time students take three classes (9 credits) per term and complete the

program in approximately five terms or 15 academic months (1.5 years).

The Master’s program can be taken part time. Part-time students take a minimum of one class (3 credits) per

term and complete the program in approximately 15 terms or about 45 academic months (5 years). The

maximum time allowed for completing the program is seven years.

The certificate program consists of 18 credits (5 courses) and takes five terms to complete.

Each credit unit is equivalent to approximately three hours of study per week; therefore, a 4-credit course

requires approximately 120 hours of study during the 10 weeks of instruction. The recommended course load

for a first-year student who works full-time is 1-2 courses per term. Students for whom data analytics is a new

field may want to consider a less than full-time course load.

OSU requires that students maintain a minimum registration of 3 credits per quarter during every quarter except

summer session until they graduate, unless they are on a pre-approved leave of absence.

Transfer Credits

Upon completion of the first term of your program, you may petition the Data Analytics program and the

Graduate School to transfer previously earned graduate-level credit to your program. Since the Data Analytics

program is fairly prescriptive, you should first discuss this with your advisor or the program director. You must

submit a new or revised program of study concurrently with the petition (refer to section D). A maximum of 22

graduate-level credits may be transferred into the 45-credit Master’s degree and a maximum of 9 graduate-level

credits may be transferred into the 18-credit Graduate Certificate. If the credits were earned at a school other

than OSU, the credits must not have been used as part of an awarded prior degree. Transfer credit must comply

with all policies in the OSU Academic Catalog (catalog.oregonstate.edu/college-departments/graduate-

school/#policiestext).

Capstone Project and Final Oral Examination

Master’s students complete a capstone project (ST 595) and final oral examination during their last term in the

program. A written thesis is not required.

Tuition and Fees

Ecampus tuition and fees are charged per credit. Please refer to the charts and tuition calculator on the Ecampus

website for current rates (ecampus.oregonstate.edu/services/tuition). International students and domestic

nonresidents are charged the same per-credit rate as Oregon residents.

Financial Aid

Domestic students who are admitted to the Master’s or Graduate Certificate may be eligible for federal and

state financial aid through OSU if enrolled for 5 or more credits per term. The aid may be in the form of federal

loans, grants, or private scholarships. Fellowships and graduate assistantships are not available for Data

Analytics students. International online students are not eligible for financial aid through OSU.

Financial aid is limited and is awarded on a first-come basis by OSU. It is advisable to fill out the Free Application

for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 1 to maximize funding opportunities. For more information about

financial aid offered through OSU, please visit the Ecampus website

(ecampus.oregonstate.edu/services/tuition/financial-aid).

Both domestic and international students may want to search online for private awards such as the Women in

Data Science Scholarship (info.quanthub.com/women-data-science-scholarship).

A.4 Terminology

In reading what follows, it is useful to have the following terminology:

 Statistics Department Office: The department office is staffed by an office manager and graduate

coordinator. The staff answers questions about policies, procedures, and student resources.

 Department Head: The Department Head is the final arbiter of decisions within the department.

 Director of Data Analytics (DDA): The Director of Data Analytics is the faculty member who has most

contact with students. Among other things, the DDA communicates with and counsels prospective

students, interprets departmental policy for current students, and advises students regarding their

progress.

 Advisor / Major Professor: Master’s students are assigned a faculty member as an advisor (also known

as a major professor) during their first Fall term. The advisor is responsible for guiding the student

through the program and should be the ‘first stop’ for answers to questions about academic

requirements and progress toward the degree.

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  Graduate Coordinator: The coordinator helps students interpret and follow their program’s policies and 
procedures. The coordinator also manages administrative processes such as registration restriction 
overrides and the circulation of petitions for approval signatures. 
  Graduate Committee: Master’s students are assigned a graduate committee upon completion of 18 
credits. The student’s committee reviews their program of study and participates in their oral exam. 
  Graduate School: The Graduate School oversees all graduate certificate and degree programs at OSU 
and implements the minimum policies and regulations for graduate education. Each graduate program 
at OSU establishes its own requirements but is also subject to all the requirements of the Graduate 
School. The Graduate School is the final arbiter of admission decisions and degree conferral.  
  Ecampus Student Services: The Student Services team helps newly admitted students navigate the on-
boarding process, which includes establishing a student ID, learning how to register for classes, and 
accessing course websites. The team also assists new and continuing students with registration issues 
and inter-personal conflicts with peers or instructors. Student Services operates primarily as a referral 
source. They identify the person or department who can resolve an issue and then liaisons with them to 
get the student the assistance they need.  
  Registrar: The Office of the Registrar oversees registration, grade reporting, transcripts, commencement 
ceremonies and diplomas. Occasionally, Ecampus Student Services or the graduate coordinator may 
refer a student to the Registrar for help with an issue. 
 
A.5   Preferred Communication 
Once your register for your first term, all OSU communications are sent to your OSU ONID email address. You 
are expected to use your OSU email address as your primary means of communication and to check it daily. 
 
A.6  General Contact Information 
OSU and the Statistics Department may not be able to maintain regular office hours and phone monitoring 
during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please communicate with us by email. 
  Statistics Office: statisti[email protected]; (541) 737-3366 
  Statistics Department Head: Dr. Lisa Ganio (lisa.ganio@oregonstate.edu) 
  Director of Data Analytics: Dr. Lisa Ganio (lisa.ganio@oregonstate.edu) 
  Statistics Department Faculty: See list in this document and at stat.oregonstate.edu/people 
  Graduate Coordinator: Danielle Trickle (statistics.office@oregonstate.edu) 
  Course registration restriction override request: 
https://oregonstate.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_72nCONzNUY9WwbY 
 
  Ecampus Student Services: ecampus.ess@oregonstate.edu; (800) 667-1465 (select option 1) 
  Registrar: registrar.oregonstate.edu 
  Graduate School: graduate.admissi[email protected]du or graduate.school@oregonstate.edu  
 
A.7  Faculty 
Professors: 
  Alix Gitelman, PhD in Statistics, Carnegie Mellon University, 1999, Environmental and spatial statistics, 
statistical consulting, statistical literacy 
  Virginia Lesser, Ph.D. in Biostatistics, University of North Carolina, 1992; Sampling methodology, and 
environmental statistics. 

 Lisa Madsen, PhD in Statistics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 2004; Spatial statistics, dependent data,

and statistical computing.

 Lan Xue, PhD in Statistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, 2005; Non-parametric and semi-

parametric modeling, variable selection for high-dimensional data, Nonlinear time series analysis,

Survival analysis and Analysis of longitudinal data.

Associate Professors:

 Sharmodeep Bhattacharyya, PhD in Statistics, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 2013; Statistical

inference on networks, high-dimensional statistics, clustering, non-parametric and semi-parametric and

semi-parametric methods, application to neuroscience and omics data.

 Yanming Di, PhD in Statistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 2009; Statistical genetics and

genomics.

 Sarah Emerson, PhD in Statistics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 2009; Non-parametric and semi-

parametric statistics, and biostatistics.

 Claudio Fuentes, PhD in Statistics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 2011; Clustering and

Classification problems, Post-selection inference, Bayesian Methods and Applied Statistics.

 Lisa Ganio (Statistics Department Head), PhD in Statistics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 1989;

Biometrics, quantitative ecology, and study design.

 Duo Jiang, PhD in Statistics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 2014; Statistical genetics and biology-

related fields, mixed models and quasi-likelihood methods.

 Yuan Jiang, PhD in Statistics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 2008; Data integration,

high-dimensional data, statistical genetics/genomics.

 Thomas Sharpton, PhD in Microbiology, Designated emphasis in computational biology, University of

California, Berkeley, CA, 2009; Biostatistics, genomics and metagenomics, data integration, big data

analysis, machine learning, network informatics.

Assistant Professors:

 Katherine McLaughlin, PhD in Statistics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 2016;

 James Molyneux, PhD in Statistics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 2018

Senior Instructor II:

 Jeff Kollath, MS, Oregon State University 1995.

Senior Instructors I:

 Juliann Moore, MS in Statistics Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 2011.

 Charlotte Wickham, PhD in Statistics, University of California, Berkeley, CA 2011;

Instructors:

 Kelsi Espinoza, MS in Statistics Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 2016

 Erin Howard, MS in Statistics Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 2018

 Casey Schafer, MS in Statistics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

Senior Research Assistant II:

 Lydia Newton, MAIS Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 1998.

For more information on the faculty of the Department, see the Statistics Department website at:

stat.oregonstate.edu/content/faculty-research-interests.

B. ADMISSION PROCESS

The Statistics Department follows OSU's graduate admission policies and procedures when selecting candidates

to nominate for admission to the Data Analytics programs. OSU’s Graduate School manages the graduate

admission process, interprets and enforces admission policies, and is the ultimate arbiter of admission decisions.

Please review the policies and procedures here: gradschool.oregonstate.edu/future/graduate-admissions.

Some OSU Graduate School policies and procedures do not apply to Data Analytics applicants. This section of the

guidebook is designed to help you understand and focus on the admission criteria that will be used to evaluate

your application. Please read it carefully and follow the guidelines to submit a competitive application packet.

B.1 Admission Timeline

Application opens:

September

Deadline to apply**:

May 15*, June 1

Applications reviewed:

November - June

Applicants receive a decision:

November - July

Admitted applicants submit Intent to

Enroll survey:

November-August

Applicants clear admission provisions:

May - August

Registration for Fall classes:

May - September

Program begins:

September

(*) Applicants who have not completed the ST 351 prerequisite course or

who may be eligible to have it waived should apply by 5/15 in case they

are admitted with the provision that they take the prerequisite course in

Summer term before starting the program in Fall term.

(**)All materials, including letters of reference, must be received in the

online system by June 1.

B.2 Types of Admission

Full Admission

Full admission may be granted to candidates who meet all admission requirements (see next section).

Provisional Admission

Provisional admission may be granted to applicants who meet all but one admission requirement and are on

track to complete the missing requirement before the first term of their program; for example, applicants who

will finish their baccalaureate or the ST 351 prerequisite course before September.

International Student Admission

International students who meet the admission requirements are encouraged to apply. Please note that visa

documents are not issued for the Data Analytics programs since they are offered as fully online Ecampus

programs.

Concurrent Master’s Degree or Graduate Certificate

Currently enrolled OSU graduate students may apply to add the MS or the Graduate Certificate as a concurrent

degree: gradschool.oregonstate.edu/progress/earning-concurrent-degrees-or-pursuing-dual-major.

To apply for concurrent enrollment in a Data Analytics program, do not use the online application; instead,

complete the following:

1. Submit a Change of Degree /Major/Certificate form and program of study to the Graduate School

(gradschool.oregonstate.edu/forms#change). The Graduate School will forward the form and a copy of

your OSU graduate application to the department for review and approval.

2. Submit the following documents to the Statistics department office (refer to instructions in Section B.4

Application Process):

a. ST 351 prerequisite verification

b. Statement of preparedness

c. OSU unofficial transcript

d. CV/resume

The department will communicate its decision to the Graduate School, usually within one week. The Graduate

School will notify you of its final decision.

B.3 Admission Prerequisites

Baccalaureate Degree

You must have a four-year baccalaureate degree (or international equivalent), a professional degree (such as

BPharm, BVsc, MBBS, MD, DVM, DPharm, etc.), or an appropriate U.S./Canadian alternative degree, from a

regionally accredited (US) or recognized (international) college or university to be admitted to OSU.

A three-year baccalaureate degree may be acceptable if you also hold a 45-quarter credit equivalent graduate

degree, with both degrees being from a recognized college or university. Please refer to the Graduate School

policy at gradschool.oregonstate.edu/admissions/academic-requirements for more information.

International students may search for specific requirements by country at gradschool.oregonstate.edu/country-

requirements.

Minimum Grade Point Average (GPA)

You must have a cumulative B average (equivalent to 3.00 on a U.S. 4.00 grading scale) on the most recent

baccalaureate degree or any subsequent graduate degree college or university, plus all work completed

thereafter.

The Statistics Department may choose to calculate the GPA based on the last 90 quarter credits (60 semester

credits [last two years on an international record]) of graded undergraduate work on the most recent

baccalaureate degree, plus all work completed thereafter.

In rare instances, applicants whose cumulative GPA falls below the minimum may qualify to petition for

admission. In such cases, the application must include evidence that the applicant has a strong probability of

academic success in this highly quantitative program. An applicant, who obtained a BA degree in English 10

years ago with a GPA of 2.6, and has worked as a data analyst for the last 5 years might qualify to petition.

Applicants with GPA’s less than 3.0 should address this in their application materials. The decision to petition is

made by the program.

Graduate Exams

The GRE or GMAT are not required for this program.

English Language Proficiency

International applicants who did not receive a degree in the U.S. or a country where English is the official

medium of instruction must submit English language proficiency test scores, e.g., TOEFL scores. Scores must be

no more than two-years old at the time of the applicant’s first term of registration.

Please refer to the Graduate School’s guidelines for information on exceptions, minimum scores, and more:

gradschool.oregonstate.edu/admissions/international.

ST 351 (Introduction to Statistics) or Equivalent

An upper-division undergraduate statistics course at the level of ST 351 (Introduction to Statistical Methods) or

equivalent with a grade of C or better is a prerequisite for the program.

ST 351 is an upper-division course in statistics that includes the use of a statistical computing package (e.g. R,

SAS, SPSS) to carry out basic statistical analyses. The course topics include study designs, descriptive statistics

and exploratory data analysis tools, data collection and recording, probability distributions, sampling

distributions for means and proportions, hypothesis testing and confidence intervals for means and proportions

in one- and two-sample inference, and chi-square tests. Students who have completed such a course should be

able to do the following:

1. Describe the characteristics of, and explain the process involved in, crafting a sound research question.

2. Identify appropriate data collection methods and justify your reasoning as to why a particular method

may be considered appropriate for the stated research question.

3. Display the data in a manner that provides information that can be used to help answer the research

question.

4. Obtain and evaluate statistical evidence (e.g. a confidence interval) that can be used along with

exploratory tools to answer research questions.

5. Use statistical evidence and exploratory data analysis tools to answer a research question and

communicate the answer in an accurate and interpretable fashion.

Students should have experience carrying out data analysis using a mainstream statistical programming package

(e.g. SAS, SPSS, R, JMP).

The admissions committee determines if you meet the required prerequisites. There are several ways to fulfill

the ST 351 prerequisite if you have not already completed the course:

 Take ST 351 online concurrently with your application for admission. Check the Ecampus schedule of

classes for the next course offering (ecampus.oregonstate.edu/soc). Then apply for admission to OSU as

a non-degree student ($35 fee, transcripts not required) and register

(https://ecampus.oregonstate.edu/about/admissions-requirements.htm).

 Fulfill the ST 351 requirement with an articulated course. Use the Transfer Course Search tool to check

if OSU has evaluated a statistics course you took at another school and deemed it equivalent to ST 351:

adminfo.ucsadm.oregonstate.edu/prod/OSU_ADMTAM.P_tcs_splash_page.

 Fulfill the ST 351 requirement with unarticulated coursework. In your application for admission, you

may request that the Data Analytics admissions committee evaluate unarticulated statistics coursework

you completed outside of OSU for equivalency to ST 351. The statistics coursework must have these

features:

o Offered as an upper-division (typically numbered 300-499) or graduate course

o Offered by an accredited college (not a MOOC)

o Taken for academic credit and completed with a grade of C or better

o Learning outcomes are substantially similar to five listed at the top of this page

 Demonstrate that you possess equivalent skills by virtue of prior course work plus professional work

experience. If you feel that you meet the ST 351 prerequisite by virtue of a combination of work

experience and course work, please describe the relevant experience and explicitly relate it to the five

ST 351 learning objectives listed above. Use the upload button at the end of the online application to

provide supporting documentation.

You must submit your request for a prerequisites evaluation with your application for admission. (Refer to

the Application Process section for documentation guidelines.) Please do not request an evaluation before

you apply. The admissions committee cannot make equivalency determinations for prospective applicants

due to the high volume of requests.

B.4 Application Process

Online Application

Applications for graduate admission are accepted online at oregonstate.force.com/AppLogin. Application

materials may be scanned in PDF and uploaded into your online application. All materials must be received in

the online system by the application deadline in section B.1 Admission Timeline.

Application Materials

The following documents are required for the application.

 ST 351 Prerequisite Verification

Please provide documentation that shows you completed the ST 351 prerequisite or equivalent. The

documentation requirements vary depending on how the prerequisite is being fulfilled.

o ST 351 taken at OSU: Submit transcript showing the course was completed or is in progress.

o Equivalent or potentially equivalent course: Enter the course details in the space provided on the

application and upload one of the following:

 Printout from OSU’s Transfer Course Search page showing equivalency (see Section B.3).

 Course syllabus obtained from the school/department that offered the course.

o Professional experience: Describe relevant experience using the space provided on the

application and upload any supporting documents. Be sure to relate your experience to the

learning outcomes described in the previous section.

 Statement of Preparedness

Provide a statement of your career and academic objectives and preparedness. Please address each of

the following questions succinctly. Enter your responses in the fields provided on the application.

1. What is your math background and experience?

2. What do you hope to get out of this graduate program?

3. Describe your experience working with data.

4. Describe your experience with computing and programming (software, coding).

5. Describe a time you experienced conflict and how you approached/resolved it.

 Transcripts

Transcripts from all educational institutions you attended after high school are required for the

application review. If you have a GPA below 3.0, we strongly recommend that you discuss it in your

statement of preparedness (see above).

Unofficial transcripts are accepted for the preliminary departmental review of your application. An

unofficial transcript is a copy of all pages (front and back) of an official transcript (see below). Web or

kiosk (self-service) copies of academic records are not accepted. Your application may not be reviewed if

transcripts do not meet these requirements.

Official transcripts are required for admission. Upon your nomination for admission, the Graduate

School will ask you to have your schools send official transcripts to OSU. Official transcripts must have

the following:

o The name of the school, college seal, date issued, and the Registrar’s signature.

o A complete record of all the credit-bearing coursework you attempted or completed.

o The cumulative GPA and the date the degree was conferred, if applicable.

o Numbered pages, and a legend on the back side.

If the educational institution is outside the United States, both an original language version and certified

English translation of all academic records and degree statements are required. Please include

certificates/diplomas for all degrees earned.

Electronic transcripts should be directed to “Oregon State University - Graduate Admissions.” Mailed

transcripts can be sent to:

Graduate School

Oregon State University

Heckart Lodge2900 SW Jefferson Way

Corvallis, OR 97331

If you have additional questions regarding your transcripts please contact Graduate Admissions at

graduate.admissions@oregonstate.edu.

 Letters of Reference (3)

Letters of reference/recommendation are a significant part of your application for graduate admission.

Please provide three references. The reference providers are not required to be from a university setting

but they should be able to independently evaluate your qualifications for graduate school and your work

ethic. It is usually not appropriate to ask friends or family to provide references.

When reading your letters of reference, the admissions decision-makers are looking for evidence of

critical thinking skills, problem solving and quantitative skills, motivation, persistence, ability to learn

and excellent communication skills.

Your choice of letter writers and how you communicate with them influences the quality and relevance

of your letters. To assure your letters are helpful to your application for admission, remember to:

1. Ask only people who know you well and can address the points mentioned above—writers

should be professional and academic contacts; do not include personal references which are

irrelevant to application reviewers.

2. Contact potential letter writers well ahead of your application deadline, preferably two months

in advance and tell the writer your deadline.

3. Do not assume the person will write a letter. Ask them to confirm their willingness to write a

letter for you.

4. Make writing the letter as convenient as possible and provide the following to your letter

writers:

 Describe the program at Oregon State to which you are applying. Explain that the Data

Analytics program is a non-thesis, fully online program. Explain to them what the admissions

decision makers will be looking for in their letter.

 Provide the writer with your current resume or CV so they have information readily

available.

 Explain the process for submitting the letter to your letter writer. They will be able to upload

their letter into our system.

You will be asked to enter the names and email addresses of your reference providers into the

application system. The letter of reference system triggers an email to each reference writer and

enables them to submit a confidential electronic letter for you. Upon receipt, electronic letters are

added to your file in 3-5 working days.

If you choose to not use our letter of reference system, please ask your letter writers to mail

confidential letters to the Graduate School. In most cases, these will be added to your file within one

week of receipt. The Data Analytics program does not accept unofficial letters (unsealed letters in your

possession). Mailed letters can be sent to:

Graduate School

Oregon State University

Heckart Lodge

2900 SW Jefferson Way

Corvallis, OR 97331

You should login to your application periodically to check that letters have been submitted, to resend

reference requests or add new recommenders if needed. We cannot review your application until 3

letters have been received.

 International Student Documents

International students must submit English language test scores unless they qualify for a waiver.

Conditions underwhich a waiver can be considered are described on the Graduate School’s international

admissions webpages which are linked below. English language test scores must be no more than two-

years old when you start the Data Analytics program.. Unofficial test scores will be accepted for the

review. The ETS institution code for OSU is 004586. A department code is not necessary. Please refer to

the Graduate School’s guidelines for more information:

gradschool.oregonstate.edu/admissions/international.

Financial documentation is not required at the time of application. Proof of funding is not required if you

will not be entering the U.S.; however, the Graduate School may ask you to complete a certification

form if you are admitted.

 Resume / CV

 Cover Letter or Supplemental Documents (Optional)

You may upload a cover letter (1-2 pages) or supplemental documents to your application. This is your

opportunity to provide factual information that did not fit in elsewhere. For example: Attach a syllabus

for previous coursework that you think might be equivalent to the ST 351 admission prerequisite.

Application Fee

Please see the Graduate School site for current fee and fee waiver information:

gradschool.oregonstate.edu/admissions/process.

Late or Missing Materials

All materials must be received in the online system by the application deadline listed in section B.1 Admission

Timeline. Please keep this deadline in mind when requesting letters of reference. The time between

requesting a letter from a reference and the letter being added to your application can be longer than a month.

Once you have submitted your application, you should return to the site to verify that your application materials

were received. It is your responsibility to check that your application is complete. We cannot review your

application if it is missing critical documents. See here for instructions on how to add documents after

submission: gradschool.oregonstate.edu/admissions/after-you-apply.

Decision Notifications

The Graduate School will email you a decision on your application. If you are admitted you will also receive

instructions for accepting admission and submitting official transcripts.

Intent to Enroll Survey

The Graduate School emails admitted students an Intent to Enroll Survey asking if they plan to accept the offer

and enroll at Oregon State. A link to the survey will be available inside the online application as well. You must

accept admission via the survey before you can begin the orientation and onboarding processes.

Clearing Admission Provisions or Conditions

You may be admitted with a provision or condition or both. Generally, provisions must be cleared before the

student starts their first term in the program. Typical provisions are “submit official transcripts” or “finish

baccalaureate in progress” or “complete ST 351 or equivalent.” Please contact the Statistics Office immediately

if you need clarification about provisions and the steps you must take to clear them; also, notify the office once

you have cleared a provision.

Conditions generally must be cleared while the student is in the program. A typical condition is “obtain a B grade

in every course for the first 18 credits.” If a student fails to satisfy a condition by the deadline, a registration hold

is placed on the student’s account and they must meet with their advisor and the program director to discuss

next steps, which can range from following plan of study under the close supervision of their advisor to dismissal

from the program.

C. STUDENT ONBOARDING AND SUPPORT

Data Analytics students are supported by the Graduate School, Ecampus, and the Statistics Department. Your

Statistics graduate coordinator is your go-to person if you are unsure about whom to contact for support.

You should start the onboarding process a few business days after you accept the offer of admission (refer to

Intent to Enroll Survey in previous section).

C.1 Orientations

Ecampus Orientation

Ecampus orientation is conducted remotely via webpages and videos. Topics covered include:

 Setting up your ONID (OSU Network ID)

 Applying for financial aid

 Talking to an academic advisor [see Statistic Department Onboarding below]

 Registering for classes

 Navigating the Canvas learning management system

 Tuition, fees and billing

 Ordering your OSU ID card

The online orientation materials are available on demand. To access the materials, start here:

“Getting Started: Degree-seeking Graduate Students”

ecampus.oregonstate.edu/students/newly-admitted/graduate.htm

Some orientation topics apply to undergraduates or specific programs only. Please disregard any references to

the MyDegrees system or graduate teaching assistantships; they do not apply to Data Analytics students.

Additional information about registration can be found on the Registrar’s website:

https://registrar.oregonstate.edu/registration

Graduate School Orientations

Graduate School orientations are conducted via webpages, video tutorials, and on-campus gatherings that you

are welcome to attend if you live in the Corvallis area. The campus gatherings will be replaced by Zoom

information sessions while COVID-19 containment practices are in effect. Please click the links below for more

information.

“New Graduate Students: Admitted Student Checklist”

gradschool.oregonstate.edu/graduate-student-success/new-graduate-students

Some of the checklist items won’t apply to you as an online student or you may have completed them during the

Ecampus onboarding.

“Grad Welcome Week and Orientation”

https://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/current-students/new-graduate-students/grad-welcome-week-2022

Participation in these activities is optional. You must register for workshops to receive the Zoom links. See

Section C.2 for more information about Zoom access for OSU students.

Statistics Department Orientations

This guidebook you are reading comprises the Statistics Department orientation for Data Analytics students.

We may email you reminders or policy updates periodically via our general department mailbox

(statistics.office@oregonstate.edu) or our listserv (data_analytics_onlin[email protected]regonstate.edu). You

16 
 
do not need to join the listserv; we will subscribe you. Be sure to add our email addresses to your safe-senders 
list so important announcements don’t get caught in your spam filter. 
 
C.2  Preparing for the First Day of Class  
1.  Check academic calendar, note first day of classes: https://registrar.oregonstate.edu/osu-academic-
calendar .  Please also note the deadlines for adding and dropping classes with tuition refunds.  
2.  Complete Ecampus “Starting Your Course” checklist: 
ecampus.oregonstate.edu/services/start/checklist.htm 
3.  Check out your G Suite apps: is.oregonstate.edu/google 
4.  Sign up for OSU’s Zoom for videoconferencing with your advisor and professors: 
is.oregonstate.edu/zoom/zoom-learning 
5.  Once your classes begin, login to the Canvas platform and explore the course sites: 
canvas.oregonstate.edu 
o  Read the Syllabus, noting assignments and reading deadlines, exam policies, and timing 
o  Get to know your instructors and peers 
o  Email with your academic advisor 
o  Start your first lesson 
 
C.3  Department Resources and Services 
The Statistics Department offers a list of graduate student tools and resources on its website: 
https://stat.oregonstate.edu/. Also, the graduate coordinator can assist you with the below. 
OSU Email  
All OSU students are assigned an ONID (one-id) email address.  Please use your OSU email address when 
corresponding with your advisor, any OSU office or others at OSU. Any information from OSU or the 
department, to you, will always be sent to your OSU email address.  OSU spam filters may block your incoming 
messages from non-OSU email addresses so we may not receive your message if you don’t send it via your 
@oregonstate.edu email address.  We don’t send a lot of emails but please check your OSU email regularly and 
at least every 48 hours.  Some of our messages may require your response in a timely manner.  
 
Registration Overrides 
OSU courses have restrictions that prevent students from registering if they haven’t met certain prerequisites or 
conditions. When you are blocked from registering in a restricted course, you will see a restriction code such as 
“SAPR-Department Approval Required.” If you think the restriction was applied to you in error or should be 
waived for good reason, contact the department offering the course to request an override (i.e., permission to 
enroll). The contact information is at the bottom of the expanded course description on the schedule of classes.  
If requesting an override for a Statistics (“ST”) course, use this form: stat.oregonstate.edu/form/registration-
restriction-override-request.  
 
Please contact the department from your @OSU email addresses once you have one. In your request, include 
your student ID number, the text of the restriction message, and a rationale for the waiver. (One common 
reason for an enrollment restriction is to screen out students who are not adequately prepared to study the 
subject at the graduate level.) 
Form/Petition Processing 
You might submit several petitions (requests) to the Graduate School for approval during your program. 
Graduate School forms are available at: gradschool.oregonstate.edu/forms. 

17 
 
 
Most forms are digital and will be automatically routed through OSU’s electronic signature software, DocuSign, 
for departmental approval upon submission.  A few forms must be downloaded and routed via email. To submit 
a downloaded petition, complete the form, save it as a PDF (recommended) and email it to the graduate 
coordinator (statistics.office@oregonstate.edu). The coordinator will route the form to you and the approvers 
through DocuSign for signature, and then will submit the form to the Graduate School on your behalf.  
(Recommended: Add the DocuSign domain to your email safe-senders list so notifications don’t go to your spam 
folder.) 
  
C.4   Campus Resources and Services 
OSU offers a wide array of academic and support resources designed to meet your online graduate student 
needs.  
 
  Resources to support your learning at OSU:  https://covid.oregonstate.edu/keep-learning  
  Technical help /knowledge base/software licenses: ecampus.oregonstate.edu/services/technical-
help.htm 
  Disability Access Services: ecampus.oregonstate.edu/services/student-services/ssd.htm 
  Ecampus Student Resources Guide: ecampus.oregonstate.edu/services/student-services/guide/ 
  OSU Libraries Resources: ecampus.oregonstate.edu/services/student-services/library_services.htm 
  Graduate School deadlines: https://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/current/masters-students#deadlines 
  Graduate School Student Resources Guide: https://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/graduate-student-
success/graduate-student-resources  
  Career Development Center: career.oregonstate.edu/students 
C.5  External Resources 
Professional Societies 
Students are encouraged to join one or more professional societies as student members. Students who wish to 
join the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (IMS), the American Statistical Association (ASA), or Biometric 
Society (WNAR) should go to the website of the appropriate society (ask advisor if help is needed). Membership 
is either free or very inexpensive for students. 
   

D. THE MS DEGREE IN DATA ANALYTICS

It is your responsibility to be aware of and to satisfy all policies and requirements pertaining to graduate study at

OSU and your Master’s program. University policies govern all graduate programs are set forth in the following:

 Graduate Program Policies: catalog.oregonstate.edu/college-departments/graduate-school/

 Academic Regulations: catalog.oregonstate.edu/regulations/

 Graduate School Policies and Procedures for MS Degree Completion and Graduation:

https://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/current-students/masters-students

The Statistics Department has certain requirements of its own in addition to those of the University. These

departmental requirements are set forth in this guidebook.

D.1 Degree Requirements

The MS degree requires a total of 45 credit hours. The curriculum includes:

 6 required core courses in statistics, for a total of 21 credit hours.

 4 elective courses in statistics, for a total of 12 credit hours

 3 required core courses in computer science, for a total of 12 credit hours.

Core Courses in Statistics (21 credits):

ST 516 Foundations of Data Analytics (4 credits)

ST 517 Data Analytics I (4 credits)

ST 518 Data Analytics II (4 credits)

ST 566 Time Series Analytics (3 credits

ST 558 Multivariate Analytics (3 credits)

ST 595 Capstone project (3 credits)

Core courses in Computer Science (12 credits):

CS 511 Programming Concepts for Non-majors (4 credits)

CS 512 Data Science Tools and Programming (4 credits)

CS 513 Applied Machine Learning (4 credits) (renumbering to CS 513 in progress)

Elective courses in Statistics (12 credits):

ST 515 Design and Analysis of Planned Experiments (3 credits)

ST 525 Applied Survival Analysis (3 credits)

ST 531 Sampling (3 credits)

ST 537 Data Visualization (3 credits)

ST 538 Modern Analytical Methods for Large and Complex Datasets (3 credits)

ST 539 Survey Methods (3 credits)

ST 591 Introduction to Quantitative Genomics (3 credits)

ST 592 Statistical Methods for Genomic Research (3 credits) (Taught odd winter terms)

In the event that electives listed above are not available, students may, with prior approval from their advisor,

substitute 1-2 data analytics courses offered outside the Statistics Department for some of the electives. Data

Analytics students must meet the required prerequisites for these electives. The courses must be graduate-level

courses (numbered 500-699) and have substantial data analytics content. To get approval, obtain a recent

syllabus from the department offering the course and submit it to your advisor, along with 1-2 paragraphs about

how the course fits with your research interests.

You may also need the offering department’s approval to register for a course. This may or may not be stated in

the course description. If you encounter a restriction while attempting to register, follow the instructions in

Section C above for requesting a registration override.

To find potential electives, filter OSU’s academic catalog for Ecampus courses that include data management,

data analysis or data analytic methods. (Ecampus courses will have a 400 section number.) Examples:

ECON 524 Introduction to Econometrics

GEOG 560 GIScience I: Introduction to Geographic Information Science

GEO 561 GIScience II: Analysis and Applications

PPOL 521 Understanding Social Research

D.2 Degree Timeline

The table below breaks Master’s degree progress into four stages and lists key steps for each. See also:

https://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/current-students/masters-students

First Term

At 18 Credits

Penultimate Term

Final Term

 Start planning your

program of study

in consultation

with your advisor.

 Submit the

transfer credit

form (if

applicable).

 Submit program of

study form.

Certificate students:

 Before completing

18 credits, submit

form to change

major to the MS (if

applicable).

 To be eligible to take

your final oral exam,

clear all remaining

degree requirements

and any program

deficiencies, e.g.,

courses with

“Incomplete”

grades.

 Submit updated

program of study (if

applicable). The

program of study

form must be

submitted to the

Graduate School at

least 15 weeks prior

to your final exam.

 Register for a minimum of 3 credits (typically,

ST 595 Capstone Project) during the term in

which you plan to take your final oral exam;

you must be registered to take the exam.

 Complete ST 595 Capstone Course.

 Submit diploma application. *

 Schedule final oral examination with

committee and Graduate School no later than

2 weeks prior to the exam. *

 Pass final oral examination.

 Participate in commencement (optional).

 Complete exit surveys.

(*) See Graduate School website for deadlines:

gradschool.oregonstate.edu/progress/deadlines

D.3 Course Offerings

Statistics and Computer Science planned course offerings for current academic year:

Academic Quarter

Fall

Winter

Spring

Statistics core:

ST 516

ST 517

ST 518

ST 558

ST 566

ST 595

Computer Science core:

CS 511

CS 512

CS 513 / 519

Statistics electives:

ST 515

ST 525

ST 531

ST 537

ST 538

ST 539

ST 591

Fall of odd-

numbered calendar

years

ST 592

D.4 Recommended Schedule for Your First Year in the Master’s Program

Term

1 Class

2 Classes

3 Classes

Fall

ST 516

ST 516, CS 511

ST 516, CS 511, ST 591 (or approved elective)

Winter

ST 517

ST 517, CS 512

ST 517, CS 512, ST 539

Spring

ST 518

ST 518, CS 519 (513)

ST 518, CS 519 (513), ST 537

D.5 Advising

Each Master’s student is assigned an advisor at the start of their first Fall term. The role of the advisor is to assist

the student in the selection of courses if questions arise, to help solve procedural problems, and to interpret

department policy on matters not covered by this guidebook. Each student should communicate with their

advisor before registration each quarter and any other time advice is needed. The Director of the Data Analytics

program is also available to help with these matters.

Note that advisors are not available during winter or spring University breaks, during the program’s summer

hiatus, and when they are on sabbatical leave.

D.6 MS Program of Study and Graduate Committee

You must create a Program of Study and a graduate committee, ideally around the time you complete 18

graduate credits and no later than 15 weeks prior to your final term and oral examination.

Your Program of Study helps you define your path to degree completion. It lists the courses you will take and the

members of your graduate committee. You will outline your plan in consultation with your advisor/major

professor and committee members, and then submit it to the Graduate School for approval. You must use the

Graduate School’s digital program of study form to document your plan:

https://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/forms.

When creating your plan of study, start by discussing your goals and expectations with your advisor. Consider

program requirements, the timing of course offerings, and when you intend to complete your capstone

requirement (usually during your final term in the program unless your advisor recommends otherwise).

Around the time you complete 18graduate credits, the Statistics Office will assign two additional faculty

members to serve with your advisor/major professor on your graduate committee. . You must list your

committee members on your program of study form.

Once you submit your program of study form, it will be forwarded to your committee members, the department

head, and the Graduate School for approval. The Graduate School will notify you when your plan has been

approved.

The Graduate School refers to your Program of Study to determine your eligibility for your oral exam and to

complete the final audit of your course work prior to awarding your degree; therefore, you must update your

Program of Study if coursework or committee members change after it has been approved. To make changes,

send a completed Petition for Change in Program form (Word or PDF) to the Statistics graduate coordinator. The

coordinator will route the form through DocuSign for signatures, and then to the Graduate School for final

review. The form can be found here: https://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/forms. (If an online version of the

form is available when you want to submit a change, please use it instead of the downloadable form.)

D.7 Petitions

A student who wants to deviate from department requirements should first discuss the matter with their

advisor or the Director of Data Analytics. A written petition, signed by the student and the advisor, is then sent

to the Director of Data Analytics. The petition must be specific about the requirements involved and the

circumstances that justify deviation from these requirements. The Director will review the petition with the Data

Analytics Graduate Committee. If the Data Analytics Graduate Committee denies the petition, its decision may

be appealed to the Department Chair.

For more information, a copy of “Grievance Procedures for Graduate Students” may be obtained from the

Graduate School at: gradschool.oregonstate.edu/progress/grievance-procedures.

D.8 Annual Review of Student Progress

A student's academic progress is continually monitored. A special review of a student may be conducted at the

discretion of the Director of Data Analytics. A student whose academic progress is unsatisfactory may be

dismissed from the program. Please refer to Section F for more information.

D.9 Capstone Project (ST 595)

Under the direction of an advisor, the capstone project provides an opportunity for students to integrate and

apply the analytics skills learned in the Data Analytics program to solve real-world problems and to interpret and

communicate results. Student teams will engage in the entire process of solving data science projects in realistic

settings, from placing the problem into appropriate statistical framework to applying suitable analytic methods

to the problem. Problem solving, written and oral communication skills will be emphasized. The capstone course

is the last class the student should take. The capstone project will require a registration override for enrollment.

To receive the override, the Capstone Project (ST 595) should be taken in the term in which the student will hold

their final examination (that is, in their last term of enrollment) and the approved program of study recorded at

the Graduate School.

D.10 Final Oral Examination

Overview: A 2-hour final oral examination is required by the Graduate School for all Master’s programs. The

exam will assess the skills and knowledge acquired by the student from their MS coursework and capstone

project. Mastery of skills and knowledge, as demonstrated by the student during the oral exam, is needed to

successfully pass the exam and complete the MS degree. The final oral exam is taken in the last term of

enrollment, after the student has completed or is in the process of completing all the courses on their program

of study. Students must be enrolled for at least three credits in order to take their final exam. The exam is

conducted by the student’s graduate committee which consists of the major advisor plus two additional

members of the graduate faculty.

Scheduling: The student is responsible for scheduling with their committee members and separately, with the

Graduate School. The scheduling process is as follows. Early in their final term of enrollment, the student

contacts all of the members of their Masters committee to determine a mutually agreeable examination date,

keeping in mind that each faculty member serves on several student committees and that the end of the term

tends to be busy for this reason. At least two weeks prior to the examination, the student files an Event

Scheduling Form with the Graduate School for the mutually agreed upon date. The student is responsible for

creating a zoom link and distributing the link to all their committee members via email well in advance of the

exam. The student should send an email reminder to their committee members 24 to 48 hours prior to the exam

along with a copy of their presentation.

Required Student Preparation and Exam format: Students may be examined on any course material that was

part of their MS coursework.

 Students should study and be prepared to answer exam questions without referring to notes on all their

coursework with special emphasis on the core courses of ST 516, 517, 518.

 The first 20 to 30 minutes of the 2-hour examination will be a project presentation by the student. This

is typically an extension (expansion) of a project the student developed for a previous course with

additional work done during the capstone course (ST 595).

 Following the presentation, the examining committee will ask questions about the methods and analysis

used in the project. After this round of questioning is complete, additional questions will be asked

related to other coursework.

 The student is expected to respond to questions without having to look up answers. It is common for

questioners to ask for why a certain analysis was chosen over other alternatives. Students should be

prepared to explain how methods work, what assumptions are assumed by a method or analysis and

why other methods were not appropriate or used.

D.11 Diploma

You must complete the diploma application form to receive your diploma:

gradschool.oregonstate.edu/forms#diploma.

E. THE GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN DATA ANALYTICS

It is your responsibility to be aware of and to satisfy all policies and requirements pertaining to graduate study

and your Certificate program. University policies govern all graduate programs are set forth in the

 Graduate Program Policies: catalog.oregonstate.edu/college-departments/graduate-school/

 Academic Regulations: catalog.oregonstate.edu/regulations/

 Graduate School Policies and Procedures for Certificate Completion and Graduation:

https://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/current-students/certificate-students

The Statistics Department has certain requirements of its own in addition to those of the University. These

departmental requirements are set forth in this guidebook.

E.1 Certificate Requirements

The requirements for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Data Analytics program are the same as the

Master’s program.

The Graduate Certificate requires ST 516, ST 517, and ST 518, as well as ST 566 Time Series Analytics and ST 558

Multivariate Analytics for a total of 18 credits.

E.2 Course Schedule for Your First Year in the Certificate Program

Academic Quarter

Data Analytics Certificate Classes

Fall

516, 558 ( or 2

year)

Winter

517, 566 ( or 2

year)

Spring

518

E.3 Advising

The curriculum for the certificate program is stipulated, thus an advisor is not assigned. The Director of the Data

Analytics program is available to help with respond to any questions on the program.

E.4 Certificate Program of Study

You must create a Program of Study during your first few terms to ensure you will meet the required number of

credits and any other requirements to earn the certificate. The Program of Study lists the courses you must take

to complete the certificate. You must use the Graduate School’s digital program of study form to document your

plan: https://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/forms. Contact the Statistics Office if you need advising about the

courses or process.

E.5 Petition for Change of Major to MS

You may request a change of major to the Master’s before you complete the Certificate. (If you do not request

the change before you complete the Certificate you will have to apply for admission to the Master’s program.)

Credits earned for the Graduate Certificate can be applied towards the Master’s degree if the Director of Data

Analytics and the Graduate school approve the change in program. (See the transfer credit rules discussed in

A.3.)

To petition for a change of major, submit the form to the Graduate School:

https://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/forms#degree

E.-6 Certificate Completion

At the beginning of the term you plan to complete your certificate, you must apply to graduate. This will let the

Graduate School know to complete a final audit of your coursework and award the certificate. The certificate is

not awarded unless you apply to graduate.

F. ACADEMIC POLICIES

This section describes the critical academic policies you must comply with to maintain good standing and

eligibility to stay in the program. You are responsible for knowing and following the policies in this section. The

key points are summarized here.

To remain in the program, you must:

 Maintain continuous enrollment, with a minimum enrollment of 3 credits per term (excluding summer

sessions or while on approved leave of absence).

 Arrange for a leave of absence if an absence is needed.

 Maintain a 3.0 GPA.

 Make satisfactory academic progress toward the degree or certificate.

F.1 Continuous Enrollment

You must be registered for a minimum of 3 graduate credits during every term until all degree requirements are

completed, excluding summer sessions or while on approved leave of absence.

Read the policy: catalog.oregonstate.edu/college-departments/graduate-school/.

F.2 Unauthorized Break in Registration

If you fail to maintain continuous enrollment you will have effectively withdrawn from OSU. To be reinstated,

you must reapply for readmission and pay the application fee. Acceptance back into the program is not

guaranteed.

Read the policy: catalog.oregonstate.edu/college-departments/graduate-school/.

F.3 Leave of Absence from Program

If you must interrupt your studies for one or more terms (excluding summer session) but plan to resume your

studies after the break, you must apply for a leave of absence—prior to the leave period—to avoid an

unauthorized break in registration and loss of graduate standing.

The Leave of Absence form must be received by the Graduate School at least 15 working days prior to the first

day of the term involved. Late submissions may not be approved in time to avoid an unauthorized break. Access

the digital form here: https://gradschool.oregonstate.edu/forms

Note the following:

 The time you spend in approved on-leave status will count toward the seven-year time limit for

completing your degree or certificate.

 While on leave, you may not

o use any university facilities;

o make demands upon faculty time;

o receive a fellowship or financial aid;

o enroll in any course work of any kind at Oregon State University.

Read the policy: https://catalog.oregonstate.edu/college-departments/graduate-school/#policiestext

F.4 Drop/Withdraw from a Course or Term

You may withdraw from a course or an entire term. The timing of the withdrawal may impact the following:

 “W” on transcript

 Tuition/fee refund (full, partial, or none)

 Eligibility for current and future financial aid

Generally, withdrawing from the current term is not an unauthorized break in registration and does not affect

your ability to enroll in the next term. However, there are limits on how often you can withdraw.

Read the policies:

https://registrar.oregonstate.edu/drop-class

https://registrar.oregonstate.edu/withdrawing-classes-or-terms

F.5 Grades

Grading Options

The grading options are Letter grade, Pass/No Credit, and Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory. Courses have a default

grade type but may offer one or two additional options. Be sure to review the options at registration and choose

carefully.

Graduate students may use courses taken at OSU on a Pass/No Credit basis in their graduate certificate or

graduate degree programs. Grades of P or N have no grade-point equivalents; therefore, they are not included

in the computation of grade-point averages.

Graduate students may elect to take courses on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis only if those courses are not

used in their graduate certificate or graduate degree program or are not required for the removal of

deficiencies. Be aware of the quarterly deadline for changing the grading basis for a course (refer to the

Academic Calendar).

Read the policy: https://catalog.oregonstate.edu/college-departments/graduate-school/#policiestext

Minimum GPA

A grade-point average of 3.00 (a B average) is required for the cumulative GPA earned on all courses taken as a

degree-seeking graduate student

To be considered for inclusion on a graduate program of study, OSU courses whether taken as either an enrolled

graduate student or before graduate admission, must have an earned grade of C or better. To be considered for

inclusion on a graduate program of study, courses transferred from another institution must have an earned

grade of B minus or better. Grades below C (2.00) cannot be used on a graduate program of study. A grade-point

average of 3.00 is required before the final oral or written exam may be undertaken. Enforced graduate-level

prerequisite courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C.

“Incomplete” Grade

A student may ask an instructor to grant an “Incomplete” grade for a course that has not been completed. The

instructor may grant the request if the reasons for the incomplete are acceptable and the student is passing the

course at the time of the request. When an “I” is granted, the instructor also enters the grade the student

would have received if no additional work was ever completed. Students have up to one year to complete the

required work and earn a better grade. If a student does not complete the work within one year, the “I” grade is

replaced by the grade determined by the instructor at the time the “I” grade was entered. It is recommended

that when an “I” is granted the instructor and student complete a Contract for Completion of I Grade to define

the terms under which the coursework will be completed: https://registrar.oregonstate.edu/incomplete-grades

F.6 Satisfactory Progress

A student is expected to make satisfactory academic progress toward a degree:

1. Maintain a cumulative GPA in graduate course work of 3.0 or higher by the end of the first year of

study.

2. File a timely program of study form if they are in the MS program.

3. Complete the MS requirements in a reasonable length of time.

A student whose progress is unsatisfactory may be dismissed from the program.

F.7 Student Conduct

Academic Misconduct

Oregon State University expects students to be honest in their academic work. The Code of Student Conduct

prohibits Academic Misconduct and defines it as:

Any action that misrepresents a student or group’s work, knowledge, or achievement, provides a potential or

actual inequitable advantage, or compromises the integrity of the educational process.

Prohibited behaviors include, but are not limited to doing or attempting the following actions:

Cheating. Unauthorized assistance, or access to or use of unauthorized materials, information, tools, or

study aids. Examples include, but are not limited to, unauthorized collaboration or copying on a test or

assignment, using prohibited materials and texts, unapproved use of cell phones, internet, or other

electronic devices, etc.

Plagiarism. Representing the words or ideas of another person or presenting someone else's words,

data, expressed ideas, or artistry as one's own. Examples include, but are not limited to, presenting

someone else's opinions and theories as one's own, using another person's work or words (including

unpublished material) without appropriate source documentation or citation, working jointly on a

project and then submitting it as one's own, etc.

Falsification. Fabrication or invention of any information. Examples include, but are not limited to,

falsifying research, inventing or falsely altering data, citing fictitious references, falsely recording or

reporting attendance, hours, or engagement in activities such as internships, externships, field

experiences, clinical activities, etc.

Assisting. Any action that helps another engage in academic misconduct. Examples include, but are not

limited to, providing materials or assistance without approval, altering someone's work, grades or

academic records, taking a test/doing an assignment for someone else, compelling acquisition, selling,

bribing, paying or accepting payment for academic work or assistance that contributes to academic

misconduct, etc.

Tampering. Interfering with an instructor’s evaluation of work by altering materials or documents,

tampering with evaluation tools, or other means of interfering.

Multiple submissions of work. Using or submitting work completed for another or previous class or

requirement, without appropriate disclosure, citation, and instructor approval.

Unauthorized recording and use. Recording and/or dissemination of instructional content without the

express permission of the instructor(s), or an approved accommodation coordinated via Disability

Access Services.

Academic misconduct may result in academic penalties including failing an assignment, failing a course, and

being prohibited from pursuing work within an academic major or college/school.

Further information regarding academic honesty policies may be obtained at:

https://studentlife.oregonstate.edu/studentconduct/student-info

Behavioral Misconduct

Oregon State University considers certain behaviors to be inappropriate for the Oregon State University

community. Behaviors prohibited under the Code of Student Conduct include but are not limited to:

Disruptive or Disorderly Conduct. Conduct that may contribute to, among other things, disruption of

Oregon State University operations including obstruction of teaching, research, administration, other

Oregon State University activities, and/or other authorized non-university activities which occur on or in

university physical or virtual spaces.

Threats. Written, oral, or physical conduct that causes a reasonable expectation of injury to the health

or safety of any person or damage to any property.

Harassment. Repeated, persistent, severe, or pervasive actions directed toward specific individual(s)

with the intent or effect to harass, harm, or alarm

Misuse of Computing Resources. Violating Oregon State University Acceptable Use of Computing

Resources Policy, found online at: http://fa.oregonstate.edu/gen-manual/acceptable-use-

universitycomputing-resources. This includes, but is not limited to, the unauthorized transfer of

copyrighted material, use of computing resources to engage in unlawful behavior, and threats, abuse, or

harassment made or transmitted via electronic forums or electronic mail.

Discrimination and Sexual/Gender-Based Misconduct. Any unwelcome conduct or action, based on

actual or perceived status (gender, gender identity or expression, race, color, age, genetic information,

national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, veteran status, religion, sexual orientation or

other protected statuses), which is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that it unreasonably

interferes with a person's academic or work performance, or limits or denies a person their ability to

fully participate in or benefit from the university's programs, services, opportunities, or activities.

Further information regarding behavioral conduct policies may be obtained at:

https://studentlife.oregonstate.edu/code .

F.8 Dismissal from Program

If the Director of Data Analytics decides that a student's progress is not satisfactory, and if the Department Chair

agrees, then the student is notified and is given the opportunity to submit a written explanation to the Graduate

Committee concerning any special circumstances that he or she would like to be considered. The Data Analytics

Graduate Committee reviews the case and takes its recommendation to the Department Chair, which makes the

final decision on whether or not to dismiss the student from the program. A student who has been dismissed

from the Department may continue to take courses only if he or she is accepted in another program or if the

Graduate School grants the status of special student.

F.9 Student Files

A file containing biographical information, correspondence, grades, progress reports, etc., is maintained for each

student and kept in the department office. Under the Oregon Open Records Law, a student may inspect or add

to their file at any time.

Revision Date: September 1, 2022