STAT Courses for Fall 2026
Please click on the course title for more information.
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STAT 150 01 - Introduction to Data Literacy: Everyday Applications
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Course: |
STAT 150 - 01 |
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Title: |
Introduction to Data Literacy: Everyday Applications |
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Credit Hours: |
1 |
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Description: |
This course is intended to provide students with the skills necessary to digest, critique, and express every-day statistics and to use statistical thinking to answer questions in their own lives. Students will be exposed to and produce descriptive statistics, including measures of central tendency & spread, as well as common visual representations of data. The bulk of the class will be devoted to giving students the tools needed to analyze and critique statistical claims, including an understanding of the dangers of confounding variables and bias, the advantages and limitations of various study designs and statistical inference, and how to carefully read and parse claims which attempt to use numbers to sway their audience. The class will examine this material in authentic contexts such as political polling, medical decision making, online dating, and personal finance. This course is primarily aimed at students whose majors do not require mathematics or statistics. |
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Prerequisite(s): |
Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. Not open to students who have completed an introductory statistics course at Wellesley, including STAT 160, STAT 218, BISC 198, ECON 103/SOC 190, POL 299, PSYC 105 or PSYC 205. Not open to students who have received AP credit in Statistics. |
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Notes: |
Note that this course cannot be used as a prerequisite for upper-level courses in statistics or econometrics including STAT 260 and ECON 203. |
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Distribution(s): |
Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving
Data Literacy (Formerly QRDL) |
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Cross Listed Courses: |
QR 150 01 - Introduction to Data Literacy: Everyday Applications
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Instructors: |
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Meeting Time(s): |
Science Center E Wing 211 Classroom - TF 8:30 AM - 9:45 AM
Science Center E Wing 211 Classroom - W 8:30 AM - 9:20 AM |
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STAT 160 01 - Fundamentals of Statistics
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Course: |
STAT 160 - 01 |
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Title: |
Fundamentals of Statistics |
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Credit Hours: |
1 |
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Description: |
An introduction to the fundamental ideas and methods of statistics for analyzing data. Topics include descriptive statistics, inference, and hypothesis testing. This course introduces statistical concepts from the perspective of statisticians and mathematicians, with concepts illustrated by simulation. Students will engage with statistics using the data analysis software R. Designed for students who plan to continue to study statistics and/or apply statistical methods to future work in the sciences or other fields. The course is accessible to those who have not yet had calculus. |
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Prerequisite(s): |
Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 205, STAT 218, STAT 220, ECON 103/SOC 190, PSYC 105, BISC 198, POL 299, QR 260/STAT 260, STAT 318,
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Notes: |
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Distribution(s): |
Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving
Data Literacy (Formerly QRDL) |
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Instructors: |
Calvin Cochran |
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Meeting Time(s): |
Science Center L Wing 039 Classroom - TF 12:45 PM - 2:00 PM
Science Center L Wing 039 Classroom - W 1:30 PM - 2:20 PM |
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STAT 160 02 - Fundamentals of Statistics
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Course: |
STAT 160 - 02 |
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Title: |
Fundamentals of Statistics |
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Credit Hours: |
1 |
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Description: |
An introduction to the fundamental ideas and methods of statistics for analyzing data. Topics include descriptive statistics, inference, and hypothesis testing. This course introduces statistical concepts from the perspective of statisticians and mathematicians, with concepts illustrated by simulation. Students will engage with statistics using the data analysis software R. Designed for students who plan to continue to study statistics and/or apply statistical methods to future work in the sciences or other fields. The course is accessible to those who have not yet had calculus. |
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Prerequisite(s): |
Fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. Not open to students who have taken or are taking MATH 205, STAT 218, STAT 220, ECON 103/SOC 190, PSYC 105, BISC 198, POL 299, QR 260/STAT 260, STAT 318,
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Notes: |
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Distribution(s): |
Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving
Data Literacy (Formerly QRDL) |
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Instructors: |
Calvin Cochran |
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Meeting Time(s): |
Science Center L Wing 039 Classroom - TF 2:10 PM - 3:25 PM
Science Center L Wing 039 Classroom - W 3:30 PM - 4:20 PM |
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STAT 218 01 - Introductory Statistics and Data Analysis
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Course: |
STAT 218 - 01 |
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Title: |
Introductory Statistics and Data Analysis |
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Credit Hours: |
1 |
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Description: |
This is a calculus-based introductory statistics course. Topics covered include data collection, data visualization, descriptive statistics, linear regression, sampling schemes, design of experiment, probability, random variables (both discrete and continuous cases), Normal model, statistical tests and inference (e.g. one-sample and two-sample z-tests and t-tests, chi-square test, etc). Statistical language R will be used throughout the course to realize data visualization, linear regression, simulations, and statistical tests and inference. |
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Prerequisite(s): |
Pre or co-requisite - MATH 205, and fulfillment of the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) component of the Quantitative Reasoning & Data Literacy requirement. Not open to students who have taken or are taking STAT 160, ECON 103/SOC 190, PSYC 105, or QR 260/STAT 260. |
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Notes: |
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Distribution(s): |
Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving
Data Literacy (Formerly QRDL) |
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Instructors: |
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Meeting Time(s): |
Science Center E Wing 211 Classroom - TF 9:55 AM - 11:10 AM
Science Center E Wing 211 Classroom - W 10:30 AM - 11:20 AM |
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STAT 220 01 - Probability
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Course: |
STAT 220 - 01 |
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Title: |
Probability |
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Credit Hours: |
1 |
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Description: |
Probability is the mathematics of uncertainty. We begin by developing the basic tools of probability theory, including counting techniques, conditional probability, and Bayes's Theorem. We then survey several of the most common discrete and continuous probability distributions (binomial, Poisson, uniform, normal, and exponential, among others) and discuss mathematical modeling using these distributions. Often we cannot calculate probabilities exactly, and we need to approximate them. A powerful tool here is the Central Limit Theorem, which provides the link between probability and statistics. Another strategy when exact results are unavailable is simulation. We examine Markov chain Monte Carlo methods, which offer a means of simulating from complicated distributions. |
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Prerequisite(s): |
MATH 205 |
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Notes: |
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Distribution(s): |
Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving |
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Cross Listed Courses: |
MATH 220 01 - Probability
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Instructors: |
Qing (Wendy) Wang |
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Meeting Time(s): |
Science Center L Wing 045 Classroom - TF 11:20 AM - 12:35 PM
Science Center L Wing 045 Classroom - W 12:30 PM - 1:20 PM |
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STAT 260 01 - Applied Data Analysis and Statistical Inference
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Course: |
STAT 260 - 01 |
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Title: |
Applied Data Analysis and Statistical Inference |
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Credit Hours: |
1 |
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Description: |
This is an intermediate statistics course focused on fundamentals of statistical inference and applied data analysis tools. Emphasis on thinking statistically, evaluating assumptions, and developing practical skills for real-life applications to fields such as medicine, politics, education, and beyond. Topics include t-tests and non-parametric alternatives, analysis of variance, linear regression, model refinement and missing data. Students can expect to gain a working knowledge of the statistical software R, which will be used for data analysis and for simulations designed to strengthen conceptual understanding. This course can be counted toward the major or minor in Mathematics, Statistics, Data Science, Economics, Environmental Studies, Psychology or Neuroscience. Students who earned a Quantitative Analysis Institute Certificate are not eligible for this course. Enrollment in this course is by permission of the instructor only. Students who are interested in taking this course should fill out this Google Form by March 31. |
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Prerequisite(s): |
Any introductory statistics course (BISC 198, ECON 103/SOC 190, STAT 160, STAT 218, POL 299, PSYC 105 or PSYC 205). |
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Notes: |
Enrollment in this course is by permission of the instructor only. Students who are interested in taking this course should fill out a digital form during registration. |
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Distribution(s): |
Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving |
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Cross Listed Courses: |
QR 260 01 - Applied Data Analysis and Statistical Inference
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Instructors: |
Cassandra Pattanayak |
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Meeting Time(s): |
Science Center Hub 105 Lecture Hall - TF 9:55 AM - 11:10 AM
Science Center Hub 105 Lecture Hall - W 10:30 AM - 11:20 AM |
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STAT 318 01 - Regression Analysis and Statistical Models
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Course: |
STAT 318 - 01 |
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Title: |
Regression Analysis and Statistical Models |
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Credit Hours: |
1 |
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Description: |
This is an applied regression analysis course that involves hands-on data analysis. Topics covered during the semester include simple and multiple linear regression models, model diagnostics and remedial measures, matrix representation of linear regression models, model comparison and selection, generalized linear regression models (e.g. binary logistic regression, multinomial logistic regression, ordinal logistic regression, and Poisson regression). Statistical language R will be used throughout the course to realize fitting linear (or generalized linear) regressions models, model diagnostics, model comparison and selection, and simulations. |
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Prerequisite(s): |
STAT 218 and MATH 205 and MATH 206. (STAT 218 can be replaced by STAT 160, ECON 103/SOC 190, or QR 260/STAT 260.) |
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Notes: |
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Distribution(s): |
Mathematical Modeling and Problem Solving |
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Instructors: |
Qing (Wendy) Wang |
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Meeting Time(s): |
Science Center L Wing 045 Classroom - TF 9:55 AM - 11:10 AM
Science Center L Wing 045 Classroom - W 10:30 AM - 11:20 AM |
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