Is Statistics Mathematics?

Discussion in 'Online & DL Teaching' started by GeeBee, Nov 12, 2014.

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  1. GeeBee

    GeeBee Member

    I noticed on the website of a local community college that they are looking for math teachers. The qualification: a Masters in Mathematics, or a Masters in any other subject with at least 18 hours of graduate-level mathematics courses.

    My question: In general, for situations like this, would graduate-level Statistics courses count as "mathematics?"
     
  2. mattbrent

    mattbrent Well-Known Member

    Yes and no. In reality it's up to the individual institution to justify an individuals credentials. If a college says it is, then it is. If a college says it's not, then it probably isn't. That being said, I know of individuals that teach with me who have coursework in statistics that is counted as math, but their entire degree isn't in statistics.

    -Matt
     
  3. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    I think I'm right when I say that all statistics is mathematics but not all mathematics is statistics. So if you had a Masters in Stats you might be able to teach intro or mid level math but might not be seen as able to teach higher level math.
     
  4. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    Ah very nice distinction!
     
  5. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Someone stop me before I draw a Venn diagram!!!
     
  6. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    Why?

    [​IMG]
     
  7. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Surprisingly correct.
     
  8. GeeBee

    GeeBee Member

    The red circle looks like a sad clown with a black eye.
     
  9. edowave

    edowave Active Member

    When I took my one course in stats at Penn State Online towards the Graduate Certificate in Statistics, I was surprised to find out one my teammates for our group project had a PhD in Mathematics. (Lucky me to get that person as a teammate for a stats project!)

    I asked her the reason she was doing the graduate certificate in statistics. She said the community college where she teaches won't let her teach any stats classes without 18 graduate credits in statistics. Even the basic intro to statistics courses for non-majors.

    So I suppose many places do distinguish between "math" and "statistics" for teaching purposes.
     
  10. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    I'd ask what the composition of your degree is. Are all the prefixes and course titles "statistics" or are there maths in there too? Any chance your degree was earned from a math department? I have no idea what graduate level math is, hell, I don't even understand algebra, but if there ARE maths in your MS, I'd say you have nothing to lose by trying.... but you might have to explain yourself. I actually have a lot of research and health in my degree, and was questioned on the number of NON nutrition prefixes.
     
  11. mattbrent

    mattbrent Well-Known Member

    This isn't helpful, but I overheard a math colleague saying that stats wasn't math... it was black magic. :dunno:

    -Matt
     
  12. airtorn

    airtorn Moderator

    That makes it sound more like a humanities class.
     
  13. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    You know the old saying . . . "There's lies, there's damn lies and there's statistics."
     
  14. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    [​IMG]

    Do you have any idea what you have started, Kizmet? Years from now, when the ruins of the internet will be mulled over by archaeologists, they will come across fragments of this thread and identify your posts as the focal points upon which DegreeInfo collapsed into an amorphous singularity of infinitely many Venn Diagrams. :pat:
     
  15. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    I love venn diagrams.
     
  16. edowave

    edowave Active Member

    That one is probably my favorite.
     

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