STAT 200 vs. 20010
- They are essentially the same course taught in different styles
- Stat 20010 explores the topics of introductory statistic through the
lenses of a case study, with more focus on statistical literacy and
conceptual understanding than on computation
- STAT 200 is offered in Autumn and Spring; STAT 20010 is offered in
Winter
STAT 200/20010 vs. 220/234
STAT 200/20010 is a “statistical literacy” course.
- Students should take STAT 200/20010 if interested in …
- understanding basic statistical reasoning
- learning how to interpret and critique statistical concepts
regularly mentioned in the news
- Students should NOT take STAT 200/20010 if interested in…
- understanding enough statistics to read the methodology section of a
research paper in your field of interest
- taking more advanced statistics courses later
- gaining experience with statistics computing/software
- STAT 200/20010 does NOT cover statistical computing (or very
little)
STAT 118-119 v.s. STAT 220
- STAT 118-119 is about equal to STAT 220 + computational tools of
collecting, managing, storing, processing and visualization of data
- STAT 118-119 is less mathematical but more computational than STAT
220
- STAT 118-119 cover less probability than STAT 220. STAT 118-119
introduce key ideas of statistical inference: confidence intervals,
hypothesis tests and regression using simulation, resampling, and
randomization rather than the traditional methods based on normal and
t-distributions
- STAT 220 uses R and STAT 118-119 uses Python and Jupyter
Notebook
- The information above do not supersede or replace the information
and rules in the College
Catalog for Data Science Majors and Minors
STAT 220 vs. 234
Important Rule: Do Not Take Both STAT 220 and
234!
What do STAT 220 and 234 have in common?
- Both are introductory statistics courses
- No prior knowledge of statistics is expected or required
- STAT 220 and 234 sometimes use the same base textbook.
- Both courses cover the basic statistical concepts and methodology
needed as prerequisite for more advanced statistics courses (STAT
224/222/226/27410, SOCI 20253, etc).
- Courses that require introductory statistics as prerequisite
typically list the prerequisite as “STAT 220 or 234 or 245”
- Both courses use R to analyze data.
How do STAT 220 and 234 differ?
- STAT 234 = STAT 220 + exploration of the math behind the statistical
methods
- STAT 220 is an “algebra-based” intro to statistics like “STAT 101”
at most universities
- prerequisite: a little calculus (MATH 131 completed … or placement
into MATH 151)
- … but calculus is not used in STAT 220
- STAT 234 is a calculus-based intro to statistics
- prerequisite: MATH 133, 153, or 162 completed (not concurrent)
- STAT 234 elaborates more on probability theory than STAT 220. In
particular, STAT 234 introduces continuous probability distributions
using Calculus while STAT 220 does it without calculus
- STAT 220 elaborates more on data collection methods and the common
pitfalls but STAT 234 doesn’t.
STAT 234 vs. 244-245
- STAT 244 has a far more extensive coverage in probability theory
than STAT 234 does
- STAT 244-245 cover fundamental principles of statistical inference
like maximum likelihood estimates, likelihood ratio tests, and Bayesian
inference, etc, but STAT 234 doesn’t
- STAT 245 covers the mathematical theory behind statistical methods
like analysis of variance, multiple linear regression, in a unified
framework
STAT 244-245 vs. 24410-24510
- To take STAT 24410, students need to take STAT 251 in addition to
the prerequisites of STAT 244
- STAT 24410 shortens the probability theory in STAT 244 (as students
have taken STAT 251) to covers some additional topics not covered in
STAT 244
- STAT 24510 also covers additional topics not in STAT 245
- The combination STAT 24410-24500 is allowed
- Students in STAT 24410-24510 are mostly MS students in Statistics as
STAT 24410-24510 = STAT 30030-30040 are recommended courses of the MS
program in Statistics
DISCLAIMER: These guidelines do not supersede or replace the University’s official publications on course prerequisites, course descriptions, or other relevant information in the College Catalog of the Statistics Major & Minor Programs and of the
Data Science Major and Minor Programs, and
at my.UChicago.
This webpage is maintained by Yibi Huang
Coordinator of Undergraduate Programs in Statistics
Email: yibih@uchicago.edu
Information valid as of