Program overview
Applied Statistics is a graduate program under the economics discipline. Simply put, it teaches you how to use statistical methods to solve real-world problems. You might ask: what's the difference between this and pure statistics? The difference lies in "application" — we don't just derive formulas; we apply statistical models to fields like economics, finance, marketing, and the internet. Core courses include Advanced Econometrics, Time Series Analysis, Multivariate Statistics, Statistical Computing, Data Mining, and Machine Learning. You'll learn how to use tools like R, Python, and Stata to work with real data — for example, predicting stock trends, analyzing user behavior, or evaluating policy effects. Chinese universities have a clear advantage in this field: abundant data resources. Many schools collaborate with enterprises, giving you access to real business cases and large datasets. For instance, the Master of Applied Statistics programs at Renmin University of China and Shanghai University of Finance and Economics incorporate cutting-edge directions like fintech and big data analytics. Who is this program suitable for? If you have a solid math foundation (at least probability theory and mathematical statistics), enjoy telling stories with data, and are curious about economic or business issues, this program will be a great fit.