The indications coming from the interested parties (world of work, students, teachers), as well as the increasingly frequent journalistic articles dedicated to the "data scientist" theme, confirm the need for professional figures skilled in the production and management of quantitative and qualitative information and in the upgrading of the information assets of companies and institutions, aiming to support the management and to evaluate the effects of decisions.
The degree course in Statistics, coherently with the class-specific educational objectives, aims at training graduates with adequate groundings in the fields of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Data Management, capable of working in various areas with autonomy and responsibility and to fit in the labour market as qualified experts, capable of producing and managing information flows and of using computer systems to gather and process information and to get from this information strategic indications, to be diffused at adequate detail level and through the most suitable technological modes.
The educational programme is characterized by:
- Core educational activities in the fields of Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Probability, providing students adequate command of general methods and scientific content;
- A common curriculum for all students, aiming at providing competences in the various field of applied statistics. Students will therefore acquire an adequate amount of credits in three out of the five class-specific areas: Statistics, Applied Statistics, Demography; Business Economics, Applied Computer Mathematics;
- An adequate number of integrative and class related activities, divided into three groups. The first group consists of subjects integrating undergraduate competences, to increase his/her knowledge in the fields of data management, sociology and epidemiology. The second and third groups contain scientific sectors which are included in the L-41 class specific ones (business administration and demography), which are useful for an in-depth study of economic and demographic issues. The Course also proposes and suggests a list of subjects, considered important, to help students to identify, in the field of “elective subjects”, educational activities consistent with the educational programme. This list is updated each year, in accordance with the educational offer of the University of Palermo, and published on the Course website.
- An educational programme consisting not only of frontal teachings, but also integrated by practice laboratories, accompanying traditional teaching for the discussion of case studies and the investigation of economic-social issues.
For this reason, The educational offer provides four teachings related to computer issues, both at large and specifically statistical, in a way to provide graduates the ability to manage information, responding to the needs of the labour market. Laboratory activities aim at general and applied statistical applications, in a way to identify the limits and opportunities for statisticians in various application areas. In this way, the course aims at providing students with adequate critical capability which, based on solid methodological groundings, brings them to pay constant attention to the process of data production – conceptualization, definition and measurement – and to a critical use of theories and methods with respect to the type and meaning of available information;
- Possibility of attending educational internships at private or public organization, (up to 6 credits).
- possibility of carrying out statistical consultancy activity (up to 3 credits - "competences related to the labour market") where a true statistical consultancy is simulated, under the guidance of teachers of the Course. The objective is to provide students with the basic skills, including soft as well as professional skills, to perform statistical consultancy activity. This experience, as well as being a useful showcase for companies or individuals, is certainly an added value for the undergraduates facing the labour market, having been able to experience their own relational and professional skills directly with future customers/users.