External stakeholders (labour market, students, teachers), as well as a recent survey on the need for higher education, carried out by the University of Palermo, confirm the need for professionals expert in the production and management of quantitative and qualitative information and in the upgrading of the information assets of companies and institutions, to support 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 on 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 and networks 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 with adequate command of general methods and scientific content;
- A common curriculum for all students, aiming at providing competences in the various field of 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;
- A sound number of integrative and class related activities, divided into three groups. The first group consists of subjects integrating undergraduate competences. These teachings are related to applied experimental-health areas and soft skills such as legal competences; the second groups entails subject areas already existing among class-specific activities (economics and business)
- Training based not only on frontal teaching, but also integrated by practice laboratories, accompanying traditional teaching for the discussion of case studies and the investigation of economic-social issues. Laboratory activities aim at general and applied statistical applications, through the direct relation with professionals, in a way to understand the limits and opportunities for statisticians in various application areas. In this way, the course aims at providing students with adequate analytical 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 stages at private or public organization, awarded with 8 credits.
- possibility of carrying out statistical consultancy activity (up to 2 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 carry 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.