• Professional Development Course – GR5391
• Workshops and Panels
• Professional Placement
• International Students
• Additional Resources

Career development and management is a continuous, lifelong process beyond graduation from Columbia University. Our goal is to provide you with skills that will help you track exciting career opportunities through networking and other tools and then land jobs. Students should join various groups and online forums related to Statistics to obtain job leads and find out about conferences and industry meetings like http://www.cs.nyu.edu/mailman/listinfo/nycmlpeople.

To circulate any internship opportunities or job postings, please write to Violet Yin, the Assistant Director of Career Development at zy2286@columbia.edu.

Events

Employers

Beyond Columbia

Professional Development Course- GR5391

The professional development course is designed to help MA in Statistics students understand the core concepts of a successful job search process during their graduate studies at Columbia. Students are encouraged to actively engage and formalize their career path. The curriculum is adaptable and guest speakers are invited to share their real-world experience in the corporate world. Topics include Resume 101, business writing fundamentals, communication for success, networking strategies, digital presence, and interviewing skills. In addition, industry-focused students will also have in-person small workshops on elevator pitch and behavior interviewing practices. Students who are interested in pursuing a PhD in the future, also have the opportunity to enroll in the MA2PhD seminars series to learn more about the PhD application process and programs.

Please note the course is 0 credit, pass/fail highly recommneded for the first semester MA students. 

Workshops, Panels, and Employer Meetings

Attend resume review and cover letter workshops, mock technical interview sessions, panels with alumni, meetings with employers and recruiters, and other career-oriented sessions. These workshops are designed to help you highlight your education, experience, and skills.

Companies represented in fall 2022 and spring 2023 during employer and alumni events:

Companies represented in fall 2021 and spring 2022 during employer and alumni events:

Companies represented in fall 2018 and spring 2019 during employer and alumni visits:

Graduates of the program talk to you about the networking tools they used while they were students as well as how their careers have progressed since they graduated.

Statistician is Top Job in 2022

Statistician Tops List of Best Jobs in 2020

Professional Placement

Our MA in Statistics alumni pursue diverse internships and work positions in a number of industries. Graduates work across the globe for local or international small, medium, and large companies in a breadth of positions ranging from statistician to data scientist, from consultant to bioinformatics analyst.

Industries, where our graduates have landed, include business, communications & media, consulting, education, engineering & technology, financial services, healthcare, international affairs, science, sports, and startups.

Current pie chart percentages are based on data collected through surveys and LinkedIn profile analysis for 2023 Feb and May graduates

Where MA Statistics Graduates Work (Partial List) 

Alumni geographic distribution in the US

Academic Certifications and Proof of Enrollment

If official proof of student enrollment is required by an employer or another entity, please visit the Office of the University Registrar.  Currently matriculated students can request enrollment certification via SSOL.  For academic certification, an official document provided by the University Registrar verifying your dates of attendance, award of degree, and/or student status (full-time or part-time) by semester, please visit the Office of the University Registrar: Certifications.  

International Students 

 Please review the Statistical Fieldwork Course GR5399. As part of this course, MA Statistics students can get CPT or curricular practical training.

OPT – Optional Practical Training for International Students

• General information on OPT can be found on the ISSO Website.
• Read about Post-Completion OPT  HERE
• Details on the OPT extension for students with STEM degrees can be found HERE.
• ISSO news and events may be found HERE.

1) Post-Completion OPT:  Students beginning their final semester will receive an email from the Department about approval to apply for OPT. 

2) Pre-OPT Options:  After completing two semesters on campus (fall and spring) international students may qualify for a summer or fall internship through application to Pre-Completion OPT.  Read more about Pre-OPT HERE. 

3) International Hybrid Students are not eligible for either CPT or Pre-OPT.   

For any questions, please reach out to ISSO. 

ISSO

The International Students and Scholars Office is the top resource in terms of all visa issues. The ISSO office has walk-in advisory hours all week and is located at 524 Riverside Drive between W. 122 St. and Tiemann Place. 

Information on how to invite family and friends for Graduation or for other events is HERE. 

Student Employment information can be found HERE.  

Additional Resources

MA Weekly Newsletter – Career Announcements

Receive weekly e-mail updates on job opportunities. If you are a graduate of the program, please send any internship or job leads you may have to  ma.stat@columbia.edu. 

LinkedIn

Join the Statistics@Columbia LinkedIn Group to connect with alumni and get job leads. Recruiters and hiring managers always check your LinkedIn profile so make sure it is updated regularly.

GSAS Compass

Current GSAS MA and Ph.D. students can schedule one-on-one career advising appointments with GSAS Compass staff and attend their workshops, networking events, and career development programs.

Additional Media

To watch recordings of our workshops, panels, and other sessions, you may view them in the password-protected section of this website, MA Students Only. Password will be shared via the MA Weekly Newsletter. 

ALP – American Language Program – Improve your communication skills.  Find out below which services are available to our MA Statistics students for NO COST.  Some details can be found here. 

• Academic Writing for International Students
• Listening and Speaking for International Students
• Pronunciation  

Current MA Statistics students can write to Joel Chaffee at jc3303@columbia.edu with the following information:

1.  Last Name, First Name
2.  UNI
3.  Class choice.  (Where applicable, be specific as to AM or PM section.)

Mr. Chaffee will assign an online placement test for you. 

The Chazen English Program 

Information on the program at the Columbia Business School can be found here.  

The Columbia College Writing Center

Available to graduate students at GSAS.  Take advantage of a FREE service that is extremely helpful for anyone preparing written career materials or academic writing.  Excellent written communication is critical for your success in the job search.  This service will not provide career advice but will check English grammar and content. Find details here.