Introduction to Statistics

Gain essential statistical and data analysis skills in this online course. By course completion, you will be prepared to interpret data, apply statistical methods, and support decision-making in academic and professional settings.

Overview

Statistics is a foundational discipline used across industries to analyze data, identify patterns, and support informed decision-making. Professionals with statistical literacy are in demand in business, healthcare, science, technology, and government.

This Introduction to Statistics course provides a comprehensive overview of fundamental statistical concepts and methods. The curriculum covers key topics such as descriptive statistics, probability, distributions, sampling methods, and hypothesis testing.

You will learn how to organize, analyze, and interpret data using standard statistical techniques. The course also introduces basic inferential statistics and how data is used to draw conclusions and support decisions in real-world contexts.

By completing this course, you will gain the ability to understand and apply statistical reasoning to a wide range of practical problems.

What you will learn

Understand core statistical concepts and terminology
Organize and summarize data using descriptive statistics
Apply measures of central tendency and variability
Understand probability and basic probability rules
Work with common data distributions
Learn sampling methods and data collection techniques
Conduct basic hypothesis testing
Interpret statistical results and graphs
Develop data-driven decision-making skills
Apply statistical thinking to real-world scenarios

How you will benefit

Gain foundational skills in data analysis and interpretation
Improve decision-making using quantitative data
Enhance academic and professional analytical abilities
Increase career opportunities in data-driven fields
Build a foundation for advanced studies in statistics or data science
Qualify for roles such as data assistant, analyst trainee, or research support roles

Syllabus

Introduction to Statistics
Types of Data and Measurement
Descriptive Statistics
Measures of Central Tendency
Measures of Variability
Probability Concepts
Probability Distributions
Sampling Techniques
Estimation and Confidence Intervals
Hypothesis Testing
Correlation and Basic Regression
Data Visualization
Applications of Statistics
Final Assessment

Requirements

Hardware Requirements:
This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac.

Software Requirements:
PC: Windows 8 or later
Mac: macOS 12 or later
Spreadsheet software (Excel or equivalent)
Adobe Acrobat Reader

Other:
Email capabilities and access to a personal email account

Prerequisites:
Basic math skills are recommended. No prior statistics experience is required.

Certification Requirements:
This course provides foundational knowledge in statistics; certification requirements may vary depending on academic or career pathways.