The PhD program in Statistics was launched in 1998, and was the first of its kind in Latin America, with the exception of the PhD program at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The program was accredited by CONICYT in 1999 and has subsequently been accredited by CONAP and CNA. There is a high level of participation in the program by foreign students. Most of the program´s 22 graduates work as academics at universities, while others work in business and the public sector.

The professors who teach with the program are associated with various research groups in Chile and abroad. The Vice-Chancellor´s Office for Research (VRI) provides support through maintenance grants and other funds for postgraduate students and research purposes.

The Masters program in Statistics was created in 1987, and was accredited first by CONAP and then by CONICYT. Since its creation students from various Latin American countries have participated in the program. When the PhD in Statistics program was launched in 1998, the Masters Program was restructured in order to make it more accessible to students from various disciplines who are interested in strengthening their knowledge of quantitative methods of research. The MA and Ph.D. programs in Statistics have the same course structure for the first year of study, but qualified applicants to the PhD can be directly admitted into the second year of the program.

See leaflet