Find answers to common questions about course selection, enrolment, prerequisites, and program planning in the Department of Statistical Sciences. Learn how to manage your courses on ACORN, understand enrolment controls, and explore academic and research opportunities.
Course Selection & Enrolment
No. You must make changes yourself on ACORN before pertinent deadlines. Review Academic Dates & Deadlines for more information.
No. You must attend the tutorial section listed on ACORN. Linked tutorials must be chosen accordingly as per the instructions in Timetable Builder.
Avoid conflicts — instructors are NOT required to provide recordings or alternate assessments. See the Faculty of Arts & Science Course Planning page for more information.
During this period, spots in some courses are reserved for specific programs. STA students have priority for STA courses until general enrolment begins. Select Show Explanation on Timetable Builder, under Enrolment Controls for more details. Faculty of Arts & Science information about the Priority & General Enrolment Periods can be found here.
Waitlists automatically enroll students when space becomes available. Tiered waitlists prioritize certain student groups during the priority period, then merge into a single queue later. See the explanation video for more information.
No. The department cannot add students to courses with no space or open new sections. Before each term, our department does monitor enrolment numbers, but we cannot guarantee that new sections will be opened.
No. The department cannot assist with switching sections. Students are expected to manage their course enrolment and make changes on ACORN prior to the pertinent deadline. Be sure to review the Faculty of Arts & Science Academic Dates & Deadlines for more information.
You cannot add courses on ACORN after the enrolment deadline. For late enrolment requests, contact ug.statistics@utoronto.ca, though approval isn’t guaranteed.
Please email ug.statistics@utoronto.ca with your details if you think you were wrongfully removed, and we will investigate it further.
If you have a pending/approved petition in the co/prerequisite, please provide us with a screenshot of your submitted petition if an “SDF” notation is not listed on your academic record. If your petition is denied, you may be removed from the course. The exception to this rule is if the course you are trying to enroll in has a grade requirement and you have an approved petition for a co/pre-requisite; you are unable to take the course without having completed the co/pre-requisite with the required grade.
We encourage you to contact us before the start of the term. If your request is reviewed after the last day to add courses in that term, then we cannot guarantee that you will be granted permission to join the course late.
No. The Department of Statistical Sciences strictly enforces all pre- and co-requisites. Only courses listed in the Academic Calendar are accepted. Check the Academic Calendar carefully before enrolling.
Not necessarily. Each campus sets its own requirements. Always review the Faculty of Arts & Science Academic Calendar for St. George courses or the Academic Calendar of other U of T Divisions.
Please email ug.statistics@utoronto.ca to inform us which 100+ level courses you took at another U of T campus. We will review them and determine if they can be used towards our programs and/or as co/prerequisites for our courses.
Yes, a course with a grade noted as “Extra” can count as a co/prerequisite.
Yes, a course with a grade of CR would count as a co/prerequisite. Any minimum grade requirements will be strictly enforced regardless of CR status, and the Department will look up students’ underlying numerical grade as needed.
No. Prerequisites/corequisites are not enforced for non-degree/visiting students, but you’re responsible for having the necessary background knowledge to succeed.
Investigate second-year foundational courses that fit your interests and math pre- / corequisites:
- For theoretical/statistical theory: STA257H1 → STA261H1
- For applied/statistical practice: STA237H1 → STA238H1
Note that STA257H1 and STA237H1 have different math prerequisites and corequisites that are strictly enforced.
Examples of courses with an applied and computational focus are: STA302H1, STA303H1, STA304H1, STA305H1, STA313H1, STA314H1, STA365H1, STA410H1, STA414H1, STA437H1, STA442H1, STA457H1, STA465H1, STA475H1, STA480H1, STA490Y1.
Examples of courses with a theoretical focus are: STA257H1, STA261H1, STA347H1, STA355H1, STA422H1, STA447H1, STA452H1, STA453H1. Visit the Academic Calendar for full STA course listings.
Check out what’s typically been covered in previous years by reading the past course outlines. Note that course outlines change from year to year, and they may not be the same as the term in which you enrol in the course. These outlines will give you a sense of past topics, projects, and applications.
Complete a reading or special enrolment course, an ROP (Research Opportunities Program) course, apply for a summer undergraduate research opportunity, approach a professor during office hours and ask about opportunities, and/or enter a data science contest such as DataFest@UofT.
Enrolment in STA496H1, STA497H1, STA490Y1, and STA492H1 is application-based — these courses cannot be added through ACORN.
Applications for Fall/Winter Readings and Special Enrolment courses open to Statistics Specialists and Majors in July, while applications for Summer courses open in March/April. More information about applying for these courses can be found on the STA Research Opportunities & Awards page - Non-Funded Research, Seminar or Project Opportunities section.
Review the exciting research our Faculty are doing at About Our Research.
Program Enrolment & Completion
Our department does not share these with students as these change from year to year and depend on the applications we receive. We encourage all students to apply regardless of their grades.
Unless specified in the Academic Calendar or on Degree Explorer, non-STA courses cannot count towards completion of STA program requirements.
No. These courses are typically not accepted for program completion.
Please email ug.statistics@utoronto.ca to inform us which 100+ level courses you took at another U of T campus. We will review them and determine if they can be used towards our programs and/or as co/prerequisites for our courses.
You must apply for the program during the program enrolment period. After the program enrolment period has ended, students will be notified if they have been accepted into the Specialist program. More information about program enrolment can be found on the Sidney Smith Commons Program Toolkit.
Contact our department at ug.statistics@utoronto.ca to make this request. Do not drop the Specialist on ACORN; we will facilitate the program switch. Note that this switch is permanent, and if you wish to re-join the Specialist, you will need to reapply during a program enrolment period. Also note that if you are pursuing a Methods & Practice specialist, you will lose your focus.
If you are taking courses in the Summer session, and plan to meet the first-year (4.0 to 8.5 credits) or second-year (9.0 credits or more) enrolment requirements by the end of August, then apply in the second program request period. Review the pertinent program enrolment requirements in the Academic Calendar.
If you are concerned about meeting the enrolment requirements for a STA Specialist or major, you may wish to speak to an academic advisor in our department about pursuing a STA minor and your overall program goals. Visit our Academic Advising & Planning webpage for more information.
Our department must wait until all Summer session course grades are available before decisions can be made. We aim to notify students of the program enrolment decision around mid-September. Visit the Sidney Smith Commons Program Toolkit Important Dates page for more information.
Follow the program requirements in the Academic Calendar for the year you entered the program. The best way to track your program progress and requirements is by using Degree Explorer.
Participation in the Arts & Science Internship Program (ASIP) is limited to eligible undergraduate students in the Faculty of Arts & Science, St. George campus. Eligibility is based on program and year of study. Visit the ASIP website for eligibility criteria, application dates and more information or contact asip@utoronto.ca.
Program enrolment is assessed based on the total credits students will have earned by the end of the session in which they are applying. If you have at least 9.0 credits by the end of a Fall/Winter session, and you are applying in the first request period, then your program enrolment will be assessed based on second-year enrolment requirements. Review the pertinent program enrolment requirements in the Academic Calendar.