Course Description:   This course is designed to help participants to develop an understanding of the basic concepts in Statistics and how to apply them. The concepts will be illustrated by a variety of interesting real-world examples. The emphasis of the course is on statistical reasoning, especially, interpretation of and critical thinking about statistical information.     It covers basic principles, including fundamental concepts and formulas, exploratory data analysis, and hypothesis testing. You will learn about different techniques used in analyzing data as well as how to develop a deeper understanding of research methods and their implications. You will also gain an understanding of how to apply your knowledge of statistical methods to other areas such as forecasting, optimization, and machine learning.   Through interactive lectures, readings, discussions, videos, and assignments you will develop your knowledge of basic statistics while learning practical skills such as creating probability models, interpreting standard errors, constructing confidence intervals, and performing regression analysis. This course is ideal for those who are new to studying statistics or are interested in pursuing a path involving more advanced topics in the subject. Course Objectives:

• Understand key principles of statistics
• Create probability models
• Interpret standard errors
• Construct confidence intervals
• Perform inference tests
• Analyze data using descriptive methods
• Execute hypothesis tests
• Develop research questions
• Utilize statistical methods for forecasting
• Apply statistical methodologies for optimization and machine learning