Advising

There are NO prerequisites to declare QMSS!

You have to declare a major before you can declare a minor. Once you declare a major, you can declare the QMSS minor as soon as you have made that decision! You do not need to complete any QMSS courses in order to declare.

To help with enrollment predictions, we generally recommond declaring QMSS before you finish QMSS 301.

At the latest, you must declare QMSS before you can register for the capstone course, QMSS 451.

1. Complete the QMSS Declaration Form.
2. Make an appointment with a QMSS advisor: QMSS Advising Appointment Scheduler.

You may complete the QMSS Declaration Form before or after your advising appointment. Your advisor will remind you about the form during the appointment.

You must complete both steps in order to be declared. If you cannot make an advising appointment for any reason, please email the QMSS Program Manager, Caitlin Posillico, to discuss your options at [email protected].

There are currently no restrictions for declaring the QMSS minor! It is open to all undergraduate students on campus, regardless of your major or college.

You do not have to have a social science major for QMSS to be a useful major to you & to declare it. You can find a breakdown of the different majors current QMSS students have declared on the "Minor Program" page of our website!

The QMSS minor is very flexible, so students can start taking our courses at almost any time! We currently offer our core courses (QMSS 201 and QMSS 301) and our capstone course (QMSS 451) every semester.

QMSS 201

• Can be taken by students of any year - from the first semester of their first year at Michigan through the last semester of their senior year. If you want to have enough time to finish the QMSS minor, you must finish QMSS 201 before your final 2 semesters at Michigan (e.g., the Winter semester of your junior year in a 4-year plan). 
• We have students from all years and experience levels taking QMSS 201 every semester. We designed QMSS 201 to be accessible to students regardless of their year, prior experience with numbers, data, or statistics, or quantitative comfort level. If you have any concerns, please meet with a QMSS advisor!

QMSS 301

• Requires completion of QMSS 201, so you may take it immediately following completion of QMSS 201 or space it out. To have enough time to finish the QMSS minor, you must finish QMSS 301 before your final semester at Michigan (e.g., the Fall semester of your senior year in a 4-year plan).
• It may be helpful to complete QMSS 301 by the end of junior year so students have greater flexibility in ensuring they can fit all QMSS required coursework into their senior year schedule.
• While uncommon, students have run into issues with QMSS 301 being offered at the same time as a required and inflexible course for their major or other minor(s) during the Fall semester of their senior year. This may prevent you from completing the prerequisites for QMSS 451 in the following semester.

QMSS 451

• Requires completion of both QMSS 201 and 301 and is reserved for declared QMSS minors in their final 2 semesters at Michigan (either Fall or Winter semester of their senior year in a 4-year plan). The very latest you can take QMSS 451 to finish your minor is the Winter semester of your senior year. 

4-Year Plans:

• It is understandable to feel a bit overwhelmed by the flexibility of when to take QMSS courses for the minor as a first- or second-year student - especially when you have a long list of requirements for your major(s) or other minor(s). QMSS advisors are here to help! We can sketch out a 4-year plan with the comfort of knowing that QMSS courses can be shuffled around as your interests and course availability and offerings change. We also welcome students to talk through their plans during the backpacking or registration period for peace of mind! Don't be afraid to reach out to us for guidance.

Transfer Students:

• If you recently transferred to Michigan and just learned about QMSS, as long as you have 3 regular semesters (Fall and Winter semesters) left to take courses, you can start and finish the QMSS minor by your planned graduation!

We currently do not offer QMSS courses over the spring/summer terms. If demand for our courses warrant this, we may offer select course(s) during this time in the future. Please speak to a QMSS advisor to let us know if you would benefit from this!

Students must take QMSS 201, QMSS 301, and QMSS 451 in-residence (on Ann Arbor's campus) at the University of Michigan. 

Our core courses, QMSS 201 and 301, are very unique pedagogically (in the methods of teaching) and in the specific statistical and analytical tools that are taught and applied. The best way to be successful in subsequent QMSS courses (QMSS 301 or 451), students need to have the background that our specific courses provide.

If you would like to submit an exception to this policy because A) you believe you have taken an equivalent course at another institution already, or B) you believe you have found an equivalent course at another institution that you would like to take in lieu of QMSS courswork, please schedule an advising appointment with a QMSS advisor to discuss this.

If approved, students may take QMSS electives while studying abroad or use a course previously taken at another institution towards this requirement. To have a course evaluated, please schedule an advising appointment with a QMSS advisor to discuss this.

Sharing a course between a major and minor:

• Per LSA policy, students can share a maximum of 1 course between the requirements of a major and minor. You can share any 1 QMSS course (QMSS 201, 301, 451, or a QMSS elective) with a major requirement.
• If you have 2 majors, you may share one QMSS course with one major and a second QMSS course with a second major.
• Many students will find at least 1 course required for their major on our approved QMSS electives list, even for students outside of LSA.

For students outside of LSA with a QMSS minor:

• Students should check with an advisor from their home school (e.g., Kinesiology, Public Health, Public Policy, Ross) about allowances and restrictions for sharing courses between your program and a minor in LSA.
• Students are generally allowed to share at least 1 course between the requirements of their program and the QMSS minor.
• QMSS has no restrictions on sharing our courses with requirements in other programs.

Sharing a course with LSA distribution requirements:

• Courses from a student's minor may satisfy LSA distribution requirements as long as it is not being shared with the requirements of a major (as courses from a student's major department may not be used to satisfy area distribution requirements). If a student has more than 1 major (and thus only needs to satisfy 1 set of distribution requirements), please see your general advisor in LSA to verify your distribution requirement progress.
• QMSS 201 satisfies the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) requirement (as of Winter 2024) and the Math and Symbolic Analysis (MSA) area distribution. 
  • You may use 1 course to satisfy both Quantitative Reasoning and MSA. You may use QMSS 201 to satisfy the Quantitative Reasoning requirement even if it is a course shared with your major. In that case, you would not be able to use QMSS 201 to also satisfy the MSA area distribution. Please see your general advisor in LSA for any questions related to your Quantitative Reasoning requirement or Area Distribution requirements.
• Select QMSS electives also satisfy Social Science (SS) area distribution. However, you may not use them for social science distribution if they are from the same department as your major.

Sharing a course between 2 minors:

• Per LSA policy, students may NOT share any courses between the requirements of multiple minors if they are in the college of LSA. This holds true for LSA students with minors in other colleges as well.

Please see the list of approved QMSS electives on our website here: QMSS Electives

This list is updated regularly.

If you don't see a course listed there that you believe should count for a QMSS elective, you may submit a request to have it evaluated by the QMSS Faculty & Program Director. Please submit a copy of the course syllabus with an explanation for why you feel the course should be approved via email to the QMSS Program Manager at [email protected]. If you have any questions about this process, feel free to make an advising appointment with a QMSS advisor to talk through them!

A release is essentially an official check-in on current progress and remaining requirements for a major or minor. As an LSA student, you must get a release for all majors and minors you are pursuing in order to graduate.

A release does NOT mean the same thing as dropping or discontinuing a program or plan. If you no longer want to or cannot complete the QMSS minor for any reason, please make an appointment with a QMSS advisor to drop the minor.

In general, students should plan to get their major and minor releases in the semester before they plan to graduate. You do not have to get your releases in any specific order - it is completely okay to get your minor released before your major or vice versa.

If you have applied for graduation and you have not yet gotten all of your program and plan releases, you will receive an email notifying you of which programs are missing releases. You do not have to reapply for graduation after getting those releases.

If you are currently in your last semester and have not yet gotten releases, make appointments with your program advisors (advisors in your major(s) and minor(s)) as soon as possible to make sure you are on-track to graduate. 

That's completely okay and quite normal! If you have not yet decided on the specific course(s) you will take to complete the requirments of your major(s) or minor(s), you can still get the release completed. The release will simply note which course(s) or types of course(s) you need to complete in order to graduate.

For example, for QMSS, your release may say "needs to complete QMSS 451 and 1 elective from approved list for at least 3 credits." 

All minor releases for QMSS are completed during an advising appointment with the QMSS Program Manager. Advising appointments are offered virtually (via Zoom) or in-person for your convenience. If none of the available appointments listed work with your schedule, please email Caitlin at [email protected] to find an alternate time.

Releases for your major(s) and other minor(s) must be completed by those individual departments or units. Check your other program websites for information on completing their release. If you can't find any information, see your program's advisor.

• I am not a social science major. Can I declare a minor in Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences?
  • Yes!  The minor in Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences is open to all undergraduate students.
     
• How can I get involved with QMSS before declaring my minor?
  • Read our student-run blog, Putting Methods to the Madness.
  • Join the "QMSS.Fans" group in MCommunity to receive our QMSS Newsletter via email.
  • Watch our homepage for events that are open to all students. 
  • Follow us on Twitter.
    
    
• I am a transfer student. How can I find out more about the minor and see if it is a good fit for me?
  • QMSS is a great minor for transfer students because it is possible to complete the program within 2 years! Transfer students are encouraged to make an appointment with a QMSS advisor to discuss the minor. You can also check out the QMSS Curriculum Guide for Transfer Students at the bottom of this page. 
    
    
• When should I declare my minor?
  • Students are encouraged to declare as early as they have interest in QMSS since declaring allows students to plan and track progress in the minor.
  • Students are required to declare their minor before enrolling in the senior capstone course, QMSS 451. Per LSA requirements, students must first declare a major before declaring a minor. 
    
    
• What if I have not decided on a major yet or cannot declare my major because I still need to finish prerequisites? Does that mean I have to wait to take QMSS classes?
  • Not necessarily! QMSS 201, QMSS 301, and QMSS electives can all be taken without declaring the minor. Only QMSS 451 is restricted to declared minors only. If you wish to minor in QMSS but do not yet have a major, you are welcome to meet with an advisor to talk about your future plans for the minor, but you will not be able to formally declare.
  • Students in other schools at UM should consult with their advisor regarding rules for LSA minors.
    
    
• How do I declare the minor in Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences?
  • Students can make an appointment with a QMSS advisor if they are ready to declare. 
     
• I took QMSS 251 during WN21 or F21. What should I know?
  • These students will need to take QMSS 201, QMSS 251 and QMSS 451, plus two additional approved electives (6 credits) to earn the QMSS minor. 
  • Students cannot take CMPLXSYS 251 or QMSS 301 as an elective towards the minor. 
  • LSA students can still choose to take QMSS 301, but will not receive credit for the course towards graduation or towards the minor. 
  • Students majoring outside of LSA should speak with their major advisor prior to enrolling in the course.
    
    
• I did not take QMSS 251 during WN21 or F21. What should I know?
  • These students will need to take QMSS 201, QMSS 301 and QMSS 451, plus two additional approved electives (6 credits) to earn the QMSS minor. 
  • Students can take CMPLXSYS 251 as a pre-approved elective towards the minor.
    
    
• I am a rising senior. I have room in my schedule next year, and I have already taken courses that can count as both of my electives. Can I take all three QMSS courses next year?
  • In a limited set of circumstances, this may be possible. Please make an appointment with a QMSS advisor to discuss the minor and see if declaring the minor is an option for you.
    
    
• What careers should I pursue with a minor in Quantitative Methods in the Social Sciences?
  • This is a very versatile minor, and there are many ways you can apply this minor during everyday life and in your career!
  • Possible careers include: Research, Business Analyst, Public Policy, Data Scientist, Public Health, Social Media Analytics, Opinion Pollster, Marketing Analyst, Consulting, Activism, Sports Analytics, Grad School, etc.
    
    
• How many courses can count towards both a major and minor?
  • A maximum of one course may be shared between the requirements of a minor and a major. 
  • Click here to learn more about policies for LSA minors.
    
    
• I'm preparing to graduate. What should I do?
  • You will need to make two advising appoinments: one with your major advisor and one with your QMSS advisor. Students usually schedule these during the fall of their senior year. At the end of the meeting with your QMSS advisor, you will receive a "minor release” that officially tells you and the auditing office what requirements you must meet to graduate with the minor.
  • Click here for more information about graduation.
    
    
• Can I take QMSS courses for graduate credit?
  • No, QMSS courses are not approved for graduate credit.
    
    
• What are some policies that I should know about?
  • QMSS students need to take all QMSS courses and QMSS electives for a letter grade. 
  • If you have previously taken STATS 250, you cannot count SOC 210 as a QMSS elective.
  • Click here to learn more about policies for LSA minors.
    
  • Students outside of LSA should check with their home program to determine policies that apply to them regarding LSA minors including QMSS.