Most employment opportunities for statisticians require the applicant to have a postgraduate degree in statistics. The majority of students who enrol in the Master of Applied Statistics program join with the intention of becoming professional statisticians. A sizeable minority, however, are already working in other roles and find they require a deeper knowledge of statistics than they gained from their earlier training. Also, a number of students come to the course without a major in statistics but with a degree in another area. In most of these cases it is necessary to take some qualifying courses to bring the candidate's knowledge of statistics up to a suitable level.

The emphasis of the program is on the application of contemporary statistical methods and the use of the latest computational techniques. Rapid developments in computer technology have had a major impact on the nature and extent of statistical work in both the public and private sectors. Hence developments of relevant computing skills form an integral part of the course.

Amongst the currently enrolled students, there are students from the insurance industry, the building materials industry, banking, forestry, some have come directly from the undergraduate program, and a number are working part-time to support themselves through the course. Recent overseas graduates have come from Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kenya, Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Thailand.

Within the area of Applied Statistics, the department offers a suite of programs through which the student can progress, beginning with the Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Statistics, through the Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Statistics and onto the Masters in Applied Statistics.

The programs are offered in distance mode as well as face-to-face.