ST553      Half Unit
Probability and Mathematical Statistics II

This information is for the 2025/26 session.

Course Convenor

Prof Umut Cetin

Prof Kostas Kardaras

Availability

This course is available on the MPhil/PhD in Statistics. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process.

Course content

This course provides instruction in advanced topics in probability and mathematical statistics, mainly based on martingale theory. It is a continuation of  Probability and Mathematical Statistics I. The following topics will in particular be covered:

  1. Conditional expectation revisited; linear regression; martingales and first examples.
  2. Concentration inequalities; dimension reduction; log-Sobolev inequalities.
  3. Martingale transforms; optional sampling theorem; convergence theorems.
  4.  Sequential testing; backwards martingales; law of large numbers; de Finetti’s theorem.
  5. Markov chains; recurrence; reversibility; foundations of MCMC.
  6. Ergodic theory.
  7. Brownian motion; quadratic variation; stochastic integration.
  8. Stochastic differential equations; diffusions; filtering.
  9. Bayesian updating; Ergodic diffusions; Langevin samplers.
  10. Brownian bridge; empirical processes; Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistic.

Teaching

10 hours of seminars and 20 hours of lectures in the Winter Term.

This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Winter Term.

Formative assessment

Students will be expected to produce 9 problem sets in the WT.

Weekly problem sets that are discussed in subsequent seminars. The coursework that will be used for summative assessment will be chosen from a subset of these problems.

 

Indicative reading

  1. Williams, D. (1991). Probability with Martingales. Cambridge University Press.
  2. Durrett, R. (2019). Probability: Theory and Examples. Cambridge Series in Statistical and Probabilistic Mathematics.
  3. Karatzas, I, Shreve S. (1991). Brownian motion and Stochastic Calculus. Springer GTM.
  4. Shao, J. (2007). Mathematical Statistics. Springer Texts in Statistics.
  5. Keener, R. (2010). Theoretical Statistics. Springer Texts in Statistics.

Assessment

Exam (70%), duration: 180 Minutes, reading time: 10 minutes in the Spring exam period

Problem sets (30%)

Three of the homework problem sets will be submitted and marked as assessed coursework.


Key facts

Department: Statistics

Course Study Period: Winter Term

Unit value: Half unit

FHEQ Level: Level 8

CEFR Level: Null

Total students 2024/25: 3

Average class size 2024/25: 2

Controlled access 2024/25: No
Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Course selection videos

Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.

Personal development skills

  • Problem solving
  • Application of numeracy skills
  • Specialist skills