Undergraduate statistics curriculum for the workplace: a case study of public universities in Uganda

Abstract

This study explored the statistics curriculum for undergraduate programme in public Universities in Uganda. Two public Universities were purposively selected for the investigation. A survey was conducted following both qualitative and quantitative paradigms. Interviews and documentary analysis were conducted. And six administrators and 60 graduates were interviewed. The data were analysed using constant comparative analysis to categorise the type of information that arose from interviews and documents. The institutions taught different statistics content to their undergraduates. Some statistics techniques used by graduates in the workplace were not taught while others were taught but not applied in the workplace. The content taught is not perfectly aligned to the needs of the workplace. The implication of the study is the need to align statistics content for the workplace and to prepare graduates appropriately for employment. Graduates need techniques that are tailed to either industry or to schools. Educational implications are discussed.