ARTS 280Statistics for Arts Students

Units: 0.50
Faculty: Arts
Subject: Arts

When it runs

Ran in 6 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: not on the schedule. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.

A basic course in social statistics for Faculty of Arts students. Introduces descriptive statistics (measures of central tendency, dispersion, cross-tabular analysis) and inferential statistics (sampling, statistical significance, hypothesis testing, test assumptions). Covers a range of statistical techniques including t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Chi square, and bivariate correlation/regression.

Prerequisites

Students must be in level 2A or higher

Antirequisites

Complete all of the following
- Not completed nor concurrently enrolled in any of the following:
  - ECON221 - Statistics for Economists (0.50)
  - ENVS278 - Applied Statistics for Environmental Research (0.50)
  - GBDA205 - Quantitative Methods (0.50)
  - HLTH204 - Quantitative Approaches to Health Science (0.50)
  - KIN232 - Research Design and Statistics (0.50)
  - LS280 - Social Statistics (0.50)
  - PSCI314 - Quantitative Analysis (0.50)
  - PSYCH292 - Basic Data Analysis (0.50)
  - REC371 - Quantitative Data Analysis and Mobilization (0.50)
  - SDS250R - Social Statistics (0.50)
  - SOC280 - Social Statistics (0.50)
  - SRF230 - Introduction to Statistics (0.50)
  - STAT202 - Introductory Statistics for Scientists (0.50)
  - STAT206 - Statistics for Software Engineering (0.50)
  - STAT211 - Introductory Statistics and Sampling for Accounting (0.50)
  - STAT221 - Statistics (Non-Specialist Level) (0.50)
  - STAT231 - Statistics (0.50)
  - STAT241 - Statistics (Advanced Level) (0.50)
- Not completed any of the following:
  - SMF230
  - SWREN250R
- Not open to students enrolled in 4G-Economics, H-Economics, H-Mathematical Economics (BA), H-Mathematical Economics (BMath), 3G-Psychology, 4G-Psychology, H-Psychology (BA), or H-Psychology (BSc)

Leads to

Fall 2026 sections

Enrolment from UW Open Data, which can trail Quest by up to two days. Instructors and rooms: Schedule of Classes.
Section	Class	Enrolled	Meets
LEC 001	3400	112 / 120	Online or by arrangement

Reviewed on UW Flow

37% liked it54% easy50% useful

From 38 ratings and 13 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.

Not really useful at all

Jul 2026 · didn’t like itOn UW Flow Remove this
Found the focus on R to be somewhat superflous, considering that most businesses use Excel, R is useful, but not nearly useful enough to be the main focus, and also forcing a bunch of arts students to code is somewhat evil.

May 2026 · didn’t like itOn UW Flow Remove this
Bird when done online. Prof was tshibaya

Jan 2026 · liked itOn UW Flow Remove this
It's required for certain programs, so you gotta get through it. It's honestly less of a class on statistics and more just that one specific program (SPSS).
It's really beneficial to have someone you know in the class, especially if you aren't great with statistics or old computer programs.

May 2025 · didn’t like itOn UW Flow Remove this
This class was super chill. If you take notes during the online lectures and follow along with Owen on SPSS, and do the practice questions, you will be okay. I didn't even use the textbook, so I wasted $100. There are only 4 assignments, which are easy to complete if you did the practice questions and listened to the lectures. He mentioned he might change the program to a newer application, because SPSS kept crashing for people. Owen Gallupe is a great prof and doesn't overcomplete stuff.

Nov 2024 · liked itOn UW Flow Remove this

Discussed on r/uwaterloo

28 posts and comments in 26 threads mention ARTS 280, January 2016 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.

Fall 2024

Nov 17, 2024 Current ARBUS Students - Is it worth it? 3 points, 5 comments

“I have applied to ARBUS for the fall 2025 intake, and I'm wondering if it is worth it over HA. I've tried to search through older posts, but they are all 6 - 9 years old at this point. …”

u/TheZarosian: “… The most difficult ARBUS courses I have seen people had trouble with were ECON 101 (Microeconomics), ARBUS 102 (Accounting), and ARTS 280 (Statistics for Arts Students). …”

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Spring 2024

Jul 18, 2024 Notes for LS/SOC/ARTS 280 1 point, 0 comments

u/Parking-Lime-9635: “Does anyone have notes for LS/SOC/ARTS 280?? I’m taking the course next term. Would appreciate if someone can send notes so that i can get an early head start.”

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Fall 2022

Sep 6, 2022 ARTS 280 vs SDS250R 0 points, 0 comments

u/Melodic-Subject-5899: “I need help picking an easy course to fill my stats requirements for my arbus degree. Basically i took arts 280 last semester but failed. Now come a second chance for my last semester, arts 280 is blocked off with another course and my advisor recommended i take SDS250 instead …”

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Sep 6, 2022 ARTS280 vs SDS150R 0 points, 1 comment

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Fall 2021

Sep 2, 2021 SOC/ARTS 280 or math in general - online or in person? 0 points, 6 comments

u/burberryblossom: “… i’m planning on taking SOC/ARTS 280. i just want to know if you guys think it would be better to take it in person or online? i was planning on taking it during my co-op work term, though i’m not 100% sure. …”

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