R or bayes for independent study?

[bennyska]

i'm an undergrad in stats, and next semester is my last. I'm doing an independent study next semester, and am unsure of what would be more beneficial for me: a class in R, or bayes. i would like to do bayes, and I'm decent on computers with limited programming experience, so I'm not too worried about picking up R as i go along, but that's based on zero experience with R. i will be doing grad school, and i figure i'll get experience with both of these there, so either one would work. there are a few books that combine the two, like kruschle's book, that i could do.
really the issue is there is someone else i'll be doing an independent study with, and she is not only NOT super hot with computers, she also needs a programming course to graduate, so she wants to do R. if we go through the same teacher, we'd have to do one together, but we could possibly go through different teachers.

anyway, anyone have an opinion?
thanks

 

[Number Nine]

You mean bayesian statistics? If you have an opportunity to study bayesian methods, I would strongly recommend that you take advantage of it. R is a very high-level programming language; it will be very easy for you to get the hang of it by creating a few mock data sets and playing around with it.

 

[chiro]

I recommend you do the Bayesian course, especially if you use WinBUGS. My Bayesian course used R and WinBUGS in addition to Bayesian theory so it was good for me.

If you have done any kind of procedural programming before, R is not hard to learn.

 

[bennyska]

well, this is an option https://www.amazon.com/dp/0123814855/?tag=pfamazon01-20
then i'd be doing both
thanks for your responses