BS in Data Science
The Bachelor of Science in Data Science guides students through essential concepts including data mining and visualization, data warehousing as well as ethical perspectives and policies in an increasingly digital world.
All students in the major also complete a required capstone course, during which they learn to apply the theoretical knowledge and practical skills gained in major courses to a real-world problem.
Domain Concentrations
BS students must choose from one of eight domain concentrations, which offer the opportunity to delve more deeply into an area of data science.
- Astronomy and astrophysics
- Biology: biodiversity and global change
- Biology: biotechnology
- Data journalism
- Economics
- Geospatial data science
- Mathematical modeling
- Physics
- Science, technology and society
Students can petition to substitute a second major or a minor in another discipline for the domain concentration. To make a petition, please complete the following form.
Submit a Domain Concentration Petition
Course Requirements
This Bulletin covers the degree requirements for students matriculating in the current academic year. Students who matriculated before the current year can find their requirements in the relevant archived Bulletin.
The following requirements must be fulfilled:
The general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Programs.
Curriculum requirements for the major:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite courses | ||
| 15 credits | ||
| CSCI 1012 | Introduction to Programming with Python | |
| MATH 1231 | Single-Variable Calculus I | |
| or MATH 1221 | Calculus with Precalculus II | |
| MATH 1232 | Single-Variable Calculus II | |
| MATH 2184 | Linear Algebra I | |
| STAT 1051 | Introduction to Business and Economic Statistics | |
| or STAT 1053 | Introduction to Statistics in Social Science | |
| or STAT 1111 | Business and Economic Statistics I | |
| or STAT 1127 | Statistics for the Biological Sciences | |
| Core courses | ||
| 18 credits | ||
| DATS 1001 | Data Science for All | |
| DATS 2101 | Ethical Life in a Digital World | |
| DATS 2102 | Data Visualization for Data Science | |
| DATS 2103 | Data Mining for Data Science | |
| DATS 2104 | Data Warehousing for Data Science | |
| DATS 4001 | Data Science Capstone | |
| Domain concentration | ||
| Students complete a minimum of 9 credits in a 3-course domain. Focus area options are astronomy and astrophysics; biology–biodiversity and global change; biology–biotechnology; data journalism; economics; geospatial data science; mathematical modeling; physics; and science, technology, and society. | ||
| Students can petition to substitute a second major or a minor in another discipline for the domain. | ||
| Astronomy and astrophysics domain | ||
| Prerequisites | ||
| PHYS 1011 | General Physics I | |
| or PHYS 1021 | University Physics I | |
| PHYS 1012 | General Physics II | |
| or PHYS 1022 | University Physics II | |
| Required | ||
| ASTR 2121 | Introduction to Modern Astrophysics | |
| ASTR 3141 | Data Analysis in Astrophysics | |
| One course selected from the following: | ||
| ASTR 2131 | Astrophysics Seminar | |
| ASTR 3161 | Space Astrophysics | |
| Biology–biodiversity and global change domain | ||
| Prerequisites | ||
| BISC 1111 | Introductory Biology: Cells and Molecules | |
| BISC 1112 | Introductory Biology: The Biology of Organisms | |
| Required | ||
| BISC 2450 | Organic Evolution | |
| Two courses selected from the following: | ||
| BISC 2010 | Global Change Biology | |
| BISC 2332 | Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy | |
| BISC 2333 | Evolution and Extinction of Dinosaurs | |
| BISC 2454 | General Ecology | |
| BISC 3454 | Marine Ecology | |
| BISC 3458 | Plant Comparative Structure and Function | |
| BISC 3460 | Conservation Biology | |
| Biology–biotechnology domain | ||
| Prerequisites | ||
| BISC 1111 | Introductory Biology: Cells and Molecules | |
| BISC 1112 | Introductory Biology: The Biology of Organisms | |
| Required | ||
| BISC 2207 | Genetics | |
| Two courses selected from the following: | ||
| BISC 2202 | Cell Biology | |
| BISC 2213 | Biology of Cancer | |
| BISC 3209 | Molecular Biology | |
| PUBH 3201 | Introduction to Bioinformatics | |
| Economics domain | ||
| Required | ||
| ECON 2104 | Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory: A Mathematical Approach | |
| or ECON 2102 | Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory | |
| ECON 2123 | Introduction to Econometrics | |
| One course selected from the following: | ||
| ECON 3105 | Economic Forecasting | |
| ECON 3142 | Labor Economics | |
| ECON 4198W | Proseminar in Economics | |
| Data journalism domain | ||
| Prerequisite | ||
| SMPA 2110W | Introduction to News Writing and Reporting | |
| Required | ||
| SMPA 2111W | Advanced News Reporting | |
| SMPA 3230 | Reporting in the Digital Age | |
| One course selected from the following: | ||
| SMPA 3233 | Photojournalism | |
| SMPA 3234 | Editing and Design for Print and Web | |
| SMPA 3235W | Broadcast News Writing | |
| Washington Reporting | ||
| SMPA 3241W | Campaign Reporting | |
| SMPA 3242 | Investigative Reporting | |
| SMPA 3246 | Specialized Reporting | |
| Geospatial data science domain | ||
| Required | ||
| GEOG 2104 | Introduction to Cartography and GIS | |
| GEOG 3105 | Techniques of Spatial Analysis | |
| One course selected from the following: | ||
| GEOG 3106 | Intermediate Geographic Information Systems | |
| GEOG 3107 | Introduction to Remote Sensing | |
| GEOG 3196 | Special Topics in Techniques | |
| Mathematics domain | ||
| Prerequisite | ||
| MATH 2233 | Multivariable Calculus | |
| Required | ||
| Three courses selected from the following: | ||
| MATH 3553 | Introduction to Numerical Analysis | |
| MATH 3359 | Introduction to Mathematical Modeling | |
| MATH 3410 | Mathematics of Finance | |
| MATH 3411 | Stochastic Calculus Methods in Finance | |
| MATH 3632 | Introduction to Graph Theory | |
| MATH 3740 | Computational Complexity | |
| MATH 4981 | Seminar: Topics in Mathematics | |
| STAT 4157 | Introduction to Mathematical Statistics I | |
| STAT 4181 | Applied Time Series Analysis | |
| Physics domain | ||
| Prerequisites | ||
| MATH 2233 | Multivariable Calculus | |
| MATH 3342 | Ordinary Differential Equations | |
| PHYS 1021 | University Physics I | |
| or PHYS 1025 | University Physics I with Biological Applications | |
| PHYS 1022 | University Physics II | |
| or PHYS 1026 | University Physics II with Biological Applications | |
| Required: | ||
| PHYS 2023 | Modern Physics | |
| PHYS 3161 | Mechanics | |
| PHYS 3181 | Computational Physics | |
| Science, technology, and society domain | ||
| Required | ||
| Three courses selected from the following: | ||
| AMST 2610 | Science, Technology, and Politics in Modern America | |
| or HIST 2610 | Science, Technology, and Politics in Modern America | |
| AMST 2620 | Human Mind and Artificial Intelligence | |
| AMST 2680W | Hashtag America | |
| ANTH 2502 | Anthropology of Science and Technology: Twenty-First Century Brave New Worlds | |
| ANTH 3531 | Methods in Sociocultural Anthropology | |
| ANTH 3691 | Special Topics in Linguistic Anthropology | |
| SMPA 3476 | Media, Technology, and Culture | |
| SMPA 3477 | Information Technology and Politics | |