Frequently Asked Questions

Data science is an emerging academic discipline that integrates computing, statistics, and substantive knowledge of an application area. In a world awash with data, nearly every field of inquiry and endeavor is being reshaped by data-driven methods, making data science inherently multidisciplinary. Our program allows students to take classes across a number of areas of study in addition to their core data science classes. Further, the process of extracting knowledge from large and complex data sets (a common definition of “data science’) requires not only technical proficiency but also critical thinking, problem solving, and inferential reasoning, all of which are taught in our courses.

Data scientists work across a broad range of fields, with careers in health care, social science, finance, data management, and so much more being available to data science graduates. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment for data scientists to grow 34 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations. Employers increasingly seek graduates who can pair technical competence with the strengths of a liberal arts education: communication, writing, problem solving, leadership, and research (via EAB report). This allows data science graduates to work across a broad range of fields!

The data science program partners with our Career Accelerator to help students secure high-quality, paid internships, providing structured support with placement, preparation, and professional development. Data science students will be able to complete a two-course progression through the Career Accelerator that includes a professional preparation seminar within which they will establish a paid internship and then an internship course directly related to their Data Science major. Our alumni have gone on to do great work with places such as Starkey, the Voting Rights Data Institute, NAVEX Global, HaystaqDNA, and so much more!

Absolutely! In addition to offering the flexibility needed to pursue a semester abroad, the Berlin, Germany, data science overseas program is offered alternating years in the fall. This program features a course led by L&C faculty, Visualizing Berlin, in which students learn to wrangle and visualize unstructured data such as images, audio, and text. Student projects center on original data collected in Berlin, allowing students to connect data science methods directly to the cultural, social, and urban context of the city.

The data science website includes a list of resources available to students. For data science tutoring, check out the Data Cafe, the Symbolic and Quantitative Resource Center (SQRC), or SAAB tutoring!

The requirements for the major and minor, in addition to what courses are being offered soon, are available in the college catalog.

Declaring a major/minor is done through completing a form with the Registrar. Students must declare a major by the time they have earned 45 or more credits.