Certificate in Data Science

Program Co-Directors: Associate Professor Alva Couch (Computer Science) and Professor Mai Vu (Electrical and Computer Engineering)

The Certificate in Data Science is intended for students who possess a Bachelor of Science in a Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) field, but who lack sufficient background in Data Science to be admitted to the Master of Science in Data Science or wish a less intensive program than the MSDS.

The certificate is a postgraduate degree that prepares students for employment and further study in this quickly evolving field. The program is jointly administered by the departments of Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering.

The certificate requires a minimum of five courses, including Electrical Engineering 104 or Mathematics 165 and Computer Science 135. Three electives must include: (A) one course in data infrastructure (including Computer Science 112, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 122, 123, and 151); (B) one course in data analysis and/or interfaces (including Computer Science 136, 137, 138, 141, 142, 152, 166, 167, 169, 171, 175, 177, 178, 236, 272, 275, and 277; Mechanical Engineering 150; and Civil and Environmental Engineering 187); and (C) one course in computational and theoretical aspects of data analysis (including Computer Science 131,160, and 168; Data Science 153; Mathematics 123, 125, 126, 133, 153, 155, 156, and 166; Electrical Engineering 109, 127, 130, 133, and 140).

Students lacking the prerequisites for these courses must complete those prerequisites as part of the certificate; these include Mathematics 32, 34, and 70 or 72, Computer Science 11 and 15, and one of Computer Science 61 or Math 61 or 65. Data Science 204 or EE 200 may be taken in lieu of Computer Science 11 and 15.

Upon successful completion of certificate requirements with grades of B- or better, the student may either receive the certificate or apply for admission to the Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) program. If accepted to the MSDS program, all graduate credits earned toward the certificate with a grade of B- or better may be transferred to apply toward MSDS requirements.