Computational Data Science Major (BS)

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Data science is the practice of connecting data to decision making. This involves collecting, managing, analyzing, visualizing, and reporting data for use in decision making. From public policy to scientific exploration and from marketing to managerial action, a spectrum of skills and knowledge is needed to convert data to relevant information. The computational data science program develops the skills necessary to identify, acquire or generate, store, and manage informative data from varied sources; analyze that data or use that data to build machine learning models; and communicate their results.

Through your major in Computational Data Science, you’ll learn the skills required to collect, work with, and analyze large data sets. You will also develop discipline-specific knowledge in an area of your choice, such as business, chemistry, digital media arts, literature, or environmental studies. Through this program, you will apply your skills in data analysis to develop data-driven solutions to problems in your chosen domain.

This interdisciplinary major is composed of six core courses in Computational Data Science, five courses from Mathematics and QMBE, a seminar, and four disciplinary courses that meet requirements from another major or minor. The three disciplinary courses ensure that you have contextual knowledge in a content area in which to apply the computational and data analysis skills that you will develop in the program.

Major Requirements

Core CDS Courses:

Statistics (choose one):

Required Math and Data Courses:

Disciplinary Courses:

At least three additional courses that count toward another major or minor at Hamline are required. The courses have to be distinct from the courses listed above and at least one of these courses must be at the 3000 level or above. The courses should be building up students’ understanding of a particular field and must be approved by the director of the Computational Data Science program. The students are encouraged to discuss their interests and potential courses with their advisors and the director of the Computational Data Science program.

Seminar:

Students are required to complete two semesters of seminar. Seminar may be completed in any combination - one semester of each, or two semesters of either junior or senior seminar. The seminar requirement may be satisfied by attending a comparable seminar in an area related to their disciplinary focus, with approval from the director of the Computational Data Science program.