Nov 21, 2024

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Statistics and Data Science, B.S.

The ability to reason and communicate with data - skills that fall under the umbrella of “data literacy” - is a key competency for those seeking employment in almost all professional sectors of the job market. Beyond this competency requirement, however, there is a sizable and growing demand from employers for individuals with specialized training in statistics and data science.

Employers are looking to hire statisticians and data scientists who are able collect and curate large volumes of data, bring statistical and machine learning methods to bear on new questions, and create data pipelines and workflows that transform digital information into actionable insights.

Perhaps most importantly, employers are looking for individuals who are equipped with the foundational training needed to ensure that the young professionals they hire into these roles are readily able to learn and critically assess new tools as they become available.

120 hours (minimum)

Any student earning a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree must complete a minimum of 60 hours in natural, physical, mathematical, and computer science. See the complete description of College requirements for a Bachelor of Science degree, including a specific listing of courses applicable to the 60-hour requirement.

UK Core Requirements

See the UK Core section of this Catalog for the complete UK Core requirements . The courses listed below are (a) recommended by the college, or (b) required courses that also fulfill UK Core areas. Students should work closely with their advisor to complete the UK Core requirements.

UK Core Hours: 31

Graduation Composition and Communication Requirement (GCCR)

STA 495 - STATISTICS AND DATA SCIENCE IN CONTEXT: A PRACTICUM Credit(s): 3

Graduation Composition and Communication Requirement hours (GCCR): 3

College Requirements

I. Foreign Language: 0-14

Placement exam recommended

II. Disciplinary Requirements

a. Natural Science: 3

b. Social Science: 3

c. Humanities: 3

III. Laboratory or Field Work: 3

IV. Race and Ethnicity Requirement: 3

V. Electives: 6

College Requirement hours: 18-32

Premajor Requirements

MA 113 - CALCULUS I Credit(s): 4
OR
MA 137 - CALCULUS I WITH LIFE SCIENCE APPLICATION Credit(s): 4
MA 114 - CALCULUS II Credit(s): 4
OR
MA 138 - CALCULUS II WITH LIFE SCIENCE APPLICATIONS Credit(s): 4

Premajor Hours: 8

Major Requirements

STA 296 - STATISTICAL METHODS AND MOTIVATIONS Credit(s): 3
STA 305 INTRODUCTION TO DATA SCIENCE Credit(s): 4
STA 310 - INTRODUCTION TO PROBABILITY AND INFERENCE Credit(s): 3
STA 315 - APPLIED STATISTICAL MODELING AND EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Credit(s): 3
MA 322 - MATRIX ALGEBRA AND ITS APPLICATIONS Credit(s): 3
STA 300 - DATA VISUALIZATION Credit(s): 3
STA 415 - PREDICTIVE MODELING AND INTRODUCTORY MACHINE LEARNING Credit(s): 4
STA 425 - COMPUTATIONAL BAYESIAN STATISTICS Credit(s): 3
STA 495 - STATISTICS AND DATA SCIENCE IN CONTEXT: A PRACTICUM Credit(s): 3

Major Requirement hours: 29

Specialization Through Other Course Work Required by the Major

In addition to the core courses, students have the option to further specialize their training in statistics and data science. Twelve (or more) credit hours must be proposed by the student and approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies. This flexible specialization will allow students from a variety of backgrounds to complete the major with an approved speciality of their choosing and will make it easier for students to double major.

Specialization Requirement hours: 12

Free Electives

6 hours of free electives - that do not count toward any other requirement - must be taken. Additional electives may be required to reach the required minimum of 120 hours.

Statistics and Data Science, B.S.

UK Core Requirements

I. Intellectual Inquiry in Arts and Creativity

II. Intellectual Inquiry in the Humanities

III. Intellectual Inquiry in the Social Sciences

IV. Intellectual Inquiry in Natural, Physical and Mathematical Sciences

V. Composition and Communication I

VI. Composition and Communication II

VII. Quantitative Foundations

VIII. Statistical Inferential Reasoning

IX. Community, Culture and Citizenship in the USA

X. Global Dynamics