We prepare you for a promising career in business or industry and work in dozens of fields, from bio-technology to finance to business analytics.
Data science can be defined as gathering insight and information out of data. It is the science of everything associated with data: creation of algorithms, software, tools, and techniques, mathematical/statistical theory and practice of analysis, theory and practice of visualization and presentation, and data engineering.
In Southern’s B.S. in Data Science program, you’ll begin learning data science during your first and second semesters. These classes introduce you to Python programming and the fundamentals of data science. You’ll complete upper-level coursework covering a variety of topics from computer science and mathematics/statistics including data mining, machine learning, web and database development, linear algebra, Bayesian analysis and decision making, time series analysis, and non-parametric statistics.
Graduates are skilled in identifying and assessing organizational needs for data science, acquiring data, and implementing data science solutions based on knowledge of related models. For 2019, LinkedIn identified data scientist as the most promising job in the U.S., with a median base salary of $130,000 and a 56 percent increase in job openings in the last year.
Topics Covered
- Data Mining: The process of knowledge discovery through the use of algorithms, software, tools, and techniques.
- Machine Learning: The artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms and statistical techniques used by computers to automatically uncover structure in data sets.
- Analytics (as in Business Analytics, etc.): The application of Data Science to the data generated in a specific sector/industry.
- Big Data: Extremely large data sets with billions (or trillions) of observations held in terabytes of storage and which requires data science techniques for its analysis.
- And more
The Data Science Field is Evolving
As society becomes more and more reliant on data, opportunities for skilled data scientists increases. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 19 percent increase in the total number of data science positions by 2026, with entry-level positions paying between $50,000 and $75,000. Google, Amazon, Siri, and Netflix all use data science. Within Connecticut, high-tech/data corridors run through the state, servicing sectors such as medical care and research; pharmaceuticals; compliance management systems; insurance; and more.
Program Features
- Interdisciplinary major between mathematics and computer science
- Equips students with the skills and technology required to successfully work with the enormous amounts of data now generated by business, industry, and the sciences
- Students complete a capstone project that parallels the data science life-cycle from conception, acquisition, transformation, visualization, model building, and present their findings
- 120 overall credits
Program Requirements
Visit the undergraduate catalog for program requirements and further information.
Contact Us
Dr. Imad Antonios
Computer Science Department
Morrill Hall 118B
AntoniosI1@SouthernCT.edu
Dr. Aaron Clark
Mathematics Department
Engleman Hall D 115B
ClarkA23@SouthernCT.edu