Overview

Data is increasingly central to understanding and shaping the world around us—from scientific discovery and historical interpretation to public policy, business decisions, and social trends.
Engaging with data requires not only technical skill, but also critical thinking, ethical reflection, and a deep appreciation of context and complexity. The data science minor prepares students to be informed and capable participants in a data-rich world, regardless of their primary field of study.

Data science is an interdisciplinary field of study that uses quantitative scientific methods and computational processes together with field-specific expertise to extract knowledge and insights from data. Through interdisciplinary coursework, students will develop the following core competencies:

• Data preparation: Students will develop the ability to clean and wrangle data, preparing it for analysis using appropriate tools and techniques.
• Data analysis and interpretation: Students will conduct statistical analyses, create clear and effective data visualizations, and interpret results accurately.
• Data science theory: Students will develop an understanding of the theoretical foundations of data science, including algorithms, statistics, modeling, and method selection.
• Applying and communicating data science: Students will apply data science methods to real-world, discipline-specific problems while communicating and critically evaluating the implications, limitations, and ethics of data use.