Majors & Programs

Data Science

New Program for Fall 2023

Degrees Offered: BS

Math Students

Develop and practice skills in synthesizing knowledge and applying contemporary statistics, data analysis, and computational science methods to solve social and environmental problems.

Data Science is the science of planning for, acquisition, management, analysis of, and inference from data. At the core of the Data Science experience is a process of obtaining, curating, managing, processing, and exploring data, defining questions, performing analyses, and communicating the results.

The program coursework includes a robust set of hands-on, applied learning experiences, including student projects that are community-based and which incorporate inclusive design practice. Each student will intentionally pursue an area of emphasis/application, in consultation with their academic advisor, to gain expertise with and understanding of the complex social and environmental systems in which the tools of data science may be applied.

Students in the Data Science Program will work with data that relates to local issues. For example, sea level rise data for Humboldt Bay and Crescent City is currently being used in some courses and could further be leveraged in introductory data science courses, weaving a theme throughout several classes to give students a holistic perspective of local challenges and solutions. Beyond place-based data sets, many publicly available data sets are a simple click away, meaning our students can engage with data from the World Health Organization, the U.S. Census Bureau, the World Bank and UNICEF, and many other sets. This brings the world to our rural community and allows our students and faculty to address and solve far-reaching, global challenges.

Learning Outcomes

  • Computational skills to extract different types and quantities of data from multiple sources and create visualizations and other data products for various audiences.
  • Statistical knowledge to build mathematical models and ensure the validity of data and its analysis.
  • Domain knowledge in one or more key areas of application to gain domain specific information from data and its analysis and to communicate insights from that data that support understanding of and solutions for critical problems within the domain.
  • Contemporary computer-based and data-oriented analytical skills and related ethical considerations to support a broad synthesis of knowledge including contributions from humanities, natural sciences, traditional ecological knowledges, and other foundational frameworks for understanding.
  • Students will communicate effectively with a diverse range of audiences.

Careers

The Data Science Program provides a pathway for students to prepare for a growing number of data-rich STEM professions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics considers data science in the top 20 fastest growing occupations, and data science methodologies are being applied to nearly every field in natural and social sciences and the humanities.

Many organizations, including public, private, for profit, and not-for-profit, hire entry-level (B.S. required) positions with the following titles:

  • Data Analyst
  • Data Manager
  • Data Analytics Project Manager
  • Risk Analytics
  • Data Researcher
  • Data Scientist
826-3143
BSSB 320

Degrees & Requirements

More Information

Kami Larripa, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
krl23@humboldt.edu
707-826-4926

Dale R. Oliver, Professor of Mathematics
dale.oliver@humboldt.edu
707-826-4020