BS in Data Science
- Degree Program Description
- Major Program Requirements
- Semester Plans
- Degree Audit
- Major and Career Exploration
Degree Program Description
The BS in Data Science is offered in three focus areas through two colleges. Students electing the computer science focus earn their degree from the College of Engineering. Students electing either the mathematics focus or the statistics focus earn their degree from the College of Arts and Science. The choice of a focus area allows students to take specialized coursework in whichever of the three areas they have the most interest. The degree, BS in Data Science, is the same for all three focuses.
The BS in Data Science is an interdisciplinary degree built on a core triad of fields: statistics, mathematics, and computer science. Students in this program will learn how to acquire, analyze, communicate, and develop models from data through application of statistical, mathematical, and computer science skills. They will also learn data ethics and governance, including legitimate use and algorithmic fairness, as well as privacy, security, and stewardship. In their final year, students will demonstrate their ability to apply knowledge and skills and integrate them into a major data science project. The program allows students to complete their major and general education requirements with room for additional minors or certificates to further prepare them for careers or advanced study. With careful planning, students are also able to complete a second major in the affiliated triad disciplines (CS, Math, Statistics) or in Information Technology. Students who complete the BS in Data Science are prepared for careers in virtually every sector of industry, government, and academia, as well as advanced degrees.
Major Program Requirements
The BS in Data Science requires a total of 120 credit hours for completion. Within the major proper, all students must complete a total of 60 hours, consisting of the following four parts: 1) a core curriculum of 10 required courses (30 credits); 2) four intermediate-level core courses (12 credits) from a restricted list of six; 3) four advanced courses (12 credits) within the chosen focus area of Computer Science, Mathematics, or Statistics; and 4) 6 credits of experiential coursework consisting of case studies, internships, research, and/or thesis, 3 credits of which meet the MU capstone requirement. Students may meet the 6-credit requirement through a combination of such experiential coursework.
Students who complete the degree with the Computer Science focus will receive their degree from the College of Engineering; those who complete in Mathematics or Statistics will receive their degree from the College of Arts and Science.
Students earning a Bachelor of Science in Data Science are required to complete University, general education, and College of Arts and Science requirements, students must also meet the following major program requirements. All major requirements in the College of Arts and Science must be completed with grades of C- or higher unless otherwise indicated. Selected foundational courses, which may fulfill some University general education requirements.
| Core Courses | ||
| DATA_SCI 1030 | Foundations of Data Science | 3 |
| STAT 2800 | Intuition, Simulation, and Data | 3 |
| CMP_SC 1300 | Computing with Data in Python | 3 |
| CMP_SC 2300 | Introduction to Computational Data Visualization | 3 |
| CMP_SC 3380 | Database Applications and Information Systems | 3 |
| STAT 4510 | Applied Statistical Models I | 3 |
| STAT 4520 | Applied Statistical Models II | 3 |
| MATH 1400 | Calculus for Social and Life Sciences I | 3 |
| or MATH 1500 | Analytic Geometry and Calculus I | |
| MATH 2320 | Discrete Mathematical Structures | 3 |
| MATH 4140 | Matrix Theory | 3 |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
| Intermediate Courses | ||
| Students must select 12 credits from the following list. | ||
| CMP_SC 4350 | Big Data Analytics | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4720 | Introduction to Machine Learning and Pattern Recognition | 3 |
| STAT 4560 | Applied Multivariate Data Analysis | 3 |
| STAT 4640 | Introduction to Bayesian Data Analysis | 3 |
| MATH 2100 | Calculus for Social and Life Sciences II | 3 |
| or MATH 1700 | Calculus II | |
| MATH 4100 | Differential Equations | 3 |
| Advanced Focus Courses | ||
| Students must select 12 credits from within one of the focus areas in the following list. | ||
| Computer Science Focus | ||
| CMP_SC 4540 | Neural Models and Machine Learning | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4740 | Interdisciplinary Introduction to NLP | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4750 | Artificial Intelligence I | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4770 | Introduction to Computational Intelligence | 3 |
| Statistics Focus | ||
| STAT 4150 | Applied Categorical Data Analysis | 3 |
| STAT 4310 | Sampling Techniques | 3 |
| STAT 4330 | Methods in Sports Analytics I | 3 |
| STAT 4340 | Methods in Sports Analytics II | 3 |
| STAT 4410 | Biostatistics and Clinical Trials | 3 |
| STAT 4420 | Applied Survival Analysis | 3 |
| STAT 4430 | Applied Longitudinal Data Analysis | 3 |
| STAT 4450 | Applied Statistical Methods for Bioinformatics | 3 |
| STAT 4540 | Experimental Design | 3 |
| STAT 4610 | Applied Spatial Statistics | 3 |
| STAT 4710 | Introduction to Mathematical Statistics | 3 |
| Mathematics Focus | ||
| MATH 4310 | Numerical Linear Algebra | 3 |
| MATH 4500 | Applied Analysis | 3 |
| MATH 4355 | Quantitative Finance and Insurance I | 3 |
| MATH 4540 | Mathematical Modeling I | 3 |
| MATH 4590 | Quantitative Finance and Insurance II | 3 |
| Experiential Courses | ||
| Students must select 6 credits from the following list. | ||
| CMP_SC 4990 | Undergraduate Research in Computer Science | 0-6 |
| CMP_SC 4995 | Undergraduate Research in Computer Science - Honors | 1-6 |
| MATH 4960 | Special Readings in Mathematics | 1-3 |
| MATH 4996 | Honors in Mathematics | 2 |
| STAT 4999 | Departmental Honors in Statistics | 1-3 |
| STAT 4085 | Problems in Statistics for Undergraduates | 1-3 |
| INTDSC 4971 | Capstone Internship in Interdisciplinary Studies | 1-6 |
Semester Plans
The following are sample plan of study for each focus. This sample plans may very from each student's own plan of study depending on their pace in the program and individual choices of options for each focus area.
Sample Plan of Study - Computer Science focus:
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| DATA_SCI 1030 | 3 | CMP_SC 1050 | 4 |
| CMP_SC 1300 | 3 | MATH 1700 | 5 |
| MATH 1500 | 5 | STAT 2800 | 3 |
| ENGLSH 1000 | 3 | Humanities | 3 |
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CMP_SC 2050 | 4 | CMP_SC 3050 | 3 |
| MATH 2300 | 3 | CMP_SC 3330 | 3 |
| MATH 2320 | 3 | CMP_SC 3380 | 3 |
| CMP_SC 2300 | 3 | STAT 4710 | 3 |
| Humanities | 3 | Behavioral or Social Science | 3 |
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| STAT 4510 | 3 | MATH 4140 | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4350 | 3 | STAT 4640 | 3 |
| Missouri State Law Requirement: Social Science | 3 | STAT 4520 | 3 |
| Biological or Physical Science Lab | 3 | Humanities, 2000+ level | 3 |
| Second major, minor, certificate, or elective (First Writing Intensive) | 3 | Second major, minor, certificate, or elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CMP_SC 4540 | 3 | CMP_SC 4750 | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4740 | 3 | CMP_SC 4770 | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4720 | 3 | CMP_SC 4990 (Second Writing Intensive) | 3 |
| CMP_SC 4990 | 3 | Second major, minor, certificate, or elective | 3 |
| Behavioral or Social Science, Arts and Science Diversity Requirement | 3 | Second major, minor, certificate, or elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits: 120 | |||
Sample Plan of Study - Mathematics focus:
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CMP_SC 1300 | 3 | CMP_SC 2300 | 3 |
| DATA_SCI 1030 | 3 | MATH 1700 | 5 |
| MATH 1500 (Math and Quantitative Reasoning) | 5 | STAT 2800 | 3 |
| ENGLSH 1000 | 3 | Second major, minor, certificate, or elective | 4 |
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| MATH 2300 | 3 | CMP_SC 3380 | 3 |
| STAT 4510 | 3 | MATH 2320 | 3 |
| Behavioral Science from Arts and Science | 3 | MATH 4100 | 3 |
| Missouri State Law Requirement: Social Science from Arts and Science | 3 | Biological or Physical Science lab | 4 |
| Second major, minor, certificate, or elective | 3 | Second major, minor, certificate, or elective (First Writing Intensive) | 3 |
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| MATH 4140 | 3 | MATH 4310 | 3 |
| MATH 4500 | 3 | STAT 4560 or 4640 | 3 |
| STAT 4520 | 3 | STAT 4970W | 3 |
| STAT 4710 | 3 | Humanities from Arts and Science | 3 |
| Second major, minor, certificate, or elective | 3 | Second major, minor, certificate, or elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| MATH 4960 or 4996 | 3 | MATH 4590 | 3 |
| MATH 4355 | 3 | STAT 4640 or 4560 | 3 |
| Humanities | 3 | Humanities, 2000+ level | 3 |
| Behavioral or Social Science, Arts and Science Diversity Requirement | 3 | Second major, minor, certificate, or elective | 3 |
| Second major, minor, certificate, or elective | 3 | Second major, minor, certificate, or elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits: 120 | |||
Sample Plan of Study - Statistics focus:
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| CMP_SC 1300 | 3 | CMP_SC 2300 | 3 |
| DATA_SCI 1030 | 3 | MATH 1700 | 5 |
| MATH 1500 (Math and Quantitative Reasoning) | 5 | STAT 2800 | 3 |
| ENGLSH 1000 | 3 | Second major, minor, certificate, or elective (First Writing Intensive) | 4 |
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| MATH 2300 | 3 | CMP_SC 3380 | 3 |
| STAT 4510 | 3 | MATH 2320 | 3 |
| Behavioral Science from Arts and Science | 3 | MATH 4100 | 3 |
| Missouri State Law Requirement: Social Science from Arts and Science | 3 | Biological or Physical Science lab | 4 |
| Second major, minor, certificate, or elective | 3 | Second major, minor, certificate, or elective (First Writing Intensive) | 3 |
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| MATH 4140 | 3 | STAT 4560 or 4640 | 3 |
| STAT 4520 | 3 | STAT 4970W | 3 |
| Statistics Advanced Focus | 3 | Statistics Advanced Focus | 3 |
| Behavioral or Social Science, Arts and Science Diversity Requirement | 3 | Humanities from Arts and Science | 3 |
| Second major, minor, certificate, or elective | 3 | Second major, minor, certificate, or elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| STAT 4085 or 4999 | 3 | STAT 4640 or 4560 | 3 |
| Statistics Advanced Focus | 3 | Statistics Advanced Focus | 3 |
| Humanities | 3 | Humanities, 2000+ level | 3 |
| Second major, minor, certificate, or elective | 3 | Second major, minor, certificate, or elective | 3 |
| Second major, minor, certificate, or elective | 3 | Second major, minor, certificate, or elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits: 120 | |||
Degree Audit
The degree audit is an automated report reflecting a student’s academic progress toward the completion of a degree.
MU students can request a degree audit by logging in to myDegreePlanner. Students may also access myDegreePlanner via myZou, in the Student Center, click on the Academic Progress Tile, then select Request Degree Audit. The audit automatically pulls in the student’s MU course work, transfer courses and courses in progress. This is available to current students, admitted students, and those who last attended less than three terms ago.
Past MU students can request a degree audit by contacting the Academic Advising Unit of the division in which they were last enrolled at MU. For contact information, go to https://advising.missouri.edu/contact/.
Prospective students, can access a preliminary MU degree audit via https://www.transferology.com. Information on the college credits already earned will have to be manually entered before it can be evaluated against current degree requirements.
For additional details on degree audits, go to https://registrar.missouri.edu/degrees-audits/degree-audits/.
Major and Career Exploration
The University of Missouri has many resources to assist you in exploring majors and career possibilities. For guidance, visit the Majors and Careers website or view specific resources below.
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If you are considering a change of major or are exploring multiple majors, schedule an appointment with an advisor in the Discovery Center by calling (573)884-9700 or through MU Connect Discovery Center service in you success network.
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If you have decided on a major, visit an academic advisor in the School or College that you are interested in to discuss the process of declaring the major.
- If you would like to learn more about your career interests, abilities, values and talents, visit the MU Career Center. No Appointment is necessary to explore career options with one of our staff members.
- If you would like information about MU majors and degree programs, visit:
- the Degrees, Majors (Degree Programs), Emphasis Areas, Minors and Certificates page in the catalog,
- the MU Majors website.
For additional major and career exploration resources, visit Major & Career Exploration in the catalog.