Within the Data Sciences major, students must select from one of three options to further focus their studies:
This option focuses on the principles, methods, and tools for assembly, validation, organization, analysis, visualization, and interpretation of large and heterogeneous data, to support data-driven discovery and decision-making, with emphasis on addressing pressing scientific, organizational, and societal challenges. A combination of required and elective courses provides students with the training and skills needed to develop advanced tools and domain-specific analyses that yield actionable knowledge from data. This option also provides critical analytical skills needed to assess the benefits and limitations of data analytics across a broad range of applications involving big data.
This option focuses on the computational foundations of the data sciences, including the design, implementation and analysis of software that manages the volume, heterogeneity and dynamic characteristics of large data sets and that leverages the computational power of multicore hardware. Students in this option will take upper-level courses in computer science and related fields to develop the skills necessary to construct efficient solutions to computational problems involving Big Data.
This option focuses on statistical models and methods that are needed to discover and validate patterns in Big Data. Students in this option will take upper-level statistics and mathematics courses, learning to apply the theoretical machinery of quantitative models to the solution of real-world problems involving Big Data.
To enter the Data Sciences major, students must meet the entrance to major requirements below based on the semester that they entered the University. Once all entrance to major requirements have been met, learn how to declare your major by using the Update Academics feature on your LionPath account.
Suggested Academic Plans for students pursuing the Applied Data Sciences option in the Data Sciences major are based on a student’s semester of entry to Penn State and serve as a guide when scheduling courses. Students should work with their academic adviser and run “Academic Requirements” and “What If” reports in LionPATH to ensure that they are staying on track for graduation.
Prerequisite flowcharts visually represent the major's suggested academic plan including course prerequisites and sequencing. The flowcharts are intended to be used as a planning tool along with the Bulletin Suggested Academic Plan and the LionPath What-If and/or Academic Requirements reports.
Within the Applied Data Sciences option of the Data Sciences major, students must take a series of four courses in one of the application focus areas listed below or work with their academic adviser to create a custom focus. Application focus areas allow students to develop more specialized knowledge in a specific domain. Course requirements and additional information for each area can be found on the University Bulletin.
All undergraduate students in the College of IST are required to complete at least one internship before graduation. Please review provided resources and plan early.
For specific information and resources related to the internship requirement, which includes enrolling in the 1-credit IST 495 course, contact the Office of Career Solutions and Corporate Engagement. The Career Resources webpages provide information to assist you in determining your major and career goals. The Discovering Your IST Career Path and Past Student Internships pages may be especially helpful in exploring your major.
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