Academic Catalog

Data Science

www.mcla.edu/data
(413) 662-5144
Program Coordinator: Erin Kiley, Ph.D.
Email: E.M.Kiley@mcla.edu

Data Science Minor

Never in human history have we possessed as much data as we do now, and in the 21st century, businesses and other ventures succeed or fail on their ability to derive meaningful information from these vast amounts of data. MCLA graduates in a range of fields, not limited to STEM, will inevitably be called on by their employers to process data, and would benefit from a way to demonstrate that they have the skills and abilities to handle this task thoughtfully, productively, and ethically.

Data Science Program

Data Science Courses

DATA 350 Practicing Data Science4 cr

Introduces students to data science as it is applied to various fields. Students will write computer programs to visualize and analyze large data sets, and to carry out various tests involving statistical inference. Required computer programming laboratory.

Prerequisite: BIOL 390 or ECON 316 or MATH 270 or PSYC 291 and CSCI 120  
DATA 500 Independent Study in Data Science1-3 cr

Open to juniors and seniors who wish to read in a given area or to study a topics in depth. Written reports and frequent conferences with the advisor are required.

Prerequisite: Junior/senior status, completion of DATA 350 with a grade of C or better, instructor approval  
Repeatable: Maximum of 12 credits