Major in Data Science

Degree Type

Bachelor of Science

About

Get a Data Science degree that is high demand, fast growth rate, and high pay!

Introduction

The Bachelor of Science in Data Science degree aims to produce graduates who can combine business expertise, quantitative reasoning, and computer software skills to extract meaningful insights from data. These skills prepare students to interpret business data in the 21st century, to compete in the marketplace with combined business and data science skills, and to apply these insights to answer business questions and solve business problems.

Program graduates are expected to be able to

  • Demonstrate knowledge about business functions and processes.
  • Collect, clean, prepare, and maintain data from different sources with relevant technologies.
  • Analyze data using popular statistical tools and programming skills and generate reports.
  • Visualize data using Power BI, Tableau, and Microsoft Excel and communicate the results effectively to address business questions and make recommendations.
  • Understand the role of data governance and the ethical use of data in data science.
  • Demonstrate knowledge about enterprise systems.

 

The program will focus on the following eight student learning outcomes:

  • Written Communication
  • Oral Communication
  • Critical Thinking
  • Quantitative Literacy
  • Information Literacy
  • Teamwork
  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Reflective Practice

More information on major requirements can be found below in the Program Requirements section.

Where can a data science degree take you?

BS in Data Science graduates can apply for positions such as Data Scientist, Business Analyst, Business Intelligence Engineer, Operations Research Analyst, etc. Most of the data science related job descriptions have mentioned following preferred qualifications:

  • Knowledge of data analysis and statistical modeling techniques. [These techniques will be taught in Data and Text Mining (DSCI 355) and Time Series Modeling & Forecasting (DSCI 375) classes.]
  • Knowledge of machine learning driven algorithms to improve systems. [These machine learning algorithms will be taught in Machine Learning (DSCI 420) class.]
  • Knowledge of Tableau, AWS QuickSight, Power BI, or other data visualizations software. [Students will learn these visualization tools in Data Visualization (DSCI 351) class.]
  • Knowledge of Excel, Python, R, Access, SQL, Perl, or other scripting languages. [These programming languages will be taught in Data Science Programming (DSCI 310), Small System Software (MISY 341), and Database Management Principles (MISY 360) classes. Students need to complete their class projects using these programming languages. They will be familiar with how to develop Data-driven decision models using both Python and R programming languages.]
  • Knowledge of prediction techniques to improve forecast accuracy. [These forecasting techniques will be taught in Time Series Modeling & Forecasting (DSCI 375) class.]
  • Knowledge of processing large-scale complex datasets and making optimal decisions using optimization techniques. [Optimization techniques for large-scale datasets will be taught in Data-driven Decision Making (DSCI 490) class.]
  • Knowledge of optimization programming languages and commercial solvers. [Students will learn popular optimization languages, such as AMPL, GAMS and commercial solver, such as CPLEX, in Data-driven Decision Making (DSCI 490) class.]

Data Science graduates typically work in one of the following positions: Data Scientist, Data Analyst, Business Intelligence Analyst, Operations Research Analyst, and Data Engineer. National average annual salary for the above mentioned five positions from Year 2012 to 2021 is shown in the following Figure (data source: zippia)

Table: National Average Annual Salary Over Time
Year Business Intelligence Analyst Data Analyst Data Scientist Operations Research Analyst Data Engineer
2012 $63,600 $61,100 $82,400 $62,400 $83,600
2013 $64,300 $63,400 $83,300 $63,200 $84,500
2014 $65,500 $63,700 $83,600 $64,000 $86,000
2015 $66,600 $63,800 $84,600 $64,200 $86,700
2016 $67,600 $64,800 $88,000 $66,400 $89,200
2017 $68,400 $65,600 $89,700 $68,200 $92,000
2018 $69,900 $66,000 $91,500 $70,000 $94,600
2019 $71,000 $66,000 $92,500 $70,500 $96,400
2020 $72,600 $66,900 $94,800 $72,400 $98,000
2021 $74,100 $67,900 $98,000 $74,200 $99,800

Data Source: Zippia

Data Scientist
Business Intelligence Analyst
Market Research Analyst
Operations Research Analyst
Clinical Data Manager

Program Requirements

To graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Data Science, students must complete 120 credit hours. These credit hours are split among:

  • General Education Requirements, or GERs (40 credits)
  • College of Business Core Requirements (42 credits)
  • Data Science Core Courses (27 credits)
  • Data Science Elective (3 credits)
  • Free Electives (7 credits)
  • Coppin-Specific Requirements (1 credit)

General Education Requirements (GERs) (40 credits)

Students must complete 40 GER credits. Specifically for data science majors, your program plan should include:

  • ECON 103, Introduction to Business & Entrepreneurial Economics, to satisfy the Social and Behavioral Sciences category of GER
  • MATH 131, College Algebra for Mathematics and Science Majors, to satisfy the Mathematics category of GER
  • MISY 150, Technology Fluency, to satisfy the Interdisciplinary and Emerging Issues-Local to Global category of GER

College of Business Requirements (42 credits)

Students must complete following 42 credits of College of Business core requirements:

Course Credits Name
ACCT 201 3 Principles of Financial Accounting
ACCT 202 3 Principles of Managerial Accounting
BDSC 322 3 Business Statistics
BDSC 340 3 Operations and Production Management
BUSI 310 3 Business Law
BUSI 320 3 International Business
BUSI 495 3 Seminar in Business Strategy and Policy
ECON 211 3 Principles of Economics I
ECON 212 3 Principles of Economics II
FINM 330 3 Principles of Business Finance
MGMT 305 3 Business Communications
MGMT 320 3 Principles of Management
MISY 341 3 Small Systems Software
MKTG 310 3 Principles of Marketing

Data Science Core Courses (27 credits)

Students must complete following 27 Data Science core credits:

Course Credits Name
DSCI 201 3 Introduction to Data Science
DSCI 310 3 Data Science Programming
DSCI 351 3 Data Visualization
DSCI 355 3 Data and Text Mining
DSCI 356 3 Data Science Cloud Computing
MISY 360 3 Database Management Principles
DSCI 375 3 Time Series Modeling and Forecasting
DSCI 420 3 Machine Learning
DSCI 490 3 Data-driven Decision Making

Data Science Elective (3 credits)

Students need to select one of the following courses as the Data Science elective requirement:

  • DSCI 450 Special Topics in Data Science
  • DSCI 485 Internship in Data Science

Free Electives (7 credits)

Students are recommended to take COSC 199 Introduction to Computer Programming and/or any other computer science/mathematics/management information systems courses, but other college level courses are acceptable too.

Coppin Specific Requirements (1 credit)

  • FRSEM 101 Freshman Seminar

Transfer students transferring 25 or more credits are exempt from this FRSEM 101 course.

Sample Course Plan

Be sure to connect with your academic advisor to plan your semester courses. The plan below is just an example—your journey may have different requirements.

Fall Semester (16 Credits)

Course Credits Name
ENGL 101 or 101E 3 English Composition I
MATH 131 3 College Algebra
PHIL 102 3 Introduction to Logic
HIST 201, 203, or 205 3 History I
MISY 150 3 Technology Fluency
FRSEM 101 1 Freshman Seminar

Spring Semester (15 Credits)

Course Credits Name
ENGL 102  3 English Composition II
HIST 202, 204, or 206 3 History II
PHSC 101 or 103 3 Physical Science
SPCH 105 3 Introduction to Speech Communication
ECON 103 3 Introduction to Business & Entrepreneurial Economics

Fall Semester (15 Credits)

Course Credits Name
Arts & Humanities 3 ART 103, MUSC 201, DANC 226, THEA 211, IDIS 102/103, or Foreign Language 101
PSYC 201 3 General Psychology
ACCT 201 3 Principle of Financial Accounting
ECON 211 3 Principles of Economics I
DSCI 201 3 Introduction to Data Science

Spring Semester (16 Credits)

Course Credits Name
ECON 212 3 Principles of Economics II
BIOL 101 4 Biology
ACCT 202 3 Principles of Managerial Accounting
BDSC 322 3 Business Statistics
FINM 330 3 Principles of Business Finance

Fall Semester (15 Credits)

Course Credits Name
MKTG 310 3 Principles of Marketing
BDSC 340 3 Operations Management
DSCI 310 3 Data Science Programming
DSCI 351 3 Data Visualization
MISY 341 3 Small Systems Software

Spring Semester (15 Credits)

Course Credits Name
BUSI 310 3 Business Law
BUSI 320 3 Fundamentals of International Business
MGMT 320 3 Principles of Management
DSCI 355 3 Data and Text Mining
ELECTIVE (Reading 101 or general elective) 3 COSC 199 Introduction to Computer Programming (Recommended)

Fall Semester (15 Credits)

Course Credits Name
MGMT 305 3 Business Communication
DSCI 356 3 Data Science Cloud Computing
DSCI 375 3 Time Series Modeling & Forecasting
DSCI 420 3 Machine Learning
ELECTIVE 3 Any COSC, MATH, or MISY course (recommended)

Spring Semester (13 Credits)

Course Credits Name
MISY 360 3 Database Management Principles
Data Science Elective 3 DSCI 450 Special Topics or DSCI 485 Internship
DSCI 490 3 Data-driven Decision Making
BUSI 495 3 Seminar in Business Strategy & Policy
ELECTIVE 1 Open Elective
Exit Exam