Course Information
These links provide information on course requirements, course descriptions and the Academic Rhode Map, which lists all the courses you will need to complete this program and graduate in a timely fashion.
How does a music streaming app predict what new music you will like? What factors influence your recommendations on social media? Enter the data scientist. They are able to process large amounts of data and extract targeted recommendations. The B.A. in data science program will teach you how to:
Your journey into data science will begin with probability and statistics. You will work your way through calculus and introductory statistics, then move on to the core data science sequence of Math 245, 345 and 445. Along the way, you will develop proficiency in industry-standard software from your mathematics courses, as well as some introductory programming and machine learning. You’ll also learn about industry ethics and technical writing, which will improve your ability to relay technical information to a non-technical audience. Your study will culminate in a seminar, where you will be able to put all of your training into action as you work on real-world big data problems.
RIC’s B.S. degree in data science provides a pathway into one of the most in-demand careers, with one of the highest starting salaries. From startups to Fortune 500s to government agencies, organizations are capitalizing on big data and will need data scientists like you to help them make informed decisions.
Rhode Island College is an exclusive member of the Common Application.
These links provide information on course requirements, course descriptions and the Academic Rhode Map, which lists all the courses you will need to complete this program and graduate in a timely fashion.
Upon completion of this program, students will:
In any career involving science and mathematics – including business, research, teaching, and other pursuits – written communication regarding process and results is important. People in careers in quantitative fields need to be able to explain results - including explanations for non-technical audiences, and they need to be able to detail the steps of developing a mathematical model and analyzing data.
Within the Data Science major, the course M460: Seminar in Data Science is designated as satisfying the WID requirement. As part of this course, students will choose a scientific problem, and the instructor will act as a facilitator to help guide the student through each of their solution processes, with the student documenting the work throughout.
The writing will fall into the category of technical writing, for the documentation and formal presentation for the analysis done on the student’s problem, and should also have a component of explanatory mathematical writing (see Russek (1998), Flesher (2003)), as the student prepares a less-technical presentation of the work for the class and, potentially, a wider audience.
The details of styles and intermediate assignments will vary from instructor to instructor. There may be a variety of relatively short, low-stakes assignments. Regarding the main project, it is expected that there will be feedback at a variety of times during the time span of the project: when a topic is selected, as resources and methods are chosen, as an outline is created, as a first and revised drafts are created. There is an expectation of an ongoing feedback loop for each student.
A student who has completed the Data Science major should be able to:
Declaring a minor allows you to explore other areas of interest and make interdisciplinary connections. Minor areas at RIC complement and reinforce all major areas of study. By declaring a minor, you can set yourself apart as a candidate for job, internship and volunteer opportunities.
The Department of Mathematical Sciences provides training in mathematics and data science — invaluable skills in nearly any field.