Data Science Major

With the vast amount of data collected in the modern world, there is a growing need for professionals who can effectively collect, process, analyse, and generate insights from big data. The Data Science major in the Bachelor of Science teaches students the latest techniques for manipulating large data sets, building predictive models, and visualising data to effectively communicate with others.

Course Overview

The Data Science major combines subjects from mathematics, statistics, computer science, and IT to provide students with a comprehensive set of tools to work with big data in their career. The subjects in the Data Science major provide students with skills that can be applied in many industries by teaching theoretical concepts in statistics and computer science, then providing opportunities to apply this knowledge in hands-on practical tasks and industry projects.

In the first year of their degree, students will be introduced to the fundamentals of programming, computer science, and algorithms in our foundational CIS subjects. These assume no prior IT knowledge and provide students with the skills to begin programming independently, and to create efficient solutions to complex problems. Data Science students are additionally required to undertake foundational mathematics studies in their first year, to prepare them for subjects in probability and statistics in the following years.

In the second year of the Data Science major, students apply the foundational knowledge they developed in first year to medium-scale projects in Elements Of Data Processing. In addition to this, having completed the prerequisite mathematics subjects, second year students begin to take specialised courses in Probability and Statistics.

In the third year, students are required to take 4 core subjects to fulfil the requirements of the major. Subjects such as Linear Statistics Models and Modern Applied Statistics provide the advanced theoretical knowledge required for a deep understanding of data science techniques, and the subjects Machine Learning and Applied Data Science provide opportunities to apply this knowledge to complex problems and industry projects.

More Information About the Data Science Major

The Data Science major acts as a natural pathway for students who wish to complete the Master of Data Science. The major can also be followed into courses such as Information Technology, and (if sufficient CIS electives are taken during the undergraduate degree) Computer Science.

Sample Course Plan

This course plan shows one way that a student could arrange core and elective subjects throughout the three years of their Bachelor of Science to fulfill the requirements of the Data Science Major.

Note that it it possible to take up to 5 breadth subjects, and to choose different electives in the elective slots that have been filled in this example.

First Year Semester 1	Compulsory Today's Science, Tomorrow's World SCIE10005	Core Prerequisite Foundations of Computing COMP10001	Maths Requirement Calculus 2 MAST10006 OR Alternative Probability Prerequisite	Breadth
First Year Semester 2	Core Prerequisite Foundations of Algorithms COMP10002	Maths Requirement Linear Algebra MAST10007 OR Alternative Probability Prerequisite	Science Elective	Breadth
Second Year Semester 1	Core Prerequisite Probability MAST20004	Core Prerequisite Elements of Data Processing COMP20008	Science Elective	Breadth
Second Year Semester 2	Core Prerequisite Statistics MAST20005	Elective Database Systems INFO20003	Science Elective	Breadth
Third Year Semester 1	Compulsory (Major Core) Linear Statistical Models MAST30025	Compulsory (Major Core) Machine Learning COMP30027	Science Elective	Science Elective OR Breadth
Third Year Semester 2	Compulsory (Major Core) Modern Applied Statistics MAST30027	Compulsory (Major Core) Applied Data Science MAST30034	Science Elective	Science Elective