Requirements-BS-in-Data-Science

Bachelor of Science 2019-2020

Data Science


Students majoring in the Data Science program are forbidden from double-majoring in the BA Data Science (CSH) program; as well as from minoring in Data Science.

Degree Requirements

Students in this degree must meet the following requirements

  • complete a minimum of 192 credit hours (generally 48 courses)
  • Earn a grade of C- or higher in WRD 103, WRD 104, and all Major and Minor courses
  • Earn a grade of D or higher in all other Liberal Studies and Open Elective courses
  • maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher

Students who earn a cumulative DePaul University GPA

  • between 3.500 and 3.699 will graduate cum laude
  • between 3.700 and 3.849 will graduate magna cum laude
  • of at least 3.850 will graduate summa cum laude

For DePaul's policy on repeat courses and a complete list of academic policies see the DePaul Undergraduate Handbook in the Course Catalog.

Course Requirements
Liberal Studies

The Liberal Studies program is the general education portion of the curriculum at DePaul University. Students must earn a grade of D or better in all courses taken to satisfy these requirements. The only exception is the Capstone course which is considered also a major requirement and WRD 103 and WRD 104 in which students need to earn a C- or better.

Students may choose to take some CDM courses that carry Liberal Studies credit but they cannot double count them if they are part of the major requirements. A complete list of courses that carry Liberal Studies credit can be found on the Liberal Studies website along with an overview of the Liberal Studies requirements for this program. Students can search for courses that satisfy a particular Liberal Studies requirement on campusconnect.

Note Students must complete an ethics class as one of the Philosophical Inquiry or Religious Dimensions requirements. Students must take one of the following ethics courses: CSC 208 (PI), PHL 248/MGT 248 (PI) or REL 228/MGT 228 (RD). In this sample schedule the ethics requirement replaces one of the Philosophical Inquiry requirements.


Although students are free to take course requirements in any order they choose, provided they have mastered the course-specific prerequisites, it is strongly recommended that students follow these year-by-year suggestions, especially regarding the first-year major courses.


First Year
CSC 241 Introduction to Computer Science I AND CSC 242 Introduction to Computer Science II
OR CSC 243 Python for Programmers AND 1 Major Elective
CSC 300 Data Structures I
MAT 140 Discrete Mathematics I
MAT 150 Calculus I
MAT 151 Calculus II
MAT 152 Calculus III
Liberal Studies Requirements
LSP 110 Discover Chicago
OR LSP 111 Explore Chicago
LSP 112 Focal Point Seminar
WRD 103 Composition and Rhetoric I
WRD 104 Composition and Rhetoric II
1 Scientific Inquiry Lab or Science as a Way of Knowing
Second Year
CSC 301 Data Structures II
CSC 321 Design and Analysis of Algorithms
IT 223 Data Analysis
DSC 323 Data Analysis and Regression (Formerly CSC 324)
DSC 324 Advanced Data Analysis (Formerly CSC 334)
MAT 220 Applied Linear Algebra
MAT 349 Applied Probability
SE 350 Object-Oriented Software Development
Liberal Studies Requirements
LSP 200 Seminar on Multiculturalism in the United States
1 Philosophical Inqiry (Ethics)
1 Arts & Literature
1 Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry
Third Year
CSC 355 Database Systems
DSC 341 Foundations of Data Science (Formerly CSC 367)
MAT 360 Generalized Linear Models
DSC 333 Introduction to Big Data Processing
DSC 365 Data Visualization (Formerly Dsc 350)
ORGC 201 Business and Professional Communication
2 Open Electives
Liberal Studies Requirements
1 Experiential Learning
1 Arts & Literature
1 Religious Dimensions
1 Understanding the Past
Fourth Year
DSC 345 Machine Learning
DSC 394 Data Science Project
2 Major Electives
2 Open Electives
Liberal Studies Requirements
1 Arts & Literature
1 Religious Dimensions
1 Philosophical Inquiry
1 Understanding the Past
2 Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry
Major Electives

Students must choose 2 Major Electives from the following list of courses, grouped by topic:

  • Computer Science
    CSC 331 Scientific Computing
    CSC 347 Concepts of Programming Languages
    CSC 360 Web Applications
    CSC 361 Optimized C++
    CSC 373 Computer Systems I
    CSC 374 Computer Games
    CSC 376 Distributed Systems
    SE 325 Introduction to Software Engineering
  • Mathematics
    MAT 261 Multivariable Calculus II
    MAT 350 Bayesian Statistics
    MAT 351 Probability and Statistics I
    MAT 352 Probability and Statistics II
    MAT 353 Probability and Statistics III
    MAT 355 Stochastic Processes
    MAT 358 Applied Time Series and Forecasting
    MAT 387 Operations Research: Linear Programming
    MAT 388 Operations Research: Optimization Theory
  • Artificial Intelligence
    CSC 358 Symbolic Programming
    CSC 380 Foundations of Artificial Intelligence
  • Image Analysis
    CSC 381 Introduction to Digital Image Processing
    CSC 382 Applied Image Analysis
  • Geographic Information Systems
    GEO 141 Geographic Information Systems I: Digital Mapping
    GEO 242 Geographic Information Systems II: Community Gis
    GEO 243 Remote Sensing
    GEO 343 Remote Sensing II
    GEO 344 Geographic Information Systems III: Spatial Analysis for Sustainability
    GEO 346 Gis Analysis of Environmental and Public Health
    GEO 347 Web Gis and Spatial Data Visualization on the Web
  • Information Technology
    IT 130 Introductory Computing for the Web
    IT 231 Web Development I
    IT 232 Web Development II
    IT 251 Introduction to Mobile Apps
  • Research
    CSC 395 Research Colloquium
    CSC 399 Independent Study
    IT 300 Research Experience

Students must earn a grade of C- or higher in all major elective courses.

Open Electives

Open Electives may be taken from any unit at DePaul. These are the only courses that may be taken under the pass/fail option. Students must earn a grade of D or higher in all open elective courses. Courses that satisfy a CDM minor or other minors are normally credited as open electives.