Goucher College 2019-2020 Undergraduate Catalogue

Dec 04, 2024

Goucher College 2019-2020 Undergraduate Catalogue PLEASE NOTE: This is an archived catalog. Programs are subject to change each academic year.

Integrative Data Analytics Major

Integrative Data Analytics applies scientific and mathematical principles to find nuanced, complex patterns of physical and human behavior in our increasingly data-driven world. The program is inherently interdisciplinary. Students can choose to study purely in data and mathematical sciences or specialize in another discipline such as economics. Students choosing to specialize in another discipline will apply data analysis, mathematical modeling, and computational techniques in courses such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to solve complex problems in that discipline.

Graduates will be able to work and contribute in a variety of data-driven careers and causes. Business analytics, political science, environmental monitoring, and bioinformatics all rely on sophisticated data expertise. This major couples this discipline-focused training with a broad liberal arts education that will empower our students with the expertise necessary to succeed in this rapidly growing and changing field.

The major has three parts: Entry, Exploration, and Specialization. You will take three Entry courses and three Exploration courses. Depending upon your Specialization, you will take three additional courses and a capstone either in our program or another program. The Entry courses are foundational courses within the discipline. The Exploration courses extend this foundation, while giving you the opportunity to explore some of the discipline’s major sub-fields. The Specialization courses allow you to engage deeply with data analysis in a disciplinary context.

Placement Procedure

Students with an AP score of 4 or more in Statistics may place out of MA 268.

Students with an AP score of 4 or more in CS-A may place out of CS 116.

Students with an AP score 4 or more in Calculus AB or BC may place out of MA 172.

Entry

Take all of the following:

Exploration

DMC 321 - Applied Linear Algebra for Data Science (4 Cr.)
Two courses chosen from: DMC 216 - Non-Parametric Statistics (4 Cr.) , DMC 331 - Mathematical Modeling (4 Cr.) , and DMC 345 - Introduction to Machine Learning (4 Cr.)

Specialization

Choose one specialization from the following:

Data Science

Take three courses chosen from:

- DMC 314 - Operations Research (4 Cr.)

- DMC 322 - Cryptography (4 Cr.)

- DMC 340 - Bayesian Statistics (4 Cr.)

- DMC 413 - Signal Processing (4 Cr.)

- CS 435 / DMC 435 - Machine Learning II (4 Cr.)

- DMC 438 - Machine Learning III (4 Cr.)

- MA 416 - Scientific Computation (4 Cr.)

- CS 440 - Principles of Artificial Intelligence (4 Cr.)

- CS 417 - Database and Transaction Systems (4 Cr.)

DMC 497 - IDA Capstone (4 Cr.)

Economics

All of the following courses are required:

Honors in Integrative Data Analytics

Majors in Integrative Data Analytics are encouraged to strive for honors in the major upon graduation. Honors will be awarded to students who exhibit mastery of the subject in both course work and additional academic endeavors.

Requirements for honors in Integrative Data Analytics:

A minimum grade point average of 3.60 in 200-level and above courses in the major. All courses (other than DMC 290 ) specifically required for the major must be taken for a grade. No more than two approved courses away from Goucher will be counted in the average.
Some evidence of maturity and creativity in Integrative Data Analytics, such as outstanding work on a senior thesis, independent work, paper or final examination in a 300-level or above course.
Approval of the program faculty.