Data Science (Degree)

Courses in computer science and statistics will teach you how to leverage technology to analyze large amounts of raw data and extract meaning from clutter. After graduation you’ll put your skills to work in diverse fields including medicine, business, advertising, entertainment, public health, and more. 

• Make sense of the mountain of data produced every day
• Gather raw data, analyze it, and make decisions. That’s data science in a nutshell.
• Data science has become indispensable to industries around the world. How do you know if social media advertising is worth the cost? What is the best way to confirm a life-changing diagnosis from multiple MRI images? Will a tornado touch down in your community? Decipher the data that drives decision-making that changes lives
• In this program you’ll merge programming, mathematics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and analytical skills to answer challenging questions.
• Find out how data from sensors, digital images, streaming videos, satellites, medical imagery, and interactions with cloud computing shape our future.

First-year courses

• You may also select advanced-stream courses for algebra, calculus, and computer science if you meet the requirements. Details will be sent during course selection in June.

September to December

• MATH 135 – Algebra for Honours Mathematics
• MATH 137 – Calculus 1 for Honours Mathematics
• CS 135 – Designing Functional Programs
• One communication skills course
• One elective

January to April

• MATH 136 – Linear Algebra 1 for Honours Mathematics
• MATH 138 – Calculus 2 for Honours Mathematics
• CS 136 – Elementary Algorithm Design and Data Abstraction
• Elective or STAT 230 – Probability
• One elective

This is a sample schedule. Courses or when a course is offered may change depending on availability.

After first year

• Most of your required courses will be in Statistics and Computer Science, along with additional foundational courses in Mathematics. You can choose electives from many of the 100 subject areas at Waterloo.

View a list of courses required for your degree

Sample upper-year courses

• STAT 341 – Computational Statistics and Data Analysis
• CS 341 – Algorithms
• STAT 441 – Statistical Learning - Classification
• CS 431 – Data-Intensive Distributed Analytics
• STAT 444 – Statistical Learning - Advanced Regression

Customize your degree in Data Science

• You can add additional areas of expertise by including one or more of the minors available to all Waterloo students.
• Once you're a student, advisors can help you explore which minors or specializations may fit into your plans.

Faculty:

• Faculty of Mathematics

Degree:

• Bachelor of Computer Science or a Bachelor of Mathematics in Data Science

Co-op = relevant paid work experience

• Waterloo's co-op program, the largest in North America, is an amazing way to explore potential careers, learn to interview for jobs, graduate with up to two years of valuable experience — and make money!

Sample co-op job titles

• Data scientist
• Risk management intern
• Developer
• Software engineering intern
• Reporting analyst
• Project manager
• Enterprise analyst
• QA analyst