Major Mondays: Data Science
Major Mondays: Data Science
Major: The Bachelor of Arts in Data Science is a collaborative effort between the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. This distinctive major is available to current students and is designed to complement another Bachelor of Arts (BA) major within the Dornsife College. It’s important to note that this major is housed within Dornsife, not Viterbi.
Overview: The Data Science major offers a unique interdisciplinary approach to mastering the tools essential for working with data. It equips students with the necessary skills to analyze data across various industries and fields of interest. When selecting their BA major, interested students should consider their specific research interests within the field and how data science can enhance their work. The curriculum covers information systems and technology fundamentals, programming basics, statistics, data management, as well as machine learning.
Current Student Perspective: Although the Data Science major is relatively new, it has already enabled students like Abhijay Paturi (he/him), a current Economics and Data Science double major, to integrate data research seamlessly into their primary areas of interest. Paturi’s shift from the medical field to economics was motivated by a fascination with finance and numbers.
Paturi states, “I believe that right now, everything we do online is being tracked and gathered. Anything that we do in the future will be based on data points in a database, and in order to be relevant in the workforce, I hope to better understand how to use and manipulate data to see patterns,”
Within economics, Paturi aims to “explore all financial patterns we can’t see or access today, or that require a lot of manual work or time.” He envisions leveraging data analysis to contribute positively to areas like mental health, climate change, and other societal responsibilities.
Notable Faculty: Dr. Saty Raghavachary, an Associate Professor of Computer Science Practice, teaches pivotal courses for the Data Science major, such as DSCI 250 (Introduction to Data Science) and CSCI 585 (Database Systems). Raghavachary’s expertise extends to databases, computer graphics, and introductory programming. He boasts an impressive background, having contributed to CG software tools for renowned movies during his tenure at DreamWorks Feature Animation earning screen credits in 20 films such as Puss in Boots and How to Train Your Dragon.
Application Requirements: Prospective students are required to pair the Data Science program with another Bachelor of Arts degree within the Dornsife College. It is advisable for interested applicants to initially apply for their desired Bachelor of Arts major and then later connect with a Data Science advisor.
This step allows students to explore how data science concepts can be integrated into their chosen major before formally adding Data Science. Alternatively, students who are uncertain about adding a second major can explore relevant Viterbi minors, including Applied Analytics and Information Technology Program (ITP).
Want to learn more?
For additional information about the Data Science program, refer to its page in USC’s Course Catalogue. You can also visit the Data Science webpage for further insights!
Written by: Andy T. Nguyen, Senior Assistant Director - USC Office of Admission