Embedded Certificate in Data Science

The Data Science certificate is a cross-disciplinary program designed through a partnership between the Programs of Computer Science and Mathematics for students who consider the data scientist profession. The certificate offers the theoretical and practical background in key areas of computing and statistics allowing students to develop high-demand skills and enhance their prospects for both industry careers and graduate studies. With an emphasis on best practices, students will learn the fundamentals of data analytics and machine learning while gaining proficiency in standard programming languages used in the field. Applying socially and ethically responsible principles, students will navigate the data science pipeline from data acquisition to model deployment and will learn to transform findings into compelling and actionable knowledge.

This is an embedded undergraduate certificate.

Eligibility
1. The Data Science certificate is open to all Computer Science and Mathematics majors pursuing a B.S. in Computer Science or Mathematics at the University of West Georgia.
2. Students can apply to the Data Science certificate program in their home program.

Learning outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Recognize problems that can be solved with data science techniques and apply strategies to collect and transform complex big data into structured datasets suitable for statistical inference.
● Demonstrate an understanding of the linear regression model, its limitations, and extensions, as well as diagnose and correct real data problems with the generalized linear model.
● Use machine learning and data mining algorithms to build models and objectively evaluate their performance to make data-driven predictions, communicate results to technical as well as non-technical audiences, and make informed recommendations.