Program Overview

Statistics and Data Science - Bachelor of Arts (BA)

The Department of Applied Mathematics offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in statistics and data science through the College of Arts and Sciences. The BA degree is designed with an emphasis on inter- and cross-disciplinary training, and is intended to prepare students for a wide range of careers in areas such as statistics, data analytics, data science, business, engineering, economics, public health, epidemiology, insurance, forestry, psychology, social justice and human rights.

Course Requirements

To earn a BA in statistics and data science, a student must complete the requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences.

• Students must earn a grade of C or better in all coursework applied to the major and have at least a C average for all attempted work for the major.
• Calculus 1 & 2 (usually APPM 1350 and APPM 1360) are considered introductory courses and are prerequisites for entry into the major.

Required Courses and Credits

Ancillary Requirements

Graduating in Four Years

Consult the four-year graduation guarantee for information on eligibility. The concept of "adequate progress" as it is used here only refers to maintaining eligibility for the four-year guarantee; it is not a requirement for the major. To maintain adequate progress in Statistics and Data Science, students should meet the following requirement:

• In the first semester, declare the statistics and data science major.

Recommended Four-Year Plan of Study

Through the required coursework for the major, students will fulfill 12 credits in the Natural Science area, but not the laboratory requirement, of the Gen Ed Distribution Requirement and will complete the QRMS component of the Gen Ed Skills Requirement. Students can also possibly fulfill some of the required credit hours in the other areas Gen Ed Distribution and Diversity Requirements with the courses they take to complete the required Outside Area of Emphasis.

Content Knowledge

Students completing the undergraduate degree in statistics and data science will be broadly knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Mathematics, statistics and data science
  • Foundational knowledge in the areas of mathematics, statistics and data science that are most important to the analysis of data.
  • Statistical intuition and thinking.
  • Skills to write efficient, reproducible code related to data analysis in at least two programming languages (e.g., R, Python, C/C++, Julia, MATLAB, etc.).
  • Skills necessary to complete complex data analysis projects.
• A domain of application
  • The ability to utilize their knowledge of mathematics, statistics and computing to develop algorithms and apply methods for solving real-world data analysis problems.
  • The ability to contribute to at least one domain of application as data scientists.
• Professional skills in communication, collaboration and ethics
  • The ability to effectively communicate statistical results to experts and non-experts.
  • The ability to effectively collaborate with domain experts.
  • The ability to think critically about the relationship between data, ethics, and society.

Student Outcomes

By the completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Have acquired problem-solving and modeling skills that allow them to analyze and visualize data and answer statistical questions.
• Understand mathematical statistics, including probability.
• Have acquired foundational mathematical knowledge, including calculus and linear algebra, as it pertains to statistics and data science.
• Be proficient in at least two programming languages and their data science packages.
• Be able to write efficient, reproducible code related to data analysis.
• Have acquired an in-depth knowledge of an area of application, as well as skills to collaborate with domain experts.
• Have the ability to clearly and concisely communicate statistical results in oral, written and visual forms.

Bachelor's–Accelerated Master's Degree Program(s)

The bachelor's–accelerated master's (BAM) degree program options offer currently enrolled CU Boulder undergraduate students the opportunity to receive a bachelor's and master's degree in a shorter period of time. Students receive the bachelor's degree first but begin taking graduate coursework as undergraduates (typically in their senior year).

Admissions Requirements

In order to gain admission to the BAM program named above, a student must meet the following criteria:

• Complete a minimum of 6 credits (two courses) of STAT coursework at the 3000 or 4000 level.
• Complete all prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of B.
• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher.
• Have a cumulative GPA of 3.4 in all APPM and STAT coursework. If a student's cumulative GPA or APPM/STAT GPA is between 3.0 and 3.4, then one letter of reference is required. The letter can be written either by a faculty member or by a student’s undergraduate academic advisor. The letter should justify why the student should be considered for admission into the program and should attest to the student's ability to complete the MS program.
• Have at least junior class standing.

Program Requirements

Students may take up to and including 12 credit hours while in the undergraduate program which can later be used toward the master’s degree. However, only six credit hours may be double counted toward the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree. Students must apply to graduate with the bachelor’s degree, and apply to continue with the master’s degree, early in the semester in which the undergraduate requirements will be completed.

Though not required for admission, students must complete APPM 4440 Undergraduate Applied Analysis 1 before they graduate with their BA.