Data Science Cognate Tracks
A Data Science student must complete a cognate, consisting of at least 15 hours, with the same disciplinary prefix (BIO, BUS, ECON, GEOG, POLS, etc.) other than CS, MATH, or STAT, and with at least 6 must be at the 300-level, unless a department recommends otherwise.
This document provides a current list of course tracks that departmental representatives have recommended as especially appropriate for a Data Science major. Students may also combine courses with different prefixes with the approval of their advisor (who must be a member of the Data Science Steering Committee).
Biology
Ecosystems / Population Biology Track
- BIOL 123 - Living Systems (4)
- BIOL 160 - Ecological and Evolutionary Systems (4)
- BIOL 250 - Research Design and Methodology (4)
- One of:
- BIOL 345 - Ecosystem Ecology and Management (4)
- BIOL 364 - Global Health, Environment, and Sustainability (3)
- BIOL 385 - Internship in Biology (4)
- BIOL 399 - Undergraduate Research (4)
- PUBH 248 - Epidemiology (4)
- or an approved interim.
Genomics / Cell Biology Track
- One of:
- CHEM 103 - General Chemistry I (4)
- CHEM 104 - General Chemistry II (4)
- CHEM 105 - Chemical Principles (4)
- CHEM 115 - Chemistry for the Health Sciences (4)
- One of:
- BIOL 141 - Cell Biology & Genetics for the Health Sciences (4)
- BIOL 161 - Cellular and Genetic Systems (4)
- BIOL 250 - Research Design and Methodology (4)
- One of:
- BIOL 321 - Genetics and Development (4)
- BIOL 325 - Biotechnology (4)
- BIOL 336 - General Microbiology (4)
- BIOL 385 - Internship in Biology (4)
- BIOL 399 - Undergraduate Research (4)
- PSYC 343 - Behavioral Neuroscience (4)
- or an approved interim.
Business
- BUS 160 - Business Foundations (3)
- BUS 203 - Intro to Managorial Accounting (3)
- BUS 204 - Financial Accounting (4)
- BUS 370 - Financial Principles (3)
- One of:
- BUS 371 - Financial Instruments and Markets (3)
- BUS 372 - Advanced Corporate Finance (3)
- BUS 380 - Marketing (3)
- (Students should take ECON 221 to fulfill their Societal Stuctures core requirement, as it is the prerequisite for some of the upper-level BUS courses.
Economics
- ECON 221 - Principles of Microeconomics (3)
- ECON 222 - Principles of Macroeconomics (3)
- One of:
- ECON 325 - Intermediate Microeconomics (4)
- ECON 326 - Intermediate Macroeconomics (4)
- ECON 343 - Research Methods (3)
- one additional ECON 300-level course (3)
Geography
GeoSpatial Track
- GEOG 200 - People, Place and Community (3)
- GEOG 261 - Intro GIS (4)
- GEOG 361 - Advanced GIS (4)
- GEOG 362 - Remote Sensing of Earth (4)
GeoPhysical Track
- GEOG 120 - Earth Systems (4)
- GEOG 252 - Geomorphology (4)
- GEOG 261 - Intro GIS (4)
- One of:
- GEOG 322 - Coastal Geomorphology (4)
- GEOL 312 - Environmental Geology (4)
- GEOG 362 - Remote Sensing of Earth (4)
GeoHuman Track
- GEOG 200 - People, Place and Community (3)
- GEOG 261 - Intro GIS (4)
- GEOG 310 - Urban Geography (4)
- GEOG 361 - Advanced GIS (4)
Political Science
- POLS 251 - Foundations of Political Science Research (3)
- POLS 212 - American Public Policy (3)
- Three courses from one of the following categories (9):
- American Politics and Polity:
- POLS 208 - Urban Politics
- POLS 209 - Public and Non-Profit Administration
- POLS 218 - American Foreign Policy
- POLS 234 - The President and Congress
- POLS 237 - Parties and Interest Groups
- POLS 318 - American Elections and Mass Media
- International Relations / Comparative:
- POLS 218 - American Foreign Policy
- POLS 277 - Asian Politics
- POLS 279 - African Politics
- POLS 304 - International Peace and Security
- POLS 307 - Civil War, Ethnic Conflict, and Terrorism
- POLS 309 - International Organization and Law
- POLS 319 - International Political Economy
- POLS 321 - Religion and Politics in Comparative Perspective
- POLS 322 - Global Democratization
- American Politics and Polity:
Public Health
- PUBH 101 - Introduction to Public Health (3)
- PUBH 248 - Epidemiology (4)
- ECON 241 - Health Economics and Health Policy (3)
- PHIL 212 - Ethical Dimensions of Health Care (3)
- One of:
- BIOL 364 - Global Health, Environment, and Sustainability (3)
- PSYC 335 - Health Psychology (4)
- PUBH 380 - Internship in Public Health (3,4)
- PUBH 395 - Integrative Seminar in Public Health (3)
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