Andres Davila | News Director
As the demand for data science jobs increases in the job market, college campuses are increasingly leaning toward data science majors. FIU recently created a course in data science and proposed a new data science major for the upcoming academic year.
In fall 2023, the Department of Mathematics launched a data science track for Bachelor of Science in Mathematical Sciences students. This track prepares mathematics students for the data science field, especially in the private sector.
PantherNOW reached out to professors in the department for comment on the new track.
“Our curriculum is designed to prepare students for graduate studies and careers at national research institutions in the United States, where they are exposed to STEM science and data science, including optimization and machine learning techniques. We can explore the rich opportunities to integrate technology,” said Dr. Ciprian Gal, Professor of Mathematics. and professor of statistics.
This track requires students to enroll in a mix of computer science courses, including new courses that have struggled with the implementation of the new track.
“One of the courses in the new major, MAP 4202 Optimization (and accompanying lab MAP 4202L), was unable to attract enough students this spring and was canceled by the CASE Dean’s Office as a result,” Mathematics and said John Zweibel, associate professor of statistics. Said.
Despite the lack of student attraction for the new course, the path to data science continues to be promoted at the university, as the board approved a new bachelor’s degree in data science at its February 28 meeting.
The new Bachelor of Science in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence in the Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences will launch next year with similar intentions to the Data Science in Mathematical Sciences course.
According to the minutes, “The curriculum emphasizes interdisciplinary and experiential learning, training students to apply mathematics and computer science principles to real-world data problems, and preparing students to effectively communicate data insights.” develop skills.”
The curriculum consists of a combination of computer science and mathematics courses, depending on the major, such as computing and big data analysis, artificial intelligence and robotics, or statistical modeling.
This new program hopes to align with the demands of the data science job market, from medical data analysis to financial analysis.
According to the minutes, “the existing research infrastructure already supports substantial participation of graduate students, and additions that integrate academic enrichment and hands-on learning as undergraduate students complete their capstone research projects.” “It will provide opportunities for.”
