Overview
Science and technology are the foundations of our future. The Department of Computer and Information Sciences (CIS) is focused on the understanding of fundamental scientific principles and the application of these principles to solving complex problems, using computing technology.
Data Science is an interdisciplinary field of study about methods and systems to extract knowledge or insights from large quantities of data coming in various forms. The Bachelor of Science in Data Science is designed for students interested in developing expertise in data science.
Data Science students must select one of the following concentrations:
- Computation and Modeling
- Computational Analytics
- Genomics and Bioinformatics
The Concentration in Genomics and Bioinformatics provides a strong background in mathematics, computational thinking and biological data analysis, and will enable students to analyze large quantities of data to discover new knowledge and facilitate decision making. This specialization is intended for students interested in biology, ecology, evolution, human health and disease, and precision medicine. Over the past decade, the emergence of next-generation sequencing technologies has facilitated the rapid growth of genomic data; however, undergraduate training in big data management, big data processing and big data analysis has not kept up with this rapid growth in large-scale biological data generation.
Campus Location: Main
Program Code: ST-DTSC-BS
Distinction in Major
To graduate with distinction in this major, a student must satisfy the following criteria:
- achieve a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA and
- achieve a minimum 3.5 major GPA.
Accelerated Programs
Accelerated programs provide a pathway for students to pursue both an undergraduate degree and an advanced degree in a shorter amount of time. Below is a list of available accelerated programs for students in the BS in Data Science.
Undergraduate Contact Information
Jamie Payton, Chair
Science Education and Research Center, Room 304
215-204-8450
Gene Kwatny, Vice Chair
Science Education and Research Center, Room 304
215-204-8450
Andrew Rosen, Faculty Advisor
Science Education and Research Center, Room 349
215-204-3193
andrew.rosen@temple.edu
Caryn Babaian, Faculty Advisor
Science Education and Research Center, Room 602
215-204-1814
caryn.babaian@temple.edu
Sudhir Kumar, Program Director
Science Education and Research Center, Room 601A
215-204-1647
s.kumar@temple.edu
These requirements are for students who matriculated in academic year 2024-2025. Students who matriculated prior to fall 2024 should refer to the Archives to view the requirements for their Bulletin year.
Bachelor of Science Requirements
Summary of Requirements for the Degree
- University Requirements (123 total s.h.)
- Students must complete all University requirements including those listed below.
- All undergraduate students must complete at least two writing-intensive courses for a total of at least six credits at Temple as part of their major. The specific writing intensive course options for this major are:
Course List Code Title Credit Hours BIOL 2297 Research Techniques in Genetics 1 3 CIS 4496 Projects in Data Science 3 - Students must complete the General Education (GenEd) requirements.
- See the General Education section of the Undergraduate Bulletin for the GenEd curriculum.
- Students who complete CST majors receive a waiver for 2 Science & Technology (GS) and 1 Quantitative Literacy (GQ) GenEd courses.
- Students must satisfy general Temple University residency requirements.
- College Requirements
- A minimum of 90 total credits within the College of Science & Technology (CST), the College of Liberal Arts (CLA), and/or the College of Engineering (ENG).
- A minimum of 45 of these credits must be upper-level (courses numbered 2000 and above).
- Complete a one-credit first-year or transfer seminar.
- A minimum of 90 total credits within the College of Science & Technology (CST), the College of Liberal Arts (CLA), and/or the College of Engineering (ENG).
- Major Requirements for Bachelor of Science (82 s.h.)
At least 9 courses required for the major must be completed at Temple. At least 3 CIS courses must be completed at Temple.Course List Code Title Credit Hours Introductory Science Requirements Select one of the following: 4 General Chemistry I
and General Chemistry Laboratory IHonors General Chemical Science I
and Honors Chemical Science Laboratory ISelect one of the following: 4 General Chemistry II
and General Chemistry Laboratory IIHonors General Chemical Science II
and Honors Chemical Science Laboratory IICalculus Requirements MATH 1041 Calculus I 4 or MATH 1941 Honors Calculus I MATH 1042 Calculus II 4 or MATH 1942 Honors Calculus II Math Methods in Computing Requirements CIS 1166 Mathematical Concepts in Computing I 4 or CIS 1966 Honors Mathematical Concepts in Computing I CIS 2166 Mathematical Concepts in Computing II 4 Probability and Statistics Requirements MATH 3031 Probability Theory I 3 MATH 3032 Mathematical Statistics 3 Programming Requirements CIS 1068 Program Design and Abstraction 4 or CIS 1968 Honors Program Design and Abstraction CIS 2168 Data Structures 4 Common Specialty Course Requirements CIS 3715 Principles of Data Science 4 CIS 4496 Projects in Data Science 3 Concentration Requirements BIOL 1111 Introduction to Organismal Biology 4 or BIOL 1911 Honors Introduction to Organismal Biology BIOL 2112 Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology 4 or BIOL 2912 Honors Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology BIOL 2207 Genetics 3 BIOL 2297 Research Techniques in Genetics (WI) 1 3 BIOL 3101 Evolution 3 BIOL 3111 Genomics in Medicine 3 Select one of the following: 4 Organic Chemistry I
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory IOrganic Chemistry for Majors I
and Organic Majors Laboratory IOrganic Chemistry for Honors I
and Organic Honors Laboratory ISelect one of the following: 4 Organic Chemistry II
and Organic Chemistry Laboratory IIOrganic Chemistry for Majors II
and Organic Majors Laboratory IIOrganic Chemistry for Honors II
and Organic Honors Laboratory IIGenomics and Bioinformatics Elective Requirements Select from the following list: 9 Principles of Ecology Human Evolution Fundamentals of Genomic Evolutionary Medicine Evolutionary Ecology Genomics and Infectious Disease Dynamics Human Genetics Evolutionary Genetics and Phylogenetics Genomics and Evolutionary Biology of Parasites and Other Dependent Species Plant Community Ecology 2 Biology of Plants Molecular Biology 3 Virology 3 Biology of Cancer 3 Biotechnology 3 Genomic Biology 3 Probability, Statistics & Stochastic Methods Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining or CIS 5523Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining Total Credit Hours 82
Suggested Academic Plan
Bachelor of Science in Data Science with Concentration in Genomics and Bioinformatics
Suggested Plan for New Students Starting in the 2024-2025 Academic Year
Year 1 | ||
---|---|---|
Fall | Credit Hours | |
CIS 1068 or CIS 1968 | Program Design and Abstraction or Honors Program Design and Abstraction | 4 |
MATH 1041 or MATH 1941 | Calculus I or Honors Calculus I | 4 |
SCTC 1001 | CST First Year Seminar | 1 |
ENG 0802 | Analytical Reading and Writing [GW] or Analytical Reading and Writing: ESL [GW] or Honors Analytical Reading and Writing [GW] | 4 |
Elective | 2 | |
Credit Hours | 15 | |
Spring | ||
CIS 1166 or CIS 1966 | Mathematical Concepts in Computing I or Honors Mathematical Concepts in Computing I | 4 |
MATH 1042 or MATH 1942 | Calculus II or Honors Calculus II | 4 |
IH 0851 or IH 0951 | Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY] or Honors Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY] | 3 |
Elective | 4 | |
Credit Hours | 15 | |
Year 2 | ||
Fall | ||
CHEM 1031 or CHEM 1951 | General Chemistry I or Honors General Chemical Science I | 3 |
CHEM 1033 or CHEM 1953 | General Chemistry Laboratory I or Honors Chemical Science Laboratory I | 1 |
CIS 2166 | Mathematical Concepts in Computing II | 4 |
CIS 2168 | Data Structures | 4 |
IH 0852 or IH 0952 | Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ] or Honors Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ] | 3 |
Elective | 1 | |
Credit Hours | 16 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 1111 or BIOL 1911 | Introduction to Organismal Biology or Honors Introduction to Organismal Biology | 4 |
CHEM 1032 or CHEM 1952 | General Chemistry II or Honors General Chemical Science II | 3 |
CHEM 1034 or CHEM 1954 | General Chemistry Laboratory II or Honors Chemical Science Laboratory II | 1 |
CIS 3715 | Principles of Data Science (S) | 4 |
GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
Credit Hours | 15 | |
Year 3 | ||
Fall | ||
BIOL 2112 or BIOL 2912 | Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology or Honors Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology | 4 |
MATH 3031 | Probability Theory I | 3 |
Select one of the following: | 4 | |
Organic Chemistry I and Organic Chemistry Laboratory I | ||
Organic Chemistry for Majors I and Organic Majors Laboratory I | ||
Organic Chemistry for Honors I and Organic Honors Laboratory I | ||
GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
Elective | 2 | |
Credit Hours | 16 | |
Spring | ||
BIOL 2207 | Genetics | 3 |
BIOL 2297 | Research Techniques in Genetics [WI] | 3 |
MATH 3032 | Mathematical Statistics (S) | 3 |
Select one of the following: | 4 | |
Organic Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry Laboratory II | ||
Organic Chemistry for Majors II and Organic Majors Laboratory II | ||
Organic Chemistry for Honors II and Organic Honors Laboratory II | ||
GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
Credit Hours | 16 | |
Year 4 | ||
Fall | ||
BIOL 3101 | Evolution (F) | 3 |
BIOL 3111 | Genomics in Medicine (F) | 3 |
Data Science: Genomics & Bioinformatics Elective | 3 | |
Data Science: Genomics & Bioinformatics Elective | 3 | |
GenEd Breadth Course | 3 | |
Credit Hours | 15 | |
Spring | ||
CIS 4496 | Projects in Data Science [WI] | 3 |
Data Science: Genomics & Bioinformatics Elective | 3 | |
GenEd Breadth Course | 3-4 | |
Elective | 6-5 | |
Credit Hours | 15 | |
Total Credit Hours | 123 |
Code | Title | Credit Hours |
---|---|---|
(F) - Fall only course | ||
(S) - Spring only course |
Accelerated Programs
Students may opt to pursue an accelerated +1 program, enabling them to complete both a bachelor's degree and master's degree in less time than the traditional route.
The following accelerated programs may be of interest to students in the Data Science BS with Genomics and Bioinformatics Concentration:
College of Science and Technology