Integrating coursework and technical depth in computation and inference.
The Bachelor of Arts program in Data Science in the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society equips students with deep technical knowledge, expertise in how to apply that knowledge in a field of their choosing, and an understanding of the social and human contexts and ethical implications of how data are collected, analyzed, and used. The Data Science undergraduate program combines computing and statistics education with real-world examples that highlight social and ethical consequences.
In addition to the major, the Data Science Undergraduate Program offers a minor as well as a variety of courses in the field of data science. Most of these courses are open to all students and not just Data Science majors. Our goal is to educate students across disciplines to propel data science discovery, education, and impact.
Highlights
- Join other students in the Data Scholars Program.
- Address real-world challenges in the Data Discovery Program.
- Conduct a research and thesis project as part of the Data Science Honors Program.
Curriculum
The Data Science major curriculum fosters a critical understanding of the interdisciplinary uses of data analytics and data-driven decision-making. Requirements include DATA C8 and DATA C100, along with courses from each of the following requirement groups:
- Foundations in Mathematics and Computing
- Computational and Inferential Depth
- Modeling, Learning and Decision Making
- Probability
- Human Contexts and Ethics
- Domain Emphasis
All students will select a Domain Emphasis, a cluster of one lower and two upper division courses, that brings them into the context of a domain and allows them to build bridges with data science. There are over 25 Domain Emphases to select from.
Learn more at cdss.berkeley.edu/dsus
Data Scholars
The Data Scholars Program supports students new to data science and computing by providing the resources to build technical confidence and thrive in the major. Benefits include:
- Academic Support: Dedicated sections, workshops, and specialized office hours for DATA 8 and DATA 100.
- Career Guidance: Exclusive workshops, professional networking, and priority access to the Alumni Mentorship Hub.
- Community: A diverse environment where students from all backgrounds learn and grow together.
Declaring the Major
Students who are accepted for Fall 2024 or later to UC Berkeley and who selected Data Science on their undergraduate admissions application will be admitted directly to the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society and the Data Science major.
Students who are accepted for Fall 2024 or later to UC Berkeley and who did not select Data Science on their undergraduate admissions application may apply to the major via comprehensive review. This includes students adding Data Science as a single major, double major, or simultaneous degree. For students accepted prior to Fall 2024, eligibility to declare Data Science is dependent on the semester of admission. To determine your eligibility, visit cdss.berkeley.edu/dsus/academics/declaring-major.
Data Science graduates pursue diverse careers in tech, finance, and startups, or continue to advanced degrees, with over 80% employed immediately after graduation. UC Berkeley provides robust resources to support these paths:
- Data Science Career Connection (formerly the Alumni Mentorship Hub) - connects students with experienced alumni for mentorship, networking, and professional guidance.
- CDSS Industry Nexus - offers tailored career workshops, networking events, and personalized support specifically for students in the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society.
- Berkeley Career Engagement - provides campus-wide resources including career counseling, job/internship listings, and graduate school advising.
These programs ensure students from all backgrounds can build professional networks and successfully transition from the classroom to leadership roles in the field.
Employment
Alumni find employment in a variety of fields and industries after graduation. Examples include:
- Actuary
- Analyst
- Applications Engineer
- Business Analyst
- Consultant
- Data Analyst
- Data Engineer
- Data Scientist
- Full Stack Engineer
- Investment Banking Analyst
- Machine Learning Engineer
- Product Manager
- Quantitative Trader
- Site Reliability Engineer
- Software Engineer
- Technical Staff
- UI/UX Designer
Graduate Study
Alumni pursue graduate education to gain more depth of knowledge in their field as well as prepare for jobs that require advanced degrees. Examples include:
- Applied Mathematics
- Artificial Intelligence
- Business Administration
- Computer Science
- Data Science
- Industrial Engineering
- Information and Data Science
- Law
- Public Health
- Statistics
Brian, class of 2024
Brian Xi (BA, Computer Science and Data Science) came to UC Berkeley to become an environmental economist, but changed majors after taking introductory computer science and data science courses. He is a US Digital Corps Fellow helping the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predict and respond to disease outbreaks.
“I was looking for a strong technical foundation that would empower me to use these technical skill sets in other domains that I was also passionate about, like public policy, sustainability and urban planning….Treating college as a sandbox or safe space to explore any and all interests really helped me narrow my goals and get to where I am today.”
First Year
Plan Your Studies
- Meet with your major and college advisor to discuss your academic plans.
- Familiarize yourself with the Data Science major and sample program plans; start exploring Domain Emphases.
- Start lower division requirements in the major including DATA C8.
- Discover new interests in a Freshman Seminar, Berkeley Changemaker, or DeCal course.
- Familiarize yourself with the APR in Cal Central and run this report every semester to track your progress.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Explore the Gateway, the campus home for CDSS.
- Join a student organization like Data Science Society or Big Data at Berkeley.
- Visit Berkeley Discovery to get started with research, entrepreneurship, public service, and creative projects.
- Find support from the Data Scholars Program and Student Learning Center.
- Learn how to prepare for office hours and build relationships with faculty.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Visit UHS Career Counseling and Berkeley Career Engagement.
- Start exploring career paths for the major; check out career resources on the CDSS website.
- Begin making a plan to get career-ready.
- Create or update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- Use Handshake to start connecting with career events and opportunities.
- Look into UC LEADS and the Goldwater Scholarship.
Second Year
Plan Your Studies
- Complete lower division requirements, including a course towards your Domain Emphasis.
- Look into study abroad and learning a foreign language; see guidelines from the department.
- Enrich your studies with a certificate or minor such as CalTeach or Science, Technology, and Society.
- Apply to the major if you were not admitted directly to Data Science.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Attend events from CDSS and the Berkeley Institute for Data Science.
- Develop your skills in the Berkeley Student Leadership Academy.
- Explore research opportunities from OURS; apply to URAP or Bakar Ignite Scholars to work on a faculty project.
- Introduce youth to STEM through the Lawrence Hall of Science or student groups BASIS, EYH, or SENDforC.
- Share your voice in a CDSS student advisory group.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Meet with a BCE career educator to discuss career options and goals.
- Build your network and explore career fields via job shadowing and informational interviews.
- Pursue an internship to build skills and explore fields.
- Browse graduate school resources from the Graduate Division and BCE.
Third Year
Plan Your Studies
- Begin taking upper division requirements including probability (example: DATA C140) and DATA C100.
- Review your degree progress with your major and college advisor.
- Develop your writing and critical thinking in an Art of Writing seminar.
- Spend a term off-campus through UCDC or the Global Internships: London Spring Data Science program.
- Consider applying to the Data Science Honors Program; look into research opportunities like Haas Scholars.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Welcome new students to Berkeley as a Golden Bear Orientation Leader.
- Help other students as a Data Science Peer Advisor.
- Check out the Public Service Internship, College Corps, and Haas Public Service Leaders Program.
- Address real-world problems in the Data Discovery Program, Fung Fellowship, or Big Ideas Contest.
- Interested in entrepreneurship? Check out the Sutardja Center, Accel Scholars, and Berkeley SkyDeck.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Speak with faculty, advisors, and career educators about post-graduate options
- Join a professional association such as the Association of Data Scientists.
- Interested in public service careers? Look into the US Digital Corps, John Gardner Fellowship, Huntington Award, or Truman Scholarship.
- Connect with alumni via the Data Science Alumni Mentorship Hub and alumni groups such as UC Berkeley Alumni in Data Science.
Fourth Year
Plan Your Studies
- Finish all upper division requirements and electives, including your Domain Emphasis.
- Enroll in DATA H195A + B if doing the honors program; join a thesis writing workshop at the Student Learning Center.
- Complete any remaining degree requirements and prepare for graduation.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Interested in teaching? Give it a try by facilitating your own DeCal course.
- Become a teaching assistant, reader, or course staff for Data Science classes.
- Get published! Submit your work to the Berkeley Scientific Journal.
- Pursue a special project after graduation with the Stronach Prize.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Check in with a BCE career educator.
- Apply to graduate school or post-graduate programs; consider the Hertz Fellowship or NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program.
- Meet employers at info sessions, on-campus recruiting, and career fairs.
- Utilize job search tools from BCE and apply for job opportunities.
- Learn about alumni career services; check out info for Data Science alumni.
Summer
- Sign up for the Hello World student mentorship program.
- Make progress on degree requirements with a Summer Sessions course like DATA 100 and 104.
- Learn the art of STEM communication in ENGIN 185 Science Writing.
- Participate in an NSF research experience or DOE lab internship.
- Go abroad through UCEAP or Berkeley Study Abroad.
- Pursue a summer minor or certificate such as Global Digital Infrastructure or Cognitive Science and the Future of Tech.
- Consider a summer internship with Cal in the Capital, Cal in Sacramento, or Berkeley Global Internships.
- Apply to the GiGS program to learn about graduate school.
First Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Get your bearings with the CDSS 198 Transfer Student Seminar.
- Meet with your major and college advisor to discuss your academic plans.
- See info for transfer students; begin working on major requirements, which may include DATA 8 and any lower division course that was not completed prior to UC Berkeley.
- Explore new interests in a Berkeley Changemaker or DeCal course.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Explore the Gateway, the campus home for CDSS.
- Connect with the CDSS Transfer Empowerment Program.
- Join a student organization like Data Science Society or Big Data at Berkeley.
- Find support from the Data Scholars Program and Student Learning Center.
- Learn how to prepare for office hours and build relationships with faculty.
- Share your voice in a CDSS student advisory group.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Visit UHS Career Counseling and Berkeley Career Engagement.
- Start exploring career paths for the major; check out career resources on the CDSS website.
- Create or update your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- Use Handshake to start connecting with career events and opportunities.
- Meet with a BCE career educator to discuss career options and goals.
- Look into UC LEADS and the Goldwater Scholarship.
Second Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Focus on upper division requirements including Probability (for example, DATA C140) and DATA C100.
- Look into study abroad and learning a foreign language; see guidelines from the department.
- Enrich your studies with a certificate or minor such as CalTeach or Science, Technology, and Society.
- Consider applying to the Data Science Honors Program; look into research opportunities like Haas Scholars.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Attend CDSS and Berkeley Institute for Data Science events.
- Visit Berkeley Discovery to get started with research, entrepreneurship, public service, and creative projects.
- Check out the Public Service Internship, College Corps, and Haas Public Service Leaders Program.
- Explore research opportunities from OURS; apply to URAP or Bakar Ignite Scholars to work on a faculty project.
- Interested in entrepreneurship? Check out the Sutardja Center, Accel Scholars, and Berkeley SkyDeck.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Build your network and explore career fields via job shadowing and informational interviews.
- Pursue an internship to build skills and explore fields.
- Browse graduate school resources from the Graduate Division and BCE.
- Speak with faculty, advisors, and career educators about post-graduate options.
Third Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Keep working on upper division requirements including coursework for your Domain Emphasis.
- Review your degree progress with your major and college advisor.
- Develop your writing and critical thinking in an Art of Writing seminar.
- Enroll in DATA H195A if doing the honors program.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Welcome new students to Berkeley as a Golden Bear Orientation Leader.
- Help other students as a Data Science Peer Advisor, CDSS Transfer Program mentor or Transfer Student Center Leader.
- Develop your skills in the Berkeley Student Leadership Academy.
- Address real-world problems in the Data Discovery Program, Fung Fellowship, or Big Ideas Contest.
- Introduce youth to STEM through the Lawrence Hall of Science or student groups BASIS, EYH, or SENDforC.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Check in with a BCE career educator.
- Join a professional association such as the Association of Data Scientists.
- Interested in public service careers? Look into the US Digital Corps, John Gardner Fellowship, Huntington Award, and Truman Scholarship.
- Apply to graduate school or post-graduate programs; consider the Hertz Fellowship or NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program.
Fourth Semester
Plan Your Studies
- Finish all upper division requirements and electives, including DATA 102 and DATA 104.
- Enroll in DATA H195B if doing the honors program; join a thesis writing workshop at the Student Learning Center.
- Complete any remaining college requirements and prepare for graduation.
Engage Outside the Classroom
- Interested in teaching? Give it a try by facilitating your own DeCal course.
- Become a teaching assistant, reader, or course staff for Data Science classes.
- Get published! Submit your work to the Berkeley Scientific Journal.
- Pursue a special project after graduation with the Stronach Prize.
Pursue Your Career Goals
- Meet employers at info sessions, on-campus recruiting, and career fairs.
- Connect with alumni via the Data Science Alumni Mentorship Hub and alumni groups such as UC Berkeley Alumni in Data Science.
- Utilize job search tools from BCE and apply for job opportunities.
- Learn about alumni career services; check out info for Data Science alumni.
Summer
- Sign up for the Hello World student mentorship program.
- Make progress on degree requirements with a Summer Sessions course like DATA 100 and 104.
- Learn the art of STEM communication in ENGIN 185 Science Writing.
- Participate in an NSF research experience or DOE lab internship.
- Go abroad through UCEAP or Berkeley Study Abroad.
- Pursue a summer minor or certificate such as Global Digital Infrastructure or Cognitive Science and the Future of Tech.
- Consider a summer internship with Cal in the Capital, Cal in Sacramento, or Berkeley Global Internships.
- Apply to the GiGS program to learn about graduate school.
Undergraduate Advising
Have questions about the Data Science major or minor? Or, do you have questions about the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society (CDSS)?
Data Science Undergraduate Studies offers undergraduate advising for students interested in the Data Science major or minor. Major Advisors are available on a drop-in and appointment basis to help undergraduate students navigate UC Berkeley, understand requirements, choose classes, and make the most of their college experience. Peer Advisors share their knowledge and experiences with DS courses, domain emphases, extracurriculars, student groups, research opportunities, and various campus resources. For advising hours and contacts, visit cdss.berkeley.edu/dsus/advising or email ds-advising@berkeley.edu.
CDSS helps students with non-major-specific academic topics, including University and college degree requirements, academic progress, and college policies. You may meet with a CDSS College Advisor through drop-in advising or by booking an appointment. For advising contacts and hours, visit cdss.berkeley.edu/advising.
Related Programs
Statistics offers a data science cluster that can closely mirror Data Science. Many upper division Data courses are cross-listed with Statistics and taught by Statistics faculty.
Applied Mathematics offers a data science concentration. If you were considering Data Science with the Applied Math and Modeling domain emphasis, the curricula are very similar.
Cognitive Science is more interdisciplinary and less technically focused than Data Science. Many courses overlap, especially if you were considering a Cognition, Linguistics, or Philosophical Foundations domain emphasis.
