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Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Data Science, BS

Data is being collected constantly, whether we realize it or not. “Big data” is more than numbers. It’s images, tweets, locations. New industries like digital humanities and computational social sciences are appearing at the intersection of traditional fields of quantitative study, and this major is training students to understand and support these emerging needs.
Data science is an interdisciplinary field with roots in applied mathematics, statistics, and computer science. With increasing employment demands across many STEM, health, social sciences, and humanities fields, we seek to meet this need with the Bachelor of Science in Data Science.

Your Degree Plan

As a Data Science major, you will develop quantitative and computational skills to solve real-world problems. Customize the degree to fit your interests by choosing a focus area to create a degree with practical applications.

A key component to the Data Science major is the 12-hour focus area. Working with your academic adviser, you will take classes in a discipline related to your interests and career goals. You can choose from a variety of areas, such as the social sciences, humanities, and sciences. Examples include astronomy, biology, criminology, geography, geology, GIS, physics, public health, psychology, and sociology.

If you’re interested in further specialization in statistics, math, or computer science, you can add minors in those areas as well.

Take advantage of special options related to this major:

Honors

Expand your curiosity and enhance your curriculum through the WVU Honors College. Two programs are offered: Honors Foundations and Honors in Action.

The WVU Difference

What sets this program apart?

  • Data Science majors are some of the only undergraduate students with access to WVU’s High Performance Computing facilities.
  • Our Data Science major is the 1st to be offered at a Research 1 (R1) institution in West Virginia.
  • Customize the major by selecting a focus area that reflects your career interests.
  • Earn academic credit through Eberly internship courses.
  • 500+ scholarships awarded annually by the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences.
  • Academic Enrichment Program offers funding for activities that complement, extend and enhance your academic experience.

Learn by Doing

Get involved outside the classroom.

Data Science students have opportunities for undergraduate research and faculty mentorship at an R1 university. The program participates in WVU’s Research Apprentice Program and Summer Undergraduate Research Experience.

Data science students can also apply for the Eberly College’s Academic Enrichment Fund to help finance internships, study abroad, and research.

Connect with other students who share your academic interests as a member of:

View all of the student organizations you can join.

Network with professionals in your field as a student member of:

Careers and Outcomes

How does this degree prepare students for a career?

Data Scientists

Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.

Has a Bright Outlook

Median Salary: $112,590

Possible Job Titles:

Explore Career

Statisticians

Develop or apply mathematical or statistical theory and methods to collect, organize, interpret, and summarize numerical data to provide usable information. May specialize in fields such as biostatistics, agricultural statistics, business statistics, or economic statistics. Includes mathematical and survey statisticians.

Has a Bright Outlook

May Require Graduate Degree

Median Salary: $103,300

Possible Job Titles: Database Analyst, Mathematical Statistician, Statistical Analyst, Statistician

Explore Career

Clinical Data Managers

Apply knowledge of health care and database management to analyze clinical data, and to identify and report trends.

Has a Bright Outlook

Median Salary: $112,590

Possible Job Titles: Clinical Data Management Director (CDM Director), Clinical Data Management Manager (CDM Manager), Clinical Data Manager, Data Management Manager

Explore Career

Where our graduates work

  • Big tech
  • Healthcare
  • Business
  • Government

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the Data Science major, first-time freshmen must meet WVU's first-time freshman admission requirements. Interested in transferring? Review the transfer admission requirements.

Tuition and Aid

How much does Data Science at WVU cost? And how can you save?

Tuition and Fees

Estimated rates are available on our tuition website. Anyone who is not a current West Virginia resident, including international students, will be charged non-resident rates.

Scholarships

Estimate your eligibility for merit scholarships at WVU Morgantown.

Ways to Save

Beyond scholarships, here are other ways to reduce your cost of attending WVU.

Financial Aid

The most important step toward funding your future with financial aid for the Data Science, BS is submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.

How to Complete the FAFSA

Ohio Tuition Reciprocity

As the result of a special agreement, students from Ohio who are fully admitted to Data Science can enroll at WVU and pay in-state tuition rates. Students must be admitted to both the University and this major.

More About Ohio Tuition Reciprocity

Start at Another WVU Campus

You can start your career with WVU at another campus and transfer to WVU Morgantown.

Explore WVU System

Transfer Articulation Agreements

To simplify the transfer process, we have formal agreements with certain institutions. These agreements outline the courses you should take to prepare for transferring to WVU.

Review the full list of transfer articulation agreements to see if your institution is listed.

Learn How to Transfer Course Credits

Request Info

Want to know more about Data Science at WVU? Fill out our request form to receive more information.

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