Data Science Cognate Tracks

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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

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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