2020-64

Motion Introduced by:  Curriculum and Academic Programs Committee,

Date of First Reading:    March 30, 2020 

Date of Second Reading: April 27, 2020

Title of Motion: Request from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences – School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences – for the establishment of an undergraduate degree – BS in Data Science

Action Requested: This curricular proposal has received all college, school, unit and university administrative approvals, and is being presented to the Senate for review and voting decision.   

Rationale: Modern science and technology use sophisticated mathematical and computational tools to extract patterns from large, complex, and often unordered data sets. Machine learning and data mining are invaluable technologies with applications as diverse as

detecting fraudulent online credit-card transactions, understanding the dynamics of social movements, and personalizing medical treatments based on a tumor’s unique genetic profile. In accordance with ASU’s charter to advance research and discovery of public value, this proposed degree program is a collaborative effort by programs across the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences’ Divisions of Natural Sciences and Social and Behavioral Sciences to offer an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science degree in Data Science. With a mathematical core consisting of linear algebra, statistical inference and classification, data mining, machine learning, and associated computer methods, the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences is uniquely positioned to lead the development of this innovative collaboration.