Applications in Data Science Undergraduate Certificate Program

Add a data science certificate to any major in as few as six courses

There is a data explosion throughout society and virtually every job requires using data in decision-making. A certificate in data science gives you an advantage in the job market and throughout your career.

Why Data Science?

  • Employers are hiring people who can transform data into information.
  • The data science certificate program offers training in both foundations and applications of data science for students in all colleges and majors.
  • Professionals trained in data science have the training and curiosity to make discoveries and decisions in a world where data is constantly being produced, communicated and analyzed.
  • This certificate is accessible to students at different quantitative skill levels.
  • Part of Purdue's campus-wide data science ecosystem, is coordinated by the Integrative Data Science Initiative Curriculum Committee.

The Program

  • Data science involves the development or application of statistical, mathematical and algorithmic techniques or tools with an aim to extract knowledge from large-scale datasets and communicate findings.
  • Students who earn this certificate will have a foundation in statistical, mathematical and computational techniques for the analysis of large-scale or complex datasets and will apply their skills to different domains.
  • You will be able to interpret results from large-scale data analysis and communicate findings, and recognize and evaluate ethical and social implications of data science.

Requirements

  • Requirements can be met with as few as six courses.
  • You can choose your own path and tailor the program to your specific interests.
  • There are dozens of courses to choose from. See the complete listing of all offerings by college.
  • Core Courses - 10 credits
    • Foundation in Statistical Methods (3 credits)
    • Foundation in Computation (3 credits)
    • Foundation in Data Literacy, Management, and Analytics (3 credits)
    • Foundation in Data Ethics and Digital Citizenship (1-4 credits)
  • Application Focus - 6 credits
  • A minimum of 6 credits must be in coursework outside the student's major requirements.
  • Each course can only be used once towards certificate completion; cannot count toward multiple areas. 
  • A grade of C- or better must be earned in any course used to fulfill the certificate. Students may also use a Pass(P) in any course used to fulfill the certificate.
  • Transfer credit brought in as an equivalent course is allowed to apply to the certificate requirements; undistributed transfer credit cannot be applied.
  • Students with a Data Science major are not permitted to receive the Applications In Data Science Certificate.

Purdue Course Catalog: Applications in Data Science Certificate information

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I add this certificate program to my plan of studies?

Your academic advisor can help you register you for the program.

Can I register from any major?

Yes! There are no prerequisites to get registered. See program requirements above. Data Science majors are not allowed to obtain this certificate.

Do you have a flyer to share?

Yes, download the flyer here (PDF).

Who do I contact for more information?

You can start with your Academic Advisor or send an email to data.science.cert@purdue.edu.

Requesting courses to be added to the approved course lists for the certificate

Requests for revisions to program requirements may be submitted only by Academic Advisors or Faculty Members through Curriculog. Requests will be reviewed by the IDSI Curriculum Committee. To better understand if a class might meet a specific area, view the outcomes.

To submit courses for review, go to Purdue Curriculog.

  1. Click on blue “+ New Proposal” button.
  2. Click on “Courses” tab at the top to filter the available proposals.
  3. Find the “Applications In Data Science Certificate Undergraduate Course Addition” proposal. (On the courses tab it is at the bottom of the first page of available proposals.)
  4. Click the Checkmark icon on the right side of the row.
  5. Search for the course you want to propose by PREFIX ONLY. (Adding any other information will cause the search to fail.)
  6. Click the arrow/page icon on the right side of the row of the course you wish to import.
  7. Ignore the red text/errors on the next screen and click on the “Build Proposal” button at the bottom middle.
  8. Wait for the proposal to load then input all required fields.

Integrative Data Science Initiative Curriculum Committee

  • Edward Bartlett – College of Science / Co-chair
  • John Springer – Purdue Polytechnic / Co-chair
  • Dennis Buckmaster – College of Agriculture
  • Sharon Crist – College of Health and Human Sciences
  • Chris Brinton – College of Engineering
  • Soren Matei  - College of Liberal Arts
  • Malathi Raghavan – College of Veterinary Medicine
  • Michael Witt – Libraries and the School of Information Studies
  • Matthew Lanham – Daniels School of Business
  • Anne Traynor – College of Education
  • Dwaine Jengelley – Honors College
  • Pharmacy - vacant
 

The program is coordinated by the IDSI Curriculum Committee. For more information, please contact data.science.cert@purdue.edu.