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Data Science

The data science minor at Occidental helps you turn data into meaningful insights. Through interdisciplinary coursework, you’ll build practical skills that complement nearly any major while preparing for a data-driven future. 

Earn Your Data Science Minor at Occidental

The data science minor at Occidental provides an interdisciplinary introduction to one of today’s most important and rapidly growing fields. You’ll learn how to work with data, apply computational and statistical methods, build models, create visualizations, and communicate complex findings to diverse audiences. The program combines technical training with critical thinking, ethical reflection, and discipline-specific expertise. Because data science touches nearly every field, students can explore applications across the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and technology.

Through hands-on projects and research experiences, you’ll learn not only how to analyze data but also how to ask meaningful questions, evaluate limitations, and use data responsibly, developing practical skills that can be applied across a wide range of disciplines and industries. Whether you’re preparing for graduate study or careers in technology, research, consulting, public policy, health, environmental analysis, or business, the Occidental data science undergraduate program provides a flexible pathway for developing data fluency. 

Data Science program at a glance

What You’ll Learn as a Data Science Minor at Occidental

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Data Science Across Disciplines

The Data Science minor at Occidental combines conceptual methods, statistics, and critical analysis to help answer complex questions. You’ll learn how to prepare data, analyze results, understand the theory behind data science methods, and communicate findings across academic and professional settings. 

Data science minors at Occidental receive training in multiple core competencies: data preparation, data analysis and interpretation, data science theory, and applying and communicating data science. Interdisciplinary coursework helps students understand both the technical and human dimensions of working with data.  

The Data Science minor at Occidental is designed to be accessible to students from all majors. Students complete coursework across multiple departments and can tailor elective choices to their academic interests and career goals.

The data science minor at Occidental is intentionally interdisciplinary. Students combine coursework from such diverse fields as biology, Black studies, chemistry, cognitive science, computer science, economics, linguistics, mathematics, philosophy, physics, political science, psychology, sociology, and Urban & Environmental Policy to understand how data shapes knowledge and decision-making

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Learning Data Science in LA

Studying data science on the Occidental campus means connecting quantitative analysis with real-world challenges. L.A. provides opportunities to explore data related to public health, environmental sustainability, urban systems, social justice, business, and public policy. Across disciplines, Oxy students use data to better understand communities, evaluate solutions, and create impact. 

FAQs

The data science minor at Occidental College is an interdisciplinary program that teaches students how to work with data, apply computational and statistical methods, build models, create visualizations, and communicate findings clearly. The liberal arts-informed curriculum combines technical skills with critical thinking and ethical analysis. 

The Occidental College data science program brings together faculty and courses from more than a dozen disciplines. Rather than focusing solely on computer science, the program emphasizes how data science can be applied across the hard and social sciences, humanities, and public-facing professions. 

Data science students at Oxy are trained in multiple core competencies: data preparation, data analysis and interpretation, data science theory, and applying and communicating data science. Coursework helps students understand both the technical and human dimensions of working with data. 

No. The minor is designed to be accessible to students from all majors. Students complete coursework across multiple departments and can tailor elective choices to their academic interests and career goals.  

Data science skills can prepare students for careers in technology, research, public policy, healthcare, consulting, environmental analysis, finance, business, and graduate study. Oxy alumni have gone on to work as data scientists, software developers, researchers, analysts, and technology professionals.

Los Angeles provides a rich environment for exploring real-world applications of data science. Students can engage with questions related to urban systems, public health, environmental sustainability, social impact, business, and technology while applying classroom learning to contemporary challenges.

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