COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Mathematics with a Data Science Emphasis at Wichita State University is a 120-credit-hour program designed to build strong mathematical, statistical, and computational skills for careers in data-driven fields and for graduate study in data science and related disciplines. In addition to completing the university’s General Education requirements and the requirements of the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, students complete 24 credit hours of LAS competency requirements that strengthen broad academic and analytical abilities. Within the major, students must complete all courses in Group R except MATH 613, totaling 18 credit hours, which provide advanced mathematical foundations. The emphasis then focuses on specialized coursework in data science through required selections that include two courses from a defined list, with MATH 646 (Introduction to Mathematical Data Analysis) being mandatory, along with options such as MATH 553 (Mathematical Models) and MATH 657 (Optimization Theory), which develop applied mathematical modeling and analytical decision-making skills. Students also complete two computer science courses from options such as CS 211 (Introduction to Programming), CS 311 (Object-Oriented Programming), CS 400 (Data Structures), and CS 410 (Programming Paradigms), building essential programming and computational problem-solving skills needed in modern data environments. In addition, students take two statistics courses from a sequence including STAT 460, STAT 571, STAT 572, STAT 771, and STAT 772, which provide a strong grounding in probability, statistical inference, and advanced statistical theory. To complete the degree, students take 23–26 credit hours of open electives, allowing flexibility to pursue complementary subjects, internships, or additional technical training. The program emphasizes mathematical reasoning, statistical analysis, programming, and data interpretation, preparing graduates for careers such as data analyst, business intelligence analyst, statistical assistant, operations analyst, and entry-level data scientist roles across industries including technology, healthcare, finance, government, and research. It also provides strong preparation for graduate study in data science, statistics, machine learning, and related quantitative fields. Through Wichita State’s applied learning model, students gain practical experience working with real datasets and industry-relevant problems, ensuring they graduate with both theoretical knowledge and hands-on data science skills.