Trent's New B.Sc. Degree Examines Data Science Through an Interdisciplinary Lens

Data Science students at Trent University will have the opportunity to select a focus area of study that interests them.

Trent University has launched a new degree program, the Bachelor of Science in Data Science, to equip the next generation of data scientists with the skills and experience to make significant contributions to the complex area of data analysis across a variety of industries and sectors.

Discover what makes this new degree special

Trent University is known for its interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning. The Bachelor of Science in Data Science will provide students with opportunities to put theory into practice through experiential learning opportunities, preparing students for a career in the growing field of data science.

“Our program is unique in the sense that we have this notion of a focus area,” said Dr. Richard Hurley, chair of the Department of Computer Science at Trent University. “Students will be required to take four credits (one per year) in an area or discipline where they want to focus. For example, if your interest is in health data, maybe you take courses in Sociology, or if you are interested in social media data, maybe you do courses in Cultural Studies. If you’re interested in stock markets, you might take Business or Economics courses, or focus on Physics if you are interested in astronomy.”

Professor Hurley explains that blending a foundation in data science with insights into a specific focus area creates an interdisciplinary lens through which students will be able interpret and value diverse datasets.

Application in real-world scenarios

Students in this program will dive into both theoretical study and hands-on exploration of data analytics, statistics, and information management techniques, including programming, visualization, and predictive modelling.

“In their fourth year, students will work under faculty supervision to propose, develop, implement, and evaluate a data science solution from a real-world dataset,” added Prof. Hurley. “The goal is to bring students closer to how the whole process comes together in a work environment, where they have to pull the raw data, clean it, and then analyze it using a variety of techniques.”

The Data Science degree program will cover a wide range of topics — from techniques for data gathering, cleaning and manipulation, to ethics in the discipline of computing — equipping students with the skills to extract data from structured and unstructured datasets, and apply their knowledge and insights across a broad range of application domains.

Does this sound like the program for you? If so, check out the Bachelor of Science in Data Science degree program to discover popular courses, what careers paths you could take, admission requirements, and more!