Make sense of the mountain of data produced every day

A Waterloo data science degree student sitting on a bench using a laptop

In Data Science at Waterloo, you'll take courses in computing systems, data analytics, statistics, and machine learning as well as core mathematical subjects like algebra and calculus.

Today we’re inundated with information from sensors, digital images, streaming video, satellite and medical imagery, and more. In Data Science at Waterloo, you’ll learn to extract meaningful information from that tsunami of data and use it to predict future trends.

You’ll complement your core courses in statistics, mathematics, and computer science with a range of electives from many of Waterloo’s 100 subject areas. When you graduate, you’ll have the skills and knowledge to help governments and businesses make better decisions and smarter strategies. And if you take the co-op stream, you'll have up to two years of work experience on top of that.

When you graduate, you’ll be ready for a huge range of career options. Our grads are putting their skills to work in areas as diverse as medicine, business, advertising, entertainment, and public health.

Program highlights

  • Win prizes — and glory. Show off your data-taming skills, impress potential employers, and win prizes at Waterloo’s annual datathon.
  • Study in a high-tech hub. Waterloo Region is home to more than 1,000 technology companies, including Google, OpenText, Shopify, and a host of startups.


What will you learn?

First-year courses

You'll take a mix of Mathematics and Computer Science courses to give you the foundations for your upper-year classes, along with a few electives.

In your upper years, most of the courses you'll take will be in Statistics and Computer Science.

Learn about courses you'll take for your Data Science degree.

Customize your degree in Data Science

You can add additional areas of expertise by including one or more of the minors available to all Waterloo students.

Once you're a student, advisors can help you explore which minors or specializations may fit into your plans.

 

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Sign up for insider advice that can help you now and in the future.

Monthly topics include how to choose a program, what it's like to be a Waterloo student, the differences between high school and university, and more.

Questions? Ask a student!

Contact a Faculty of Mathematics student ambassador to learn about their experience in the program.

Ask them questions such as why they chose their program, what the classes are like, and how you can get involved on campus.

 


Admissions

Ontario students: six Grade 12 U and/or M courses including

  • Advanced Functions
  • Calculus and Vectors
  • Any Grade 12 U English
  • One other 4U course

Recommended: Grade 11 U Introduction to Computer Science

Admission average: Individual selection from the high 80s

Not an Ontario high school student? Search our admission requirements.

How to apply?

Apply to Computer Science or Mathematics and choose Data Science as your major at the end of first year. Once you've applied, you'll need to complete the Admission Information Form as part of the application process.


We strongly encourage you to participate in the Canadian Senior Mathematics Contest and/or the Euclid Mathematics Contest to enhance your admissions status. To be considered for entrance scholarships in the Faculty of Mathematics, you must write one or both of the contests. If you complete both contests, we'll use the results of the contest in which you performed best.

Connect with us

Questions about courses, programs, requirements, or careers?

Please contact our Faculty of Mathematics recruitment coordinator who can answer any questions you have.