Program in Data Science

An analytical and quantitative foundation for tackling data driven problems in science, industry, and society

B.S. in Data Science

Formerly named Mathematical & Computational Science, a degree program for students who want to master the foundations of data science in mathematics, statistics, computer science, and optimization, confidently deploying their skills to innovative lines of inquiry.

B.A. in Data Science & Social Systems

A new degree program for students who want to work at the intersection of computer science, statistics, and the social sciences to understand human behavior and tackle social problems.

Data Science Minor

Designed for majors in the humanities and social sciences who want to gain practical know-how of statistical data analytic methods as they relate to their field of interest.

Statistics Minor

Designed to complement major degree programs primarily in the social and natural sciences.

Directors' Message

Dear Students,

Welcome! We are glad you are here. The Data Science (B.S.) and Data Science & Social Systems (B.A.) majors are relatively new at Stanford, graduating their first cohort in 2024. These majors were developed to address the growing importance of data science at Stanford and beyond. Work across nearly all domains, from science to industry to government, is becoming more data-driven, affecting both the jobs available and the skills they require. As more data becomes available and our ability to analyze this data expands, our society will become even more dependent on our ability to systematically learn from this data.

Our interdisciplinary program is designed to prepare students for this new world. You will take mathematics, computer science, and statistics courses to develop the foundations needed to learn from data, as well as social science courses to appreciate the ethical considerations in the use of data and technology. The major culminates in a capstone that helps you appreciate how the data science you have learned connects to the real world.

In 2025, we will be moving into the new Computing and Data Science (CoDa) complex, which will bring us together with the many faculty, researchers, and students in other fields who are using data science. This new building is dedicated to fostering innovation and world-class teaching and research in data science and its many applications. There will be space in this building specifically for our undergraduate majors to work and collaborate.

Please explore our majors and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. Let's dive in - there's exciting work to do!

Sincerely,

Dennis Sun, Faculty Director of the Program in Data Science
Mallory Nobles, Associate Director of the B.A. in Data Science
Chiara Sabatti, Associate Director of the B.S. in Data Science

Quick Links

Meet Our Peer Advisors

Subscribe to Our Mailing List

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

How to Declare

Frequently Asked Questions

Forms and Resources

Why should students join the data science program?

The Data Science program is an amazing interdisciplinary program for students who are interested in exploring the intersection of various disciplines. The program not only establishes the technical foundation (statistics, computer science, and math) required to address social problems but also cultivates nuanced perspectives to approach these problems in unique ways (i.e. causal inference and optimization).

Janice Li, Data Science & Social Systems B.A. ‘24

Why should students join the data science program?

I loved the flexibility of the Stanford MCS program, especially the opportunity to take classes from the Statistics, Mathematics, MS&E, and CS departments. This interdisciplinary approach allowed me to combine technical skills from various fields, giving me a well-rounded perspective on data-driven decision-making.

Emir Kirdan, MCS B.S. ‘24

Why should students join the data science program?

For a tight-knit community, an awesome combination of classes across math, statistics, and computer science, working on project areas most interesting to you, and learning how to tell a story with results.