B.A. Planning Guide

Every student’s academic plan is unique. Yours will probably look different from the samples and/or your friend’s plan, and that does not mean one of them is wrong. It is also normal for your plan to change as you go along, so please remember to be flexible. With that being said, we provide the sample plans as models to show how a student could complete the Data Science & Social Systems B.A.

Sample Plan 1: Starting Year 1 with Math 19

Year 1
  • Math 19, 20, 21
  • CS 106A & 106B
  • DataSci 112*
  • Behavioral Science Core class 1 (e.g. Psych 1)
Year 2
  • DATASCI 154
  • Math 51
  • Math 104 or ENGR 108
  • MS&E 111
  • Behavioral Science Core class 2 (e.g. SOC 126)
  • Pathway Class 1
  • Ethics (e.g. COMM 154)
Year 3
  • One CS core classes from list (e.g. CS 107)
  • Statistical Inference Core class 1 (e.g. Stats 117 or MS&E 120 (after Math 51))
  • Statistical Inference Core class 2 (e.g. MS&E 125)
  • Behavioral Science Core class 3 (e.g. PoliSci 1)
  • Pathway class 2
  • WIM
Year 4
  • Last statistical inference core class (PoliSci 150C, SOC 258B, ECON 102C, or EDUC 260A) 
  • Behavioral Science Core class 4
  • Pathway class 3 & 4
  • Capstone (winter and spring quarter)

Sample Plan 2: Starting Year 1 with Math 51

Year 1
  • Math 51
  • CS 106A & 106B
  • DataSci 112*
  • DataSci 154
  • Behavioral Science Core class 1 (e.g. Psych 1)
Year 2
  • Math 104 or ENGR 108
  • One CS core classes from list (e.g. CS 107)
  • MS&E 111
  • Behavioral Science Core class 2 (e.g. SOC 126)
  • Pathway Class 1
  • Ethics (e.g. COMM 154)
Year 3
  • Statistical Inference Core class 1 (e.g. Stats 117 or MS&E 120 (after Math 51))
  • Statistical Inference Core class 2 (e.g. MS&E 125)
  • Behavioral Science Core class 3 (e.g. PoliSci 1)
  • Pathway class 2
  • WIM
Year 4
  • Last statistical inference core class (PoliSci 150C, SOC 258B, ECON 102C, or EDUC 260A) 
  • Behavioral Science Core class 4
  • Pathway class 3 & 4
  • Capstone (winter and spring quarter)

Sample Plan 3: Starting Year 2 with Math 51

Year 2
  • Math 51
  • CS 106A & 106B
  • DataSci 112*
  • Behavioral Science Core class 1 (e.g. Psych 1)
  • Behavioral Science Core class 2 (e.g. SOC 126)
Year 3
  • DataSci 154
  • Math 104 or ENGR 108
  • Statistical Inference Core class 1 (e.g. Stats 117 or MS&E 120 (after Math 51))
  • Behavioral Science Core class 3 (e.g. PoliSci 1)
  • Pathway class 1, 2, & 3
  • Ethics (e.g. COMM 154)
  • WIM
Year 4
  • One CS core classes from list (e.g. CS 107)
  • MS&E 111
  • Statistical Inference Core class 2 (e.g. MS&E 125)
  • Last statistical inference core class (PoliSci 150C, SOC 258B, ECON 102C, or EDUC 260A) 
  • Behavioral Science Core class 4
  • Pathway class 4
  • Capstone (winter and spring quarter)

*Note that the sample plans above reflect the requirements put into place for the 2023-2024 academic year. Students who are following the 2022-2023 requirements are not required to take DataSci 112; instead, they must take an additional CS class as specified on the requirements page. 

Helpful Hints:

  • Plan to take about two or three classes for the major each quarter. 
  • It’s helpful to take CS 106A and CS 106B early, as they are prerequisites for many other classes in the major. 
  • It’s helpful to take Math 51 or its prerequisites early, as Math 51 is a prerequisite for many other classes in the major.  
  • Take DataSci 154 during your first or second year. 
  • For the third requirement under the statistical inference core:
    • POLISCI 150C has a prerequisite of POLISCI 150A. However, if you are familiar with programming in R, your other statistical inference core classes will provide sufficient preparation, so you do not need to take POLISCI 150A. 
    • SOC 258B and ECON 102C have prerequisites of ECON 102B. However, your other statistical inference core classes will provide sufficient preparation, so you do not need to take ECON 102B.
  • Use the data science requirement inquiry form to check on a class when you’re not sure if it would fulfill a requirement. 
  • The capstone requirement starts with the graduating class of 2025. Complete your capstone during your senior year (winter and spring).
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