Data science is the process of generating insight from data through reproducible and transparent processes.
The departments of Computer Science and Statistics jointly offer a major specialization in data science. This major specialization equips students with the knowledge and skills to ethically and transparently apply modern and broadly applicable data science methods. Its graduates are professionals who can effectively communicate complex data analyses while upholding fairness and security in their work with a commitment to continual learning and ethical conduct in the ever-evolving field of data science.
Updated: June 17 2025
Important News: On May 12th, 2025 the Bachelor of Science in Data Science received approval from the BC Ministry of Education! This was the final step in the process, and we're now happy to announce that the program will be implemented as planned starting September 2025! We are looking forward to having the first cohort of students this fall.
General description of career prospects here. Additionally, the "Meet your Major" event hosted by the Faculty of Science in March 2025 provided a good overview of the program:
This formal announcement by UBC of the program in April 2024 is still relevant, as it contains high level details.
Application Timeline
Applications to the Data Science Major follow UBC Science’s specialization application process. Eligible students can apply in the spring or summer at the end of their first year. Students admitted to the program will begin their specialization in Term 1 of second year. The first cohort of the Data Science Major will begin in September 2025.
Detailed instructions and deadlines are provided on the Faculty of Science website during the application period.
Admission Requirements
For First-Year Science Students:
To be eligible to apply for the new DSCI major program, students will need to take and successfully complete DSCI 100 and Math 100 (or equivalent). Details about our admission process are now available on the specialization requirements page.
In addition, students are highly encouraged to complete CPSC 103 by the end of the summer. Otherwise, students will not be able to enroll into DSCI 220 in Year 2 Term 1 or DSCI 221 in Year 2 Term 2 and this means it will take longer to complete the program. Completing the eligibility requirements does not guarantee admission into the program.
For Science One Students:
Students in the Science One program are welcome and encouraged to apply for the Data Science Major.
We are aware that the scheduling constraints of Science One will make it infeasible for students to take two additional courses (DSCI 100 and CPSC 103) in their first year. Therefore, Science One students will be considered for admission into the program without completing DSCI 100 or CPSC 103. However, Science One students admitted into the program should aim to complete DSCI 100 in the summer session (and CPSC 103 if possible).
The interdisciplinary nature of Science One provides excellent preparation for the Data Science Major, and we believe you’ll thrive in both environments.
Admission Details
The Data Science Major will initially accept 40 students into its first cohort. We anticipate the program to expand in the future assuming there is interest from students, as well as resources and funding to deliver an excellent program to students!
Unfortunately, not all eligible applicants will be admitted. The program is expected to attract high levels of interest so we expect more students to apply than we have seats. That said, the admissions committee will do our best to ensure that admitted students are diverse and representative of the faculty and our institution. Students will be admitted into the program through the coordinated Faculty of Science BSc Specialization process; more details about our admission process are now available on the specialization requirements page.
DSCI Major Program
Year 1 of the DSCI Major: focuses on providing a foundation
| Course Code | Course title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DSCI 100 | Introduction to Data Science | 3 |
| CPSC 103 | Introduction to Systematic Program Design | 3 |
| MATH 100 (or 180 or 120 or 110) | Differential Calculus with Applications | 3 |
| MATH 101 (or 121) | Integral Calculus with Applications | 3 |
| SCIE 113 | First-Year Seminar in Science | 3 |
| Constrained elective in Communication | 3 | |
| Free Electives | 12 |
Year 2 of the DSCI Major: focuses on developing the foundation
| Course Code | Course title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| DSCI 200 | Navigating Data: Acquisition, Exploration and Management | 3 |
| DSCI 220 | Discrete Math for Data Science | 4 |
| DSCI 221 | Data Structures for Data Science | 4 |
| MATH 200 | Calculus III | 4 |
| MATH 221 | Matrix Algebra | 3 |
| STAT 201 | Statistical Inference for Data Science | 3 |
| Free Electives | 12 |
Year 3 and 4 of the DSCI Major: Specialization in data science & customization
| Course Code | Course title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CPSC 330 or 340 | (Applied) Machine Learning | 3 |
| CPSC 368 or 304 | Databases in Data Science | 3 |
| STAT 301 | Statistical Modelling for Data Science | 3 |
| STAT 302 | Introduction to Probability | 3 |
| STAT 305 | Introduction to Statistical Inference | 3 |
| STAT 443 | Time Series and Forecasting | 3 |
| DSCI 310 | Reproducible and Trustworthy Workflows for Data Science | 3 |
| DSCI 320 | Visualization for Data Science | 3 |
| DSCI 430 | Fairness, Accountability, Transparency and Ethics (FATE) in Data Science | 3 |
| Chosen from a list of courses which include MATH 307, CPSC302, CPSC 320, CPSC 440, CPSC 406, STAT 406, STAT 405 | 6 | |
| MATH/STAT/CPSC/DSCI courses at the 400-level, or higher | 12 | |
| Free Electives | 15 |
Frequently asked questions
Contact info
Many of the questions we receive are already answered on this page. Please make sure that you have read the program information and FAQ before reaching out. We are still working out our advising procedures, but you can email datascience.advising@ubc.ca if you have a question that isn’t answered in the information above. We will do our best to get back to you as soon as we can.