Requirements for Computer Science Major with Data Science Specialization

Adding the Data Science Specialization

Current Computer Science majors who would like to add this specialization must complete a change of major application form and include “Data Science” in the “Specialization” field. Completed forms can then be submitted to cs@tcnj.edu at any time during the academic year for CS Department review and approval.

Once your form has been reviewed and signed by the Department, it will be returned to you via email. You must then submit it to the Office of Records and Registration in Green Hall 112 (recreg@tcnj.edu) for processing.

Required Seminar Courses (0.5 course units)

Required CS Major Introductory Core (3 course units)

Required CS Major Advanced Core (6 course units)

CS Options Courses Required for Data Science Specialization (3 course units)

CSC 380: Artificial Intelligence
CSC 426: Machine Learning or CSC 427: Natural Language Processing
CSC XXX: One CS option course (from approved Data Science Options list below)

Required Foundational Statistics Courses (2 course units: Choose 2 of the 3)

Required Capstone Courses (1 course unit)

Select one course, focused on data science, from the following list.

CSC 399: Internship in Computer Science
CSC 498: Mentored Research I in Computer Science
CSC 499: Mentored Research II in Computer Science
CSC 391: Independent Study in Computer Science with departmental approval.

List of Computer Science Options Approved for Data Science Specialization

CSC 307: Data Mining and Predictive Modeling
CSC 320: Information Retrieval
CSC 399: Internship in Computer Science (focused on data science related projects)
CSC 426: Machine Learning (if Natural Language Processing is used as the required option)
CSC 427: Natural Language Processing (if Machine Learning is used as the required option)
CSC 470: Topics in Computer Science (Semantic Multimedia Analysis)
CSC 498: Mentored Research I in Computer Science (focused on data science related projects)
CSC 499: Mentored Research II in Computer Science (focused on data science related projects)

List of Additional Courses Recommended to be Taken as Free Electives to enhance the Data Science Specialization

MAT 316: Probability (only course with additional prerequisites)
STA 404: Computational and Bayesian Statistics
STA 37X: Statistical Software Development (New Course, initially offered as STA 370: Topics Course)

Required Mathematics Courses (3 course units)

Computer Science Natural Science Options (2 course units)

Students must take two major-level laboratory sciences.

See Math and Science Correlate Requirements for more information on courses that meet the science requirements. Consult the department for additional details.

World Language Requirements (2 or 3 course units)

Two courses in sequence in any of the modern languages are required. Students who opt for a language previously studied in high school need to take a placement test and can reduce this requirement by one unit if they place out of the second semester, or by two units if they place out of the third semester of the language. Students who speak a heritage language may take an oral test in that language to waive the language requirement. Consult the Department of World Languages and Cultures for details.

Note: Chinese 151 and 152 and Japanese 151 and 152 are intensive courses and carry two course units of credit each. Students should take this into account when planning a normal four-course semester.

American Sign Language (ASL) fulfills the language requirement and is administered by the Department of Special Education, Language and Literacy: https://specialeducation.tcnj.edu/programs/deaf-education/program-for-education-of-the-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing/american-sign-language/

College Core/Liberal Learning Requirements

As per College requirements.