Data Science
Over the summer, your advisor will work with you to select course preferences for A and B terms and register you for classes before the semester begins. It is expected that you will take three classes in both terms in most cases. You will register for C and D term classes later in the fall semester.
In addition to the course recommendations below that are specific to your major, each student must complete 4 Wellness and Physical Education courses in their four years at WPI. You are welcome to add a WPE course to any term. WPE courses are worth 1/12 unit, unlike major subjects discussed in course recommendations which are worth 1/3 unit, and can be taken in addition to the 3 courses recommended below.
For the most up-to-date information on the Data Science program, degree requirements, advising support materials, and resources, please visit our “Data Science Undergraduate Advising” Canvas page found here. If you do not have access to the canvas page, please contact datascience@wpi.edu or visit the Data Science main office at Unity Hall 366 during business hours.
Further, the DS tracking sheet with degree requirements for your major can be found here, while the Data Science webpage for the bachelor’s degree can be found on their website.
Helpful Links
A & B Term
A Term Recommendations
CS
DS Majors are required to take three computer science courses total. It is recommended in A Term to take CS 1101 (Intro to Programming), CS 1102 (Accelerated Intro to Programming), or CS 1004 (Intro to Programming for Non-Majors).
The Computer Science introductory curriculum (CS 1101/1102 and CS 2102/2103) emphasizes program design (data structures, documentation and testing, and computational thinking) rather than a singular programming language. Towards this focus, a student’s first year introduces them to multiple languages: functional programming in Kotlin, followed by object-oriented programming in Java, and then procedural, systems programming in C/C++.
CS majors can enter one of two paths into the CS curriculum in term A: either CS1101 or CS1102. While both paths equivalently prepare students for subsequent courses, students should base the choice of which path to take on their prior programming experience:
Most students should take: CS 1101 Introduction to Program Design (offered in Terms A and C). Students do not need any prior programming experience for CS 1101; however, students with prior knowledge will still benefit and experience new learning objectives.
Students having substantial previous programming experience (e.g., AP credit in computer science) are encouraged to consider: CS 1102 Accelerated Introduction to Program Design (offered in Term A only). CS 1102 moves at twice the pace of CS 1101 and adds a preview of selected advanced Computer Science topics. Without falling behind, students can transfer from CS 1102 to CS 1101 within the first few weeks of term A should they wish to. CS 1102 does not assume experience with any specific programming language to succeed.
Students may also choose to take CS 1004 Introduction to Programming for Non-majors in A term.
CS 1101 is typically followed by CS 2102 Object-Oriented Design Concepts (offered in Terms B and D) and CS 1102 is typically followed by CS 2103 Accelerated Object-Oriented Design Concepts. CS 1004 is typically followed by CS 2119 Application Building With Object-Oriented Concepts (offered in Term D only).
MA
DS Majors are required to take five classes in Math throughout their four years. It is recommended that you take Math in A and B terms of your first year. In choosing which Math course you will begin with, please consider the following.
As a DS major you are required to take two courses in the Calculus sequence as well as both MA 2611 and MA 2612 (Statistics) and MA 2071 or 2072 (Matrices and Linear Algebra I).
- Complete the Math Placement Exam. The Math Placement Exam will tell you which Calculus course you should start in based on your current knowledge. If you are recommended to start in MA 1020, this will be your math course for both terms.
- Consider if you have AP Credit (new policy as of 10/20/25):
Students who obtain a score of “4” on the AB-level Exam will receive credit for MA 1021 and should begin with MA 1022 in A term followed by MA 1023 in B term. Those that obtain a score of "5" on the AB-level Exam will receive credit for MA 1021 and MA 1022 and should begin with MA 1023/1033 in A term followed by MA 1024/1034 in B term.
Students who obtain a grade of “4” or “5” on the BC-level Exam will receive credit for MA 1021, MA 1022 and MA 1023 and could begin with MA 1024 in A-term then MA 2051 in B-term, OR MA 1033 in A-term followed by MA 1034 in B-term. - Students who received a 6 or 7 on the IB will receive 2/3 credit of MA 1000, and should use the math placement exam results to decide which math class to take.
- Consider the possibility of retroactive credit. If the Math Placement Exam recommends that you start in MA 1022, MA 1023/1033, or MA 1024 but you do not have AP credit, this could be a great option for you. If, in your first year, you complete MA 1022 and MA 1023/1033 on your first attempt, you will receive retroactive credit for MA 1021. If, in your first year, you complete MA 1023/1033 and MA 1024/1034 on your first attempt you will receive retroactive credit for MA 1021 and MA 1022. If, in your first year, you complete MA 1024 and MA 2051, you will receive retroactive credit for MA 1021 and MA 1022. Please note that there is no retroactive credit for MA 1023. In determining if this is the right path for you, we strongly recommend completing the Math Placement exam and following the suggestion given to you.
The sequence MA 1033 Theoretical Calculus III and MA 1034 Theoretical Calculus IV is an alternative to the MA 1023, MA 1024 sequence in A and B terms. The sequence is designed to give a deeper and more mathematically rigorous presentation of the relevant calculus topics. If you really enjoy math and have credit for Calculus I and II already, you should consider this sequence instead of the MA 1023-MA 1024 sequence.
HUA/SCI
Your third course should be a Humanities and Arts or Science course. More information is available about these courses below.
Humanities and Arts
Every student at WPI must complete the Humanities and Arts (HUA) Requirement. This consists of 6 courses in HUA subjects. The subjects available for HUA are:
- Art/Art History (AR)
- Music (MU)
- Theatre (TH)
- Modern Languages - Spanish (SP), German (GN), Arabic (AB), Chinese (CN), Integrated Skills in English (ISE)
- For Spanish Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Angel Rivera (arivera@wpi.edu)
- For German Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Daniel DiMassa (ddimassa@wpi.edu)
- For Arabic Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Mohammed El Hamzaoui (melhamzaoui@wpi.edu)
- For Chinese Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Wen-Hua Du (wdu2@wpi.edu)
- For Integrated Skills in English Information: The placement exam is not currently required and students are welcome to register for all ISE courses. Please contact Prof. Esther Boucher-Yip (efboucher@wpi.edu) or Prof. Althea Danielski (amdanielski@wpi.edu) if you have any questions.
- Literature (EN)
- Writing/Rhetoric (WR)
- History (HI)
- Humanities (HU)
- International and Global Studies (INTL)
- Philosophy (PY)
- Religion (RE)
You should pick courses in subjects you are interested in. When you come to campus you will learn more about the HUA requirement and how you will complete it.
Science
Science courses include courses in Biology, Chemistry, or Physics.
B Term Recommendations
DS 1010
DS 1010 is the first course in the Data Science Core and will put you on the path to take future DS courses. DS 1010 is typically also offered in the other terms (e.g., A-term, C-term and D-term).
CS
Most students follow CS 1101 or CS 1102 with CS 2102 Object-Oriented Design Concepts (offered in Terms B and D), but again students with previous experience may elect to follow with CS 2103 Accelerated Object-Oriented Design Concepts (Offered in Term B only). Students are encouraged to contact the CS department at undergraduate@cs.wpi.edu if they need help assessing their readiness for CS1102 or CS 2103.
CS 2119 Application Building With Object-Oriented Concepts is not offered until D term but is a good object-oriented alternative for students who started with CS 1004 Intro to Programming for Non-majors.
MA/HUA
Your third course should be a Mathematics Course or a Humanities and Arts Course. More information is available about these courses below.
DS Majors are required to take five courses in math throughout their four years. In B Term you should take the next course in the Calculus series or Statistics series beyond your A term course, or Matrices and Linear Algebra I. The following is the typical MA sequence for WPI Students.
MA 1021
MA 1022
MA 1023/1033
MA 1024/1034
MA 2051
OR
MA 2611
MA 2612
OR
MA 2071/2071
In order to select which Math course you should take first please consider the following.
- Complete the Math Placement Exam. The Math Placement Exam will tell you which Calculus course you should start in based on your current knowledge. If you are recommended to start in MA 1020, this will be your math course for both terms.
- Consider if you have AP Credit (new policy as of 10/20/25):
Students who obtain a score of “4” on the AB-level Exam will receive credit for MA 1021 and should begin with MA 1022 in A term followed by MA 1023 in B term. Those that obtain a score of "5" on the AB-level Exam will receive credit for MA 1021 and MA 1022 and should begin with MA 1023/1033 in A term followed by MA 1024/1034 in B term.
Students who obtain a grade of “4” or “5” on the BC-level Exam will receive credit for MA 1021, MA 1022 and MA 1023 and could begin with MA 1024 in A-term then MA 2051 in B-term, OR MA 1033 in A-term followed by MA 1034 in B-term. - Students who received a 6 or 7 on the IB will receive 2/3 credit of MA 1000, and should use the math placement exam results to decide which math class to take.
- Consider the possibility of retroactive credit. If the Math Placement Exam recommends that you start in MA 1022, MA 1023/1033, or MA 1024 but you do not have AP credit, this could be a great option for you. If, in your first year, you complete MA 1022 and MA 1023/1033 on your first attempt, you will receive retroactive credit for MA 1021. If, in your first year, you complete MA 1023/1033 and MA 1024/1034 on your first attempt you will receive retroactive credit for MA 1021 and MA 1022. If, in your first year, you complete MA 1024 and MA 2051, you will receive retroactive credit for MA 1021 and MA 1022. Please note that there is no retroactive credit for MA 1023. In determining if this is the right path for you, we strongly recommend completing the Math Placement exam and following the suggestion given to you.
The sequence MA 1033 Theoretical Calculus III and MA 1034 Theoretical Calculus IV is an alternative to the MA 1023, MA 1024 sequence in A and B terms. The sequence is designed to give a deeper and more mathematically rigorous presentation of the relevant calculus topics. If you really enjoy math and have credit for Calculus I and II already, you should consider this sequence instead of the MA 1023-MA 1024 sequence.
Your third course should be a Humanities and Arts or Science course. More information is available about these courses below.
Humanities and Arts
Every student at WPI must complete the Humanities and Arts (HUA) Requirement. This consists of 6 courses in HUA subjects. The subjects available for HUA are:
- Art/Art History (AR)
- Music (MU)
- Theatre (TH)
- Modern Languages - Spanish (SP), German (GN), Arabic (AB), Chinese (CN), Integrated Skills in English (ISE)
- For Spanish Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Angel Rivera (arivera@wpi.edu)
- For German Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Daniel DiMassa (ddimassa@wpi.edu)
- For Arabic Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Mohammed El Hamzaoui (melhamzaoui@wpi.edu)
- For Chinese Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Wen-Hua Du (wdu2@wpi.edu)
- For Integrated Skills in English Information: The placement exam is not currently required and students are welcome to register for all ISE courses. Please contact Prof. Esther Boucher-Yip (efboucher@wpi.edu) or Prof. Althea Danielski (amdanielski@wpi.edu) if you have any questions.
- Literature (EN)
- Writing/Rhetoric (WR)
- History (HI)
- Humanities (HU)
- International and Global Studies (INTL)
- Philosophy (PY)
- Religion (RE)
You should pick courses in subjects you are interested in. When you come to campus you will learn more about the HUA requirement and how you will complete it.
Searching for Courses
As you begin to plan your course preferences, consider using one of the following methods:
- Visit the Course Listings page. On this page, you can search for courses you are interested in and filter your search by subject, term, keyword, etc.
- The WPI Planner is a helpful tool to assist you in viewing schedule and course times as you develop your plan. Click on this link to view the planner and instructions on how to use it.
Please note: As you begin to search for courses, it is helpful to review the recommended or suggested background included in the course descriptions. Recommended background is coursework or information that has been identified as important for you to have or understand before taking that course. Suggested background is helpful information to have but may not be absolutely necessary in order to excel in the course.
Your Academic Support Advisor is available to assist you with questions.
C & D Term
C Term Recommendations
CS/BUS
DS Majors are required to take three computer science courses total. It is recommended in C Term to take CS 1101 (Intro to Programming), or CS 1004 (Intro to Programming for Non-Majors) if you have not already.
The Computer Science introductory curriculum (CS 1101/1102 and CS 2102/2103) emphasizes program design (data structures, documentation and testing, and computational thinking) rather than a singular programming language. Towards this focus, a student’s first year introduces them to multiple languages: functional programming in Kotlin, followed by object-oriented programming in Java, and then procedural, systems programming in C/C++.
Students may also choose to take CS 1004 Introduction to Programming for Non-majors in A term, but please note that CS 1101/1102 may better prepare students for higher-level CS courses required by the IMGD-BS major.
CS 1101 is typically followed by CS 2102 Object-Oriented Design Concepts (offered in Terms B and D) and CS 1004 is typically followed by CS 2119 Application Building With Object-Oriented Concepts (offered in Term D only).
If you have taken introductory Computer Science in A term you can either take a higher level CS course or consider taking a BUS course from the Business foundations.
MA
DS Majors are required to take five classes in Math throughout their four years. It is recommended that you take Math in C and D terms of your first year.
As a DS major you are required to take two courses in the Calculus sequence, one Linear Algebra course (i.e., MA 2071 or MA 2072), and both MA 2611 and MA 2612 (Statistics)
HUA/SCI
Your third course should be a Humanities and Arts or Science course. More information is available about these courses below.
Humanities and Arts
Every student at WPI must complete the Humanities and Arts (HUA) Requirement. This consists of 6 courses in HUA subjects. The subjects available for HUA are:
- Art/Art History (AR)
- Music (MU)
- Theatre (TH)
- Modern Languages - Spanish (SP), German (GN), Arabic (AB), Chinese (CN), Integrated Skills in English (ISE)
- For Spanish Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Angel Rivera (arivera@wpi.edu)
- For German Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Daniel DiMassa (ddimassa@wpi.edu)
- For Arabic Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Mohammed El Hamzaoui (melhamzaoui@wpi.edu)
- For Chinese Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Wen-Hua Du (wdu2@wpi.edu)
- For Integrated Skills in English Information: The placement exam is not currently required and students are welcome to register for all ISE courses. Please contact Prof. Esther Boucher-Yip (efboucher@wpi.edu) or Prof. Althea Danielski (amdanielski@wpi.edu) if you have any questions.
- Literature (EN)
- Writing/Rhetoric (WR)
- History (HI)
- Humanities (HU)
- International and Global Studies (INTL)
- Philosophy (PY)
- Religion (RE)
Science
Science courses include courses in Biology, Chemistry, or Physics.
D Term Recommendations
DS 2010
DS 2010 is the second course in Data Science Core and will put you on the path to take future DS courses. DS 2010 may be also offered in other terms (e.g., B-term and C-term).
CS/BUS
Students who have not yet taken CS 2102 should do so in D term. If you have taken CS 2102 already you can consider a higher level CS course.
You can also consider taking a BUS course from the Business Foundations.
MA/HUA
Your third course should be a Mathematics Course or a Humanities and Arts Course. More information is available about these courses below.
DS Majors are required to take five courses in math throughout their four years. Taking MA 2071 or MA 2072 is highly recommended if you have not done so already.
Your third course should be a Humanities and Arts or Science course. More information is available about these courses below.
Humanities and Arts
Every student at WPI must complete the Humanities and Arts (HUA) Requirement. This consists of 6 courses in HUA subjects. The subjects available for HUA are:
- Art/Art History (AR)
- Music (MU)
- Theatre (TH)
- Modern Languages - Spanish (SP), German (GN), Arabic (AB), Chinese (CN), Integrated Skills in English (ISE)
- For Spanish Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Angel Rivera (arivera@wpi.edu)
- For German Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Daniel DiMassa (ddimassa@wpi.edu)
- For Arabic Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Mohammed El Hamzaoui (melhamzaoui@wpi.edu)
- For Chinese Placement Information, Please Email: Professor Wen-Hua Du (wdu2@wpi.edu)
- For Integrated Skills in English Information: The placement exam is not currently required and students are welcome to register for all ISE courses. Please contact Prof. Esther Boucher-Yip (efboucher@wpi.edu) or Prof. Althea Danielski (amdanielski@wpi.edu) if you have any questions.
- Literature (EN)
- Writing/Rhetoric (WR)
- History (HI)
- Humanities (HU)
- International and Global Studies (INTL)
- Philosophy (PY)
- Religion (RE)
Once you go through the above recommendations, please be sure to review Registration Information so you know how to register on November 11th.
Registering in Workday
Note: This task is only for registering for C & D Term.
PRE-REGISTRATION PREP
- Watch the 10 min. overview video
- Login to Workday
- Use Find Course Sections to build at least one Saved Schedule for C-Term, D-Term, and if you're taking any 10 or 14 week classes, Spring Semester (instructions)
November 11, 7AM ET: REGISTER
- Login to Workday
- Open a browser tab or window for C-Term, D-Term, and Spring Semester (if you have any 10 or 14 week classes) and View My Saved Schedules for each
- [Optional] Open tabs for alternate course sections from other Saved Schedules or search results
- When registration opens, click Start Registration, then click Register (instructions)
- Open View My Courses, scroll right to Drop or Swap (instructions)
- Waitlisted? If a spot opens, a notification will be sent to your WPI email asking you to login to Workday and take action