BSc in Data Science in Riverside United States | University of California, Riverside

Data has become an integral part of modern life, influencing every career path from junior staff to top executives, from sports coaches to operations managers, from bookkeepers to chief financial officers. Organizations now operate with access to more data than ever before in history, and leveraging this information to understand customer needs gives them a strategic edge. Established corporations (like Ford, Walmart, and General Electric) now boast about their evolution into data-driven enterprises. Additionally, data plays a crucial role across scientific, technical, and scholarly fields.
Data Science has recently developed as a distinct academic field focused on data itself, bridging Computer Science and Statistics. Our undergraduate Data Science program is designed to cultivate the next generation of data experts and industry leaders through foundational education. We combine core Computer Science skills (for data management) with Statistical methods (for data analysis), applying this integrated knowledge to real-world challenges across various domains. This major delivers a thorough curriculum exploring how data can be gathered, processed, examined, and utilized to address issues spanning multiple disciplines.
The interdisciplinary Data Science bachelor's degree creates excellent career pathways across diverse sectors. A unique feature of our program requires students to complete coursework in other departments (such as economics, business, sociology, earth sciences, biology, bioinformatics, and astronomy), where they'll see Data Science principles in action within these fields.
The data revolution has sparked tremendous growth in Data Science careers, with current demand far exceeding supply—a trend expected to continue. McKinsey research predicts hundreds of thousands of data specialist positions will emerge in the coming decade. While finance, professional services, and IT account for most data-related roles, manufacturing, healthcare, and retail sectors are also actively recruiting. Glassdoor consistently ranks Data Scientist among America's best jobs, offering exceptional compensation. We anticipate our Data Science program will create valuable opportunities for the UCR community.
Our Data Science major delivers an exceptional curriculum, informed by influential reports from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the Park City Mathematics Institute (an NSF-endorsed initiative supported by the American Statistical Association's leadership).