The Minor in Data Science at UC Berkeley aims to provide students with practical knowledge of the methods and techniques of data analysis, as well as the ability to think critically about the construction and implications of data analysis and models. The minor will empower students across the wide array of campus disciplines with a working knowledge of statistics, probability, and computation that allow students not just to participate in data science projects, but to design and carry out rigorous computational and inferential analysis for their field of interest.

The minor in Data Science has been approved for all undergraduate students (except those pursuing a BA in Data Science).

Lower Division Requirements
1. Foundations Data C8 (CompSci/Stat/Info C8)
2. Programming CompSci/Data C88C (formerly CompSci 88) or CompSci 61A or ENGIN 7
3. Probability

Stat/Data C88S (formerly Stat 88) or CivEng 93 or CompSci 70 or Math 10B or Math 55

(Students may choose to substitute Stat 134, Stat 140, IND ENG 172, or EECS 126. If counted here, the same course will not also count toward the upper-division electives in the minor.)

Data 8 Substitutions:

  • All Students in Summer 2021, Fall 2021, or Spring 2022: Students may petition to substitute Statistics 20, if taken in Summer 2021, Fall 2021 or Spring 2022, for Data 8 toward the Data Science major or minor; this option is not available for students who take Engin 7 for their Program Structures requirement.
  • All Students Through Spring 2021: Students may substitute Statistics 20, if completed by the end of Spring 2021, for Data 8 toward the Data Science major or minor; this option is not available for students who take Engin 7 for their Program Structures requirement. No petition is required.
Upper Division Requirements

1-Course Core Pathway

The 1-course core pathway requires completion of at least 2 semesters of calculus and 1 semester of linear algebra. In its current implementation, Data 100 uses Python.

2-Course Core Pathway

The 2-course core pathway requires 1 semester of calculus. In its current implementation, Stat 131A and 133 use R.
1. Gateway

Data 100 (CS/Stat C100) - Principles & Techniques of Data Science

(Enforced Prerequisites: Data C8; CS 61A or 88 or Engin 7. Enforced Corequisite: Math 54 or EE 16A.)

Data/Stat 131A - Statistical Methods for Data Science and

Stat 133 - Concepts in Computing with Data
2. Human Contexts & Ethics Choose ONE from: AMERST/AFRICAM 134 or C134, BIO ENG 100, CY PLAN 101, DATA C104/HIST C184D/STS C104, DIGHUM 100, ESPM C167/PBHLTH C160, INFO 188, ISF 100J, NWMEDIA 151AC, PHILOS 121

Choose ONE from: AMERST/AFRICAM 134 or C134, BIO ENG 100, CY PLAN 101, DATA C104/HIST C184D/STS C104, DIGHUM 100, ESPM C167/PBHLTH C160, INFO 188, ISF 100J, NWMEDIA 151AC, PHILOS 121

Elective(s)

Choose TWO from the approved electives list

 Choose ONE from the approved electives list

Grading Rules

  1. All courses for the minor must be taken for a letter grade.
  2. Students must earn a C- or better in each course, and have a minimum 2.0 GPA in all courses towards the minor.

Overlap Rules*

Please note that the Data Science minor is offered by the Division of Computing, Data Science and Society and overlap policies differ from minors offered by other Schools or Colleges. Please read this section carefully.

*Please also be sure to check with your home College about any overlap rules that may apply to minors. If your College has a different policy, the most restrictive policy applies.
  1. Students may overlap up to 1 course in the upper division requirements for the Data Science minor with each of their majors (for example, a Computer Science major may count COMPSCI/STAT C100 toward both their major and the Data Science minor).
  2. A maximum of one course offered by or cross-listed with the student’s major department(s) may count toward the data science minor upper-division requirements, including any overlapping course (for example, if a Computer Science major takes COMPSCI/STAT C100 toward the Data Science minor, this is the only COMPSCI, ELENG, or EECS course which may count toward the upper-division requirements for the minor).
  3. An upper-division course used to fulfill a lower-division requirement (for example, Stat 134 to fulfill the probability requirement) will not be counted toward the maximum 1 course allowed to overlap with the major, nor will it fulfill one of the four upper division course requirements.
  4. There is no restriction on overlap with another minor.
  5. Students may not earn both a BA in Data Science and a minor in Data Science. 

Based on changes to L&S and campus policy, courses completed at UC Berkeley with a grade of Pass in Spring 2020, Fall 2020, Spring 2021 or Summer 2021 will count toward Data Science minor requirements. Please see the L&S P/NP policy modifications for more information.

Need Advising?

Data Science advisors are available to help! Email us at ds-advising@berkeley.edu, or find out about our other advising services.

Step 1: Declaring the Minor

Criteria to declare:

  • Data 8 completed with a C- or better, and 
  • 2 additional courses toward the minor completed or in progress in the current term

Process to declare:

Submit on online application to declare the minor by the deadline.

The application form is available from the 4th week of classes through Friday of RRR week in each term, including summer. 

Applications are reviewed twice per semester, in the middle and at the end of the term. Once approved, the Data Science minor will appear on your student record in CalCentral.

Deadline to declare: 

You must submit your application to declare the Data Science minor at least one semester in advance of your Expected Graduation Term (the last day of RRR week or, if the semester before your final term is summer, the deadline is the final Friday of Summer Sessions). You can check your Expected Graduation Term (EGT) on CalCentral.

Step 2: Verifying Completion

Requirements to complete minor:

  • All 7 courses completed with a letter grade of C- or better in each, and a 2.0 overall GPA in the minor by the end of your final term

Process to verify completion:

In your final semester, fill out the Data Science Minor Completion form and obtain a signature from your major advisor. Students with more than one major should complete one form for each major.

Scan and submit your completed and signed form to our Minor Completion online form for final approval.

Once approved, the Data Science minor will appear on your UC Berkeley transcript. Minors do not appear on the diploma.

Deadline to verify completion: 

You must submit your Data Science Minor Completion form by the last day of RRR Week in your Expected Graduation Term (or, if your final term is summer, the deadline is the final Friday of Summer Sessions).

Forms will not be accepted earlier than the term in which you expect to graduate, regardless of when you complete the requirements for the minor.

FAQs

No. The overlap rules allow a maximum of 1 course offered by or cross-listed with the department of your major to count toward the upper-division requirements, regardless of whether the course is meeting any requirements in your major. Because Data Science is very interdisciplinary and spans many subject areas, our faculty feel that you will benefit most from the minor if you expand your knowledge and skill set beyond the area(s) in which you are already pursuing a major.

Students must declare the minor a semester before their expected graduation term (EGT). If you miss the deadline, you can consult with your College Advisor about changing you EGT to a later term. If this is not possible, you can contact a Data Science Advisor to discuss the appeal process.

  • While the requirements for the Data Science minor appear on the Academic Progress Report, it may not accurately reflect the minor overlap policies. Please check with a Data Science advisor if you have questions or are not sure which classes you can overlap with your major(s).

Seats are reserved in impacted classes at the discretion of the department offering the course. Generally, most courses will not have seats reserved for Data Science minors, as a minor is not required to graduate.

 

For students admitted to UC Berkeley as freshmen prior to Fall 2018 or as transfers prior to Fall 2019, we allow a "grandfathered" option to substitute for Data 8 in the minor if both courses are completed no later than Summer 2019:

  • Stat 20, 21, 131A or 135 and
  • CS 61A or ENGIN 7

Stat 131A or 135 may not be used toward both the Data 8 substitution and the upper-division requirements in the minor.

 

We will accept up to 2 courses completed with a Pass prior to Fall 2019 toward the Data Science minor, of which 1 may be upper-division. Courses completed with a Pass in Fall 2019 or later will not be accepted toward the minor.

 

There is no minimum GPA to declare the minor, but you will need to earn a minimum 2.0 overall GPA in the minor in order to have it conferred at graduation. You must also earn a minimum C- or better in each course.

 

  • Once declared, the Data Science minor will appear on your CalCentral dashboard and your Academic Progress Report. Please note that courses listed on the Academic Progress Report may not accurately reflect the minor overlap policies. 
  • Once completed and verified, the Data Science minor will appear on your UC Berkeley transcript. Minors do not appear on the diploma.

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  • If you know that you will not complete the requirements for the Data Science minor, please submit an online request to drop the minor from your student record prior to the end of your Expected Graduation Term.
  • If you do not complete the requirements and/or do not submit a Minor Completion Form by Friday of RRR week in your final term, the minor will be automatically dropped and you will graduate without the minor. However, this may cause delays in processing your graduation so it is strongly recommended that you drop the minor in advance.
  • If you wish to change your graduation date to a future term in order to complete the minor, you must notify your College Advisor before Friday of RRR week. Note that a minor does not entitle a student to an extra semester, or an exception to the L&S unit ceiling.
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  • Review other frequently asked questions and answers on our Data 001 Piazza page, or post one.
  • If you have questions about choosing classes for the minor, please see the Data Science Peer Advisors during their drop-in advising hours.
  • If you have questions about enrolling in a specific course, please contact the instructor or department offering the course. For Data courses, contact ds-enrollments@berkeley.edu.
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