BA MAJOR & MINOR

What You’ll Study

Warren Wilson College’s interdisciplinary data science program prepares you to organize, analyze, and extract information from large data sets using statistics, computer science, and mathematics. You will learn how to gain insight into complex issues through data analysis, creating predictive models, visualizations, explanations, and connections. Data Science is useful across disciplines: Business, Biology, Psychology, Sociology, Environmental Studies, and even the Humanities. You will find applications for your skills no matter your field.

You’ll use statistics in real-world situations to gain insight into complex datasets, and you’ll learn how to present and discuss your results in a professional context. You will learn the programming languages Python and R, spatial analysis procedures on raster and vector data, and database management. You can then focus your learning through higher level Computer Science or Mathematics courses and gain depth through Advanced Data Science or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) courses.

As your studies culminate in a Data Science Capstone Project, you will apply your knowledge and skills to a real-world application area. Working closely with faculty, you could create an application using academic research, complete a project that solves a problem for a community partner, or work on a significant data-driven project on a professional internship with a company or nonprofit organization.

NASA is known for space exploration, but their scientists also study Earth with satellites. Using their Warren Wilson College Data Science skills, three recent alumni worked for NASA to create two new tools to prevent deforestation and wildfires by detecting seemingly insignificant things: tiny beetles and melting snow.

Read more here!

Students and professor involved in NASA DEVELOP

Explore Classes in This Program

In this course, you’ll apply concepts and techniques of geographic information science as you view, manipulate, analyze, and disseminate geographic data. You’ll learn about spatial analysis procedures on raster and vector data, database management, topology, model design, 3D modeling, open source GIS, web mapping, and project management. You’ll design and conduct a significant research project to solve a real-world problem for a non-profit organization.

In this introductory course in descriptive and inferential statistics, you’ll use statistics in real-world situations to gain insight into complex datasets, and you’ll learn how to present and discuss your results. You’ll use the R open-source software programming language to learn data visualization and analysis, which is an industry-standard tool for today’s market. You’ll explore examples in this course that cross disciplines and focus on normal distributions, Chi Square procedures, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA).

Using the R programming language, you’ll master advanced methods in data cleansing and visualization, use data analysis to generate hypotheses and intuition about real-world datasets, and employ statistical and computational methods to make predictions based on the data. You’ll become fluent in ways to describe and visualize data in a professional context.

Still curious? See the Curriculum

I love the diverse interests of students, faculty, and staff at Warren Wilson.

Holly Rosson, Ph.D.

Meet Holly Rosson See all Social Sciences Faculty

Warren Wilson students crave a challenge. I am continually amazed at the enthusiasm with which our students throw themselves into an endeavor, whether it be a physically exhausting service trip or an intellectually stimulating research question. Wilson students tend to say “bring it.”

David Abernathy, Ph.D.

Meet David Abernathy See all Social Sciences Faculty

students discuss work — Crunch Numbers, Change the World

Use your data analysis skills to make a difference for one of our community partners.

Student provides tech support on Information Technology Crew — Professional Experience

Gain valuable work experience on the Information Technology Services Crew.

Creative Technologies Lab

In our makerspace, you can experiment with emerging technologies (3D manufacturing and microcomputing), electronics, software, computing equipment, and other high-tech tools.

south asheville cemetary — Maps That Matter

GIS students mapped the oldest African American cemetery in Western NC on Google Earth.

internships — Internships Spotlight

Gain business opportunities, jobs, and mentoring relationships in Data Science through our AlumniFire networking community.

Fieldwork Profile

Mapping Change

Students and faculty at Warren Wilson contributed a major project for Buncombe County called ‘Mapping Change.’ It used maps to analyze change over a 10-year period of rapid growth in Western North Carolina. The project culminated in an 80-page book, which analyzed the effects of change in terms of land use, demography, water quality, and housing. The data united many different social and ecological problems, illustrating how they connect to one another.

Professor Paul Bartels outlined the findings for the county commissioners in a presentation using maps from the book. Among many other observations, Bartels connected the impact of homes built on steep slopes with sediment erosion, stream pollution, and trout populations. Through Bartels’ presentation to county lawmakers, Warren Wilson students’ work in GIS and Data Science influenced local government.

Data Science

What You’ll Study

Working for NASA

Explore Classes in This Program

Advanced Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Applied Statistics

Advanced Topics in Data Science

Hands-on, All-in

Mapping Change

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