Data science is the field of study in which vast volumes of data is captured, maintained, processed, analyzed, and communicated using modern tools and techniques. The purpose is to find unseen patterns, derive meaningful information, and make business decisions. Data science utilizes complex machine learning algorithms to build predictive models. The data used for analysis can come from many different sources and presented in various formats.

A lot of people are starting to talk about Data Science. Universities around the globe are creating specialized Masters of Data Science programs, and job prospects for Data Scientists are even better than for Computer Scientists. It’s only a matter of time before undergraduate majors in Data Science start cropping up, and within 3-5 years we’ll see calls for Middle and High Schools to start teaching it too.

Companies don’t want just “coders”. Every Engineer or Computer Scientist knows someone who can write a thousand lines of horrible, bug-riddled code that compiles and runs, but can’t document their code or read a spec. Likewise, it would be be terrible mistake teaching students to master Excel, R or Python, but not how to interpret results and write about their findings.

The Data Science stream will provide a good mix of math and programming, but the activities will be more than just a program or a good-looking chart. Students will choose real research questions, develop explanations, and use appropriate language and precision to explain their thinking.