Statistics and Data Science are major programs within the College of Letters and Science. Students in the College of Letters and Science must complete Aggie 101 and Aggie Advising. Aggie 101 and Aggie Advising will provide you with comprehensive advice about preparing for your first quarter and registering for classes. Below is information specific to Statistics and Data Science majors.
Summer Roadmap
Below is an overview of the information and steps you'll need to prepare for your first quarter.
- STEP 1: Aggie 101 (Available Beginning May 6th)
- All incoming first-years are expected to complete Aggie 101. This online program will get you acquainted with how UC Davis is structured, what resources we have to offer, and help you understand your non-major requirements.
- STEP 2: Aggie Advising (Available Beginning May 13th)
Part A: Complete the Aggie Advising Canvas Modules. These modules will provide you with additional details about your degree requirements and prepare you for registration.
Part B: Attend a Preparing for Pass 1 Webinar.
Part C: Still have questions about your major requirements? Email your major advisor, schedule an appointment, or attend Express Advising. Advising Appointments and Express Advising will become available after June 18th. Please email if you have an urgent question. The major advisors for Statistics and Data Science are Kim McMullen, Jeff Katz, and Viviana Gonzalez. They can help you plan your major courses only. If you have questions about non-major requirements (e.g. GE, university, or college requirements), please contact your advisor in the College of Letters and Science.
- STEP 3: Placements/Readiness Assessments
- Placements are used to assess your readiness for Math, Chemistry, Computer Science, and Language courses at UC Davis. All students receive direct communication during the summer with information on placement dates and times. Statistics and Data Science majors should plan to take the Math Readiness Assessment. Learn more about the placements here. The other placement assessments are not required for Statistics and Data Science majors, but may be helpful if you take courses in those areas in the future.
- STEP 4: Registration (August 7th or 10th)
The College of Letters and Sciences has put together a comprehensive resource with information about registration. Students register for classes using Schedule Builder. Incoming students are automatically assigned a registration period to schedule their fall quarter classes. Registration will be begin for first-years in the College of Letters and Science on August 7th or 10th. Check Schedule Builder for your assigned date and time. This will be your first opportunity to register, but there are additional registration periods as well.
Be sure to check your UC Davis email for additional registration specific resources, webinars, and drop-in hours.
- STEP 5: Orientation (September 18-19th)
- September 18-19 is the in-person Aggie Orientation.
Advising Resources
UC Davis has a decentralized advising structure. Learn how to meet with your major and college advisors below.
- Major Advising
- Most major advising options will not be available until after June 18th. Please email your major advisors at [email protected] if you have any urgent questions.
Major Advising Options - College Advising
- Advisors in the College of Letters and Science can answer questions about your College, General Education, and University Requirements.
College Advising Options
Your First Quarter Schedule
Learn about recommendations for your first quarter schedule. Additional information can be found in the Aggie Advising Canvas Modules.
Data Science Major Information
Your First Quarter Schedule (12-16 units)
Major Course Recommendations
- MAT 21A Calculus
- Enrollment in MAT 21A requires students to complete a Math Readiness Assessment (MRA). If students do not meet the minimum score to take MAT 21A, they may need to take MAT 12 or some other preparatory MAT course prior to starting the MAT 21 series.
- STA 35A Statistical Data Science I
- In order to take STA 35A, students must be concurrently enrolled in or have previously completed MAT 21A. Students beginning with MAT 12 in Fall, may need to wait to take STA 35A along with MAT 21A in Winter. This will not impact your graduation timeline and will ensure that you have a strong foundation in math.
Non-Major Course Recommendations
- General Education (GE) Course
- Focus on Arts and Humanities (AH), Social Sciences (SS), Literacy with Words and Images (WE, OL), and Civic and Cultural Literacy (ACGH, DD, WC).
- The GE sections Science and Engineering (SE), Quantitative Literacy (QL), Scientific Literacy (SL), and Visual Literacy (VL) will be automatically satisfied by your major requirements.
- Course/courses to fulfill the Entry Level Writing Requirement (if not already complete)
- First Year Seminar
Major Advisor Tips
- Major Checklists and Sample Four Year Plans: Utilize the major checklist and sample plans for the Data Science major to help you plan your courses. The Sample Plans are only guides. You are strongly recommended to meet with your advisors on a regular basis to create a customized plan that prioritizes your own goals and timeline.
- AP/IB Math Credit: Be sure to check the AP/IB Credit chart as well if you have any AP/IB exams completed. While the major accepts qualifying AP and IB scores toward the math requirement, students are encouraged to consider repeating calculus at UC Davis to ensure a strong foundation in math.
- If you are considering "skipping" MAT 21A or MAT 21B due to AP or IB credit be sure to review the course outlines for these courses to ensure you have a strong foundation in all of the topics listed. You should also take advantage of the content review videos put together by the UC Davis Academic Assistance and Tutoring Center.
- Computer Science Courses: Data Science majors are recommended to prioritize the MAT 21 series (MAT 21ABC) and STA 35 series (STA 35ABC) in their first year. The Data Science major also requires students to take ECS (Computer Science) courses but these courses can be taken at a later date. Please contact your major advisor if you have any questions about planning to take ECS courses ([email protected]).
- Please note that if you received AP credit for ECS 32A through the Computer Science A exam, it cannot be repeated at UC Davis. Please review the AP Chart for more information.
- Balance: Do not take more than two major courses in your first quarter. You should balance your schedule by taking 1-2 non-major courses and/or a First-Year Seminar.
- Do not take any upper division courses (courses numbered 100-199).
Statistics Major Information
The Statistics major program offers both a Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Statistics. The Bachelor of Science has four emphases called tracks.
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Science
Your First Quarter Schedule (12-16 units)
Major Course Recommendations
- MAT 21A or MAT 19A or MAT 17A Calculus
- The General Track, Machine Learning Track, and Statistical Data Science Track all require students to take MAT 21ABCD. The AB and BS-Applied Track allow students to take MAT 17ABC or MAT 19ABC or MAT 21ABC. The MAT 21 series is strongly recommended for all tracks.
- Enrollment in MAT 21A requires students to complete a Math Readiness Assessment (MRA). If students do not meet the minimum score to take MAT 21A, they may need to take MAT 12 or some other preparatory MAT course prior to starting the MAT 21 series.
Non-Major Course Recommendations
- General Education (GE) Course
- Focus on Arts and Humanities (AH), Social Sciences (SS), Literacy with Words and Images (WE, OL, VL), and Civic and Cultural Literacy (ACGH, DD, WC).
- The GE sections Science and Engineering (SE), Quantitative Literacy (QL), and Scientific Literacy (SL) will be automatically satisfied by your major requirements.
- Course/courses to fulfill the Entry Level Writing Requirement (if not already complete)
- First Year Seminar
Major Advisor Tips
- Major Checklists and Sample Four Year Plans: Utilize the major checklists and sample plans for the Statistics major track options on the Department of Statistics website to help you plan your courses. The Sample Plans are only guides. You are strongly recommended to meet with your advisors on a regular basis to create a customized plan that prioritizes your own goals and timeline.
- AP/IB Math Credit: Be sure to check the AP/IB Credit chart as well if you have any AP/IB exams completed. While the major accepts qualifying AP and IB scores toward the math requirement, students are encouraged to consider repeating calculus at UC Davis to ensure a strong foundation in math.
- If you are considering "skipping" MAT 21A or MAT 21B due to AP or IB credit be sure to review the course outlines for these courses to ensure you have a strong foundation in all of the topics listed. You should also take advantage of the content review videos put together by the UC Davis Academic Assistance and Tutoring Center.
- Statistics Courses: Statistics majors typically do not take an introductory Statistics requirement in their first quarter. STA 32 is recommended for Statistics majors, as it prepares students for higher-level statistics courses. STA 32 will most likely be taken in Winter or Spring quarter. STA 13 is not intended for students who plan to take advanced statistics courses in the future. STA 100 is a good alternative to STA 32 for students that have an interest in the biological sciences. STA 35A and STA 35B may also be taken if you want a stronger focus on Data Science. Most Statistics majors are strongly recommended to take STA 32 (or 100 or 35AB) even if they have AP credit for STA 13.
- Computer Science Courses: All Statistics major options require at least one introductory computer science course (ECS 32A or ECS 36A). This can be taken in the first quarter but is most often taken in Winter quarter. ECS 32A is recommended for Statistics majors. It teaches programming in python and does not require previous programming experience.
- Balance: Do not take more than two major courses in your first quarter. You should balance your schedule by taking 1-2 non-major courses and/or a First-Year Seminar.
- Do not take any upper division courses (courses numbered 100-199).