Data Science
What Is Data Science?
Data is in every part of modern life. Commercial, governmental, and non-profit organizations increasingly depend on data for every decision. Massive amounts of personal data are created daily. How such data is used and interpreted raises major moral and social issues. It affects the lives of people, communities, and the environment.
Data Science is an interdisciplinary program. We work to increase knowledge of how data is compiled, manipulated, and used across fields. This includes studying the social and ethical effects of data鈥檚 uses in the world.
Data Science Degree Options
We offer a minor in data science.
Course Highlights
DSCI B201 Data Ethics: Surveillance and Manipulation
Data ethics has become an increasingly important topic with the rise of big data and artificial intelligence. We are now tracked online and off, and our data is packaged and sold to the highest bidder. In this course we will ask: Why is privacy valuable, and how might it be protected in the age of big data? What is surveillance capitalism, and what is new about it? Are we being manipulated by algorithms that know too much about us? If so, what is the ethical harm of manipulation? Course materials will be drawn from diverse sources, and assignments will apply ethical theories to current problems.
DSCI B210 Quantifying Happiness: Efforts to study and alter happiness
This course is designed to introduce students to the scientific study of happiness and psychological well-being. We begin with readings that will allow us to critically consider what is meant by happiness and well-being and then move on to evaluating approaches to measuring these constructs. We will examine studies that have tracked happiness and attempted to identify contributors to happiness. We will also look at efforts to increase happiness. We will ponder the ways in which culture and historical factors influence the study of happiness. Students will work directly with data sets measuring aspects of happiness. Part of the class meeting time will be used to support study work with data.
Students' Perspectives
What students are saying about their experience minoring in data science:
Data Science Faculty Spotlight
Marc Schulz
Professor of Psychology on the Sue Kardas PhD 1971 Professorship and Director of Data Science
Marc Schulz is a NYT bestselling co-author and psychologist. He is also the Associate Director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, an 8-decade-old study of thousands of people from 724 families. His studies focus on the role that relationships and emotional and stressful experiences play in shaping a person鈥檚 overall well-being. He studies this in the context of development and life transitions across adulthood. He is the author of many academic publications and a co-editor of two books. Schulz鈥檚 essays have also appeared in the press, including The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, The Big Think and CNBC.
Illuminating the Path for Women's Success
Like thousands of women in Ghana, Cynthia Amoaba鈥檚 cousins are part of a shea butter economy shaped by hard work and slim margins. Armed with an economics degree and a $30,000 Samuel Huntington Award for Public Service, she hopes to help change that equation by creating fairer pathways to market for women producers like her cousins. See how she and other recent alumnae/i are lighting the way to the future.
Cynthia Aboaba '26鈥淭he goal is not a single year of impact but the beginning of a sustainable transformation in how women鈥檚 labor is valued, supported, and rewarded.鈥
Opportunities in Data Science
Internships
Data science has applications across disciplines and job functions. Taking on internships during the longer breaks in the year will help prepare you to apply data science concepts in your career.
Study Abroad
If you're excited to study abroad your junior year, we encourage you to do so. Data is everywhere, so whether you're taking data-science specific courses or those of a related field, you're sure to expand your horizons.
Data Science Series
Data science's wide applications mean that we get to talk to scholars doing fascinating work in a variety of fields. The data science program collaborates with other fields of study to bring in speakers using data science in their research.
What Makes a Good Life?
Professor Marc Schulz directs the the Harvard Study of Adult Development and has literally written the book on the data science behind living well.
Social Sciences News
Data science is part of a robust program of social sciences at 91直播. See what's new:
Contact Us
Data Science
Anjali Thapar
Professor of Psychology and Acting Director of Data Science and chair of Neuroscience
athapar@brynmawr.edu
610-526-5008
Ann Ogle
Administrative Support Staff
aogle@brynmawr.edu