Graduate Certificate in Data Science Foundations

The Graduate Certificate in Data Science Foundations program (available both on-campus and online via DEN@Viterbi) teaches students the foundations of data science from a computing perspective. This degree is designed for students with a wide range of backgrounds who have no formal computer science education but have strong math and science skills.

Students will first learn the basics of data science, including data processing, algorithms, parallel computing, statistical methods and machine learning. They will also learn how to write basic data processing programs in Python.

Related Programs

The Department of Data Science and Cyber Security also offers the following degree program concentrations:

  • MS in Applied Data Science
  • MS in Communication Data Science (On-campus only)
  • MS in Cyber Security Engineering
  • MS in Environmental Data Science (On-campus only)
  • MS in Healthcare Data Science
  • MS in Public Policy Data Science (On-campus only)
  • MS in Spatial Data Science
  • Graduate Certificate in Applied Data Science

In addition, the Department of Computer Science is home to the following graduate program concentrations:

  • MS in Computer Science
  • MS in CS – Data Science
  • MS in CS – Game Development (On-campus only)
  • MS in CS – Scientists and Engineers

For a complete list of graduate programs offered online in the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, please visit the DEN@Viterbi Program Offerings.

Career Opportunities

A variety of career opportunities exist, but primarily in the areas of:

  • Software Engineer
  • Big Data Engineer
  • Algorithm Engineer
  • Data Scientist
  • Software Developer
  • Data Analyst

Earn your Graduate Certificate in Data Science Foundations online. Request information now.

Experiential Learning Requirement

The program is completely online with the option to visit campus. Online students view the same lectures as USC’s on-campus engineering students using DEN@Viterbi’s innovative and proprietary electronic delivery system. This delivery system provides full collaboration among remote and on-campus students and faculty members, both in and out of the classroom.

DEN@Viterbi provides this unique opportunity for professional engineers to earn their graduate degree from a top ranked graduate engineering program, without setting foot on the USC campus. This program is uniquely different from other online programs since online students have access to the same faculty and classroom as on campus students.