This degree program allows students to study multiple fields such as data science, math computing, and business analytics. In addition to the gaining the ability to blend data interference, algorithmic development, and technology to solve analytically complex problems you’ll train in one of three specialized application domains including cyber intelligence, digital humanities, or political science. Our multidisciplinary program design allows for customization to fit the student's interests and professional goals.
Curriculum
The minimum number of semester credit hours for this degree is 120, at least 39 of which must be at the upper-division level.
Students seeking a B.A. degree in the Applied Data Science path of Multidisciplinary Studies must fulfill the university core curriculum requirements.
Students seeking a B.A. degree in the Applied Data Science path of Multidisciplinary Studies must fulfill the following 78 semester credit hours.
- Technology Requirement: CS 1063, CS 1083, CS 1173, DS 4003, DS 4013, IS 1413, IS 1053 (3 semester credit hours)
- Communication Requirement: COM 1043, COM 1053, COM 2113, COM 2343, COM 2733 or ENG 2413 (3hrs)
All candidates for this degree must complete three areas of focus. Courses selected to satisfy each area must be approved by the Multidisciplinary Studies Program Coordinator and the Dean of Undergraduate Studies. Furthermore, the courses used to satisfy each focus area must be completed with at least a 2.0 grade point average.
All candidates for this degree must complete MDS 2013: Introduction to Multidisciplinary Studies.
All candidates for this degree must complete MDS 4983: Senior Seminar for Multidisciplinary Studies.
All candidates for this degree must complete 27 semester hours of free electives, at least 15 of which must be at the upper-division level.
BA-MDAD Applied Data Science 2024-26 Catalog
FIRST YEAR - FALL
| Course Code | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AIS 1203 or 1223 | Academic Introduction & Strategies | 3 |
| CORE | American History | 3 |
| CORE | Mathematics | 3 |
| WRC 1013 | Freshman Comp I (Q) | 3 |
| MDS 2013 | Intro to Multidisc Studies | 3 |
| TOTAL | - | 15 |
FIRST YEAR - SPRING
| Course Code | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CORE | American History | 3 |
| CORE | Life & Physical Sciences | 3 |
| WRC 1023 | Freshman Comp II (Q) | 3 |
| ELEC (LD) | Focus Area I | 3 |
| Technology Requirement | CS 1063, 1083, 1173, DS 4003, 4013, IS 1413, 1053 | 3 |
| TOTAL | - | 15 |
SECOND YEAR - FALL
| Course Code | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| POL 1013 | Introduction to American Politics | 3 |
| CORE | Life & Physical Sciences | 3 |
| ELEC (LD) | Focus Area 2 | 3 |
| ELEC (LD) | Focus Area 3 | 3 |
| COM Requirement | COM 1043, 1053, 2113, 2343, 2733, ENG 2413 | 3 |
| TOTAL | - | 15 |
SECOND YEAR - SPRING
| Course Code | Course Name | Course Code |
|---|---|---|
| POL 1133 or 1213 | Texas Politics and Society | 3 |
| CORE | Lang, Philosophy & Culture | 3 |
| CORE | Creative Arts | 3 |
| ELEC (LD) | Focus Area 1 | 3 |
| ELEC (LD) | Focus Area 2 | 3 |
| TOTAL | - | 15 |
THIRD YEAR - FALL
| Course Code | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CORE | Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| CORE | Component Area Option | 3 |
| ELEC (UD) | Focus Area 1 | 3 |
| ELEC (UD) | Focus Area 2 | 3 |
| ELEC (LD) | Focus Area 3 | 3 |
| TOTAL | - | 15 |
THIRD YEAR - SPRING
| Course Code | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ELEC (UD) | Focus Area 1 | 3 |
| ELEC (UD) | Focus Area 2 | 3 |
| ELEC (UD) | Focus Area 3 | 3 |
| ELEC | Free Elective | 3 |
| ELEC | Free Elective | 3 |
| TOTAL | - | 15 |
FOURTH YEAR - FALL
| Course Code | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ELEC (UD) | Focus Area 1 | 3 |
| ELEC (UD) | Focus Area 3 | 3 |
| ELEC (UD) | Free Elective | 3 |
| ELEC (UD) | Free Elective | 3 |
| ELEC | Free Elective | 3 |
| TOTAL | - | 15 |
FOURTH YEAR - SPRING
| Course Code | Course Name | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MDS 4983 | Seminar for Multidisc Studies | 3 |
| ELEC (UD) | Free Elective | 3 |
| ELEC (UD) | Free Elective | 3 |
| ELEC | Free Elective | 3 |
| ELEC | Free Elective | 3 |
| TOTAL | - | 15 |
Focus Areas
Focus Area 1: Data Science - 15 hours required
| Course Number | Title | Prerequisite C- or better |
|---|---|---|
| DS 3023 | Statistical Analysis for Data Science | MAT 1073 |
| DS 4003 | Introduction to Data Science | MAT 1073 |
| DS 4013 | Programming for Data Science | MAT 1073 |
| DS 4023 | Data Organization and Visualization | DS 4013 and DS 3023 (or STA 3003) |
| DS 4033 | Data Mining and Machine Learning | DS 4023 |
Focus Area 2: Math Computing and Business Analytics - 12 hours required from one mini-track
| Course Number | Title | Prerequisite C- or better |
|---|---|---|
| CS 2113 | Fundamentals for Object-Oriented Programming | CS 1083 |
| CS 2123 | Data Structures | CS 2113 |
| MAT 1093 | Pre-Calculus | MAT 1073 |
| MAT 1213 | Calculus I | MAT 1093 |
| STA 3003 | Statistical Methods and Applications | MAT 1093 |
| STA 4233* | Intro to Programming & Data Manage R | none |
| STA 4133 | Intro to Programming & Data Manage SAS | none |
| STA 4143* | Data Mining | STA 4133 |
| STA 3333 | Introduction to Data Science and Analytics | MS 1023 or STA 1053 or STA 1403 or STA 2303 equivalent |
| MS 1023 | Business Statistics with Computer Applications I | IS 1403 or IS1413 and MAT 1053 |
| STA 4143* | Data Mining | STA 4133 |
| STA 3333 | Introduction to Data Science and Analytics | MS 1023 or STA 1053 or STA 1403 or STA equivalent |
| MS 1023 | Business Statistics with Computer Applications I | IS 1403 or IS 1413 and MAT 1053 |
| MS 3043 | Business Statistics with Computer Applications II | IS 1403 or IS 1413, MAT 1053, MS 1023 |
| MS 3063* | Decision Support System | none |
| MS 3073* | Business Intelligence & Analytics | MS 3043 or STA 3003 |
| MS 3083 | Data Management for Business Analytics | none |
| MS 3313* | Multivariate Statistics for Business Analytics | MS 3073 or MS 3083 |
| MS 4323* | Analytics with Spreadsheet and Simulation in Business | none |
| MS 4373 | Data Mining for Business Analytics | MS 3073 and MS 3083 |
| MS 4383 | Predictive Operational Analytics | none |
*Certificate in Business Analytics
STA 4233, STA 4133, MS 3073, MS 3063, MS 3313, MS 4323
Focus Area 3 - 12 hours required from one mini-track
| Course Number | Title | Prerequisite C- or better |
|---|---|---|
| - | Cyber Track | - |
| IS 3413 | Telecommunications & Networking | none |
| IS 3433 | Cyber Crime Investigation Principles | none |
| IS 3513 | Information Assurance and Security | IS 3413 |
| IS 3523 | Intrusion Detection & Incident Response | IS 3513 |
| IS 3533 | Cyber Law and Legal System | none |
| IS 3833 | Cyber Operations | IS 3523 |
| IS 4473 | CyberSecurity Policy, Compliance, and Risk Assessment | none |
| - | Political Science Track | - |
| GLA 1013 | U.S. in Global Context | none |
| GLA 2103 | Introduction to Intelligence Studies | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA 2203 | Introduction to Security Studies | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA 2603 | Introduction to Global Politics | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA 3213 | Theories of International Relations | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA 3343 | National Security in the Global Context | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA 4213 | The Intelligence Community in World Affairs | GLA 1013 or POL 1013 |
| GLA 4953 | Special Studies in Political Science | GLA 1013 |
| GLA 4973 | Seminar in Political Science | GLA 1013 and POL 2693 |
| POL 3593 | Topics in Latin American Security | POL 1013 or GLA 1013 |
| POL 3763 | Globalization | POL 1013 or GLA 1013 |
| POL 3633 | Political Economy | POL 1013 |
| POL 3483 | International Political Economy | POL 1013 |
| POL 3513 | International Organizations in World Politics | POL 1013 or GLA 1013 |
| POL 3523 | Violence in International Politics | POL 1013 |
| - | Digital Humanities Track | - |
| IDS 2083 | Learning with Technology | none |
| IDS 3003 | STEM in Social Contexts | IDS 2113, WRC 1013, WRC 1023 |
| GES 3314 | Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | none |
| GES 3323 | Spatial Analysis | none |
| GES 3334 | Advanced Geographic Information Systems | GES 3314 |
| HUM 3173 | Topics in Digital Humanities | none |
| HUM 3153 | Humanistic Approaches to STEM | none |
| ANT 3803 | Media, Power and Public Culture | ANT 1010 or AND 2053 recommended |
| COM 3073 | Conduct of Communication Inquiry | COM 3023 |
| COM 2733 | Introduction to Digital Communication | WRC 1013 and WRC 1023 |
| DEM 4013 | Geographic Information Systems for Population Analysis and Policy | none |
| PAD 3163 | Quantitative Analysis and Assessment for Public Administration | Any 3-semester-credit-hour Mathematics course |
| MES 3333 | Digital Video Production | WRC 1023 |
| MS 3003 | Visualization in Business Analytics | none |
| MKT 4253 | Digital Marketing | MKT 3013 |
Archived Focus Areas by Year
Want to learn more about this program?
Contact the Multidisciplinary Studies Program
