BA in Statistics and Data Science | Department of Statistics and Applied Probability

Overview

The B.A. in Statistics and Data Science is a basic degree intended for students interested in general training and statistics and the use of statistical methods in the social sciences, psychology, business and management, biological and environmental sciences, etc.

B.A. degree vs. B.S. degree

The Bachelor of Arts degree differs from the Bachelor of Science program in two ways:

by requiring 12 less upper-division units (36 units versus 48 units, in total 3 courses)
by allowing flexibility in the choice of major courses

Some common reasons that a student might choose the B.A. degree over the B.S. degree include:

The B.A allows students to graduate earlier
The B.A is easier to complete when opting to double major

The Department typically advises students to choose the B.S. in Statistics and Data Science degree because it provides a better preparation for the work force; as such, a majority of our students complete the B.S. requirements. Students opting for the B.A. degree are advised to consult our faculty undergraduate advisor about their choice of electives. For example, some of our B.A. graduates were successfully hired in the financial industry (e.g., Franklin Templeton, Capital One, Deutsche Bank, etc.) due to their strategic choice of courses such as: PSTAT 126, 130, 131, 174 and several actuarial courses as electives.

***Please note that the difference between the Minor in Statistics requirements and the B.A. requirements is small, and is essentially three Upper Division courses. Many students begin the Statistics minor but complete the full B.A. requirements and graduate with a double major.