Capstone Major
The Data Theory major is a designated capstone major. Students work in small teams to solve a large, open-ended data science problem for community- or campus-based clients. Emphasis is placed on the development and theoretical support of a statistical model or algorithmic approach. Alternatively, students may undertake research on the foundations of data science, studying advanced topics and writing a senior thesis.
Entry to the Major
Students entering UCLA directly from high school or first-term transfer students who want to declare the Data Theory pre-major at the time they apply for admission are automatically admitted to the pre-major. Students must visit the student services office of either the Mathematics Department or Statistics and Data Science Department in order to petition to enter the major. All students are identified as Data Theory pre-majors until they satisfy the following minimum requirements for the major.
To enter the major, students must petition after they have completed the preparation for the major courses. Students who have an overall grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.3 in the preparation for the major courses, and have completed all preparation for the major courses before the fall quarter of their third year at UCLA, will be admitted to the major.
Students whose overall GPA is between 2.7 and 3.3, or who fail to complete the preparation courses before the fall quarter of their third year, are admitted only if space is available. All students must petition before they have earned 160 units, or by the winter quarter of their junior year, whichever comes first. Only grades for courses that are taken at the University of California, including UC summer schools, are counted for this GPA computation.
Transfer applicants to the Data Theory major are admitted to the pre-major. Applicants with 90 or more units must have completed the following by the end of the spring term prior to entry to UCLA: two years of calculus for physical science and/or engineering majors, one linear algebra course, one C++ programming course, one statistics course.
Transfer students must have completed all preparation for the major coursework, and must have passed Mathematics 42, 115A, and at least 4 units of upper-division coursework required for this major with at least a 3.3 GPA, in order to be eligible to petition to enter the major. Transfer students will be admitted to the major if they satisfy these requirements. Transfer students who fail to meet these criteria for automatic admission will be admitted only if resources allow. Transfer students must petition to enter the major no later than the spring quarter of their first year at UCLA.
Refer to the UCLA transfer admission guide for up-to-date information regarding transfer selection for admission.
After satisfying the preparation for the major requirements, students must visit the student services office of either the Mathematics Department or Statistics and Data Science Department in order to petition to enter the major.
Major Requirements
Preparation for the Major
Required Courses
The Major
Required Courses
Two-Quarter Sequence
Mathematics 170E and 170S
Statistics 100A and 100B
Mathematics Elective
Statistics Elective
Courses
Select from Statistics C151 through 199 (except Statistics 182, 186, or 189).
Additional Electives
Capstone
Policies
Each course must be completed with a grade of C or better and an overall grade-point average of at least 2.7. All students must take Mathematics 42 at UCLA. The major is limited in size according to available resources.
Repetition of more than two mathematics or statistics sequenced courses or of any mathematics or statistics sequenced course more than once results in automatic dismissal from the major.
Only 4 units of course 199 may be applied toward the major. Courses 189 and 189HC may not be applied toward any of the major requirements.
Each major course must be taken for a letter grade, and students must have an overall grade-point average of 2.0 or better.