The pathway below represents an efficient and effective course taking sequence for this program. Individual circumstances might require some changes to this pathway. It is always recommended that you meet with an academic counselor to develop a personalized educational plan.
The courses have been intentionally placed and should be prioritized in
the order
in which they appear. If you are unable to take all the courses in
a semester, you
should prioritize enrolling in the courses in the order below.
Some courses have
been noted as “Appropriate for Intersession” 
. Should you need (or want) to take
classes
in the summer and/or winter intersessions,
the program recommends these courses as appropriate for the condensed
schedule of
the intersessions.
Some pathways combine a “Certificate of Achievement” and an “Associate
Degree”. If
you are pursuing only the Certificate of Achievement, you are only
required to take
the courses marked “Program Requirement” 
.
All pathways include at least one “Gateway Course” 
which introduces you to the program and/or field of study and helps you
decide if you want to continue with this Academic and Career Path.
Most Associate degrees (though not Associate Degrees for Transfer)
require satisfying the SMC Global Citizenship requirement. If the Program
Requirements do not include a “Global Citizenship course” 
, be sure to select a General Education course that also satisfies Global Citizenship.
Effective Fall 2023
Data science is an applied field that uses scientific methods, processes, algorithms and systems to extract knowledge and insights from both structured and unstructured data sources. Data science incorporates data mining, machine learning and big data to make predictions and identify actions that organizations can take to be more effective. Data scientists are responsible for breaking down big data into usable information and creating software and algorithms that help companies and organizations determine optimal operations. This certificate will prepare students for jobs in this field by providing students with skills in different technologies and techniques that are used for data science and machine learning. Students may also choose to transfer to four-year universities with established undergraduate programs in Data Science.
Upon completion of the program, students will:
- Upon completion of the program, students will be able to analyze data and employ different software tools to make certain predictions and optimize organizational operations.
General Education
Available Online