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Submitter's Information

Name

Alireza Fazelpour

Title

Faculty - Computer Science

Region

South Central Coast

College

Ventura College

CTE Dean

CTE Dean's Name

Lissanna Follari

CTE Dean's Email

Log in to view CTE Dean's Email.

Program Details

Program Title

Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (COA)

Submission Type

New Program

TOPs Code

Computer Information Systems (070200)

Projected Start Date

08/01/26

Catalog Description

The Certificate of Achievement (COA) in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (COA in DS/AI) provides students with core knowledge and practical hands-on experiences either to be employed in the fast emerging and high in-demand Data Science and Artificial Intelligence profession or pursue a higher degree in the DS/AI or related fields.  This program will cover basic key areas of data science including data acquisition, data cleansing, data modeling, data management, data visualization and interpretation. Also, it will cover basic concepts of machine learning including supervised and unsupervised learning. Students will use a variety of tools to solve real-life cases in the domain of DS/AI. The COA in DS/AI is following the ACM recommendations of Computing Competencies for Data Science curricula.

Enrollment Completer Projections

There is a high demand for such a program as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data indicates that the job growth for Data Scientists is projected to be 34% in coming decade which it is much higher than the average for all other occupations. The course BUS V57 - Data Analytics for Business Decisions which it was offered for the first time in Spring 2026, has more than 30 students. The projection is that 20-30 students will earn the certificate each year. 

Program Proposal Attributes

Program Award Type(s) (Check all that apply)
  • Certificate of Achievement: 16 or greater semester (or 24 or greater quarter) units (C)
Program Goal

The Certificate of Achievement (COA) in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, also known as COA in DS/AI provides learners with the knowledge of core perquisite courses and practical skills to support them as they advance toward their professional goals and academic endeavor. Students who complete this degree will be ready to attain entry-level positions or transition to a Data Science job which it is one of fastest growing computing fields. For instance, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a significant growth in Data Science jobs in the coming years, which it is much faster than the average of all other occupations. In addition, students can pursue their academic goals of continuing their education in Data Science and related fields at other higher education institutions.

Course Units and Hours

Total Certificate Units (Minimum and Maximum)

16

Units for Degree Major or Area of Emphasis (Minimum and Maximum)

n/a

Total Units for Degree (Minimum and Maximum)

n/a

Course Report

Program Requirements Narrative

The Certificate of Achievement (COA) in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, also known as COA in DS/AI provides learners with the knowledge of core perquisite courses and practical skills to support them as they advance toward their professional goals and academic endeavor. Students who complete this degree will be ready to attain entry-level positions or transition to a Data Science job which it is one of fastest growing computing fields. For instance, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a significant growth in Data Science jobs in the coming years, which it is much faster than the average of all other occupations. In addition, students can pursue their academic goals of continuing their education in Data Science and related fields at other higher education institutions.

Program Requirements
CourseTitleUnitsYear/Semester
(Y1 or S1)
CORE COURSES: Complete the following courses (16 units)
CS V25Python Programming for Data Science3
CS V26Data Science Fundamentals3
CS V29Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Fundamentals3
STAT C1000Introduction to Statistics4
BUS V57Data Analytics for Business Decisions3
Total Units16




















South Central Coast Regional Questions

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Submission Details

Published at

02/25/26 - 10:05 AM

Status

Recommended

Return to Drafts

Please list the reason(s) for returning "Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (COA)". to Alireza Fazelpour's drafts. This message will be sent to afazelpour@vcccd.edu

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