Data Science

An area of emphasis leading to an entry-level position which specializes in one of the many areas related to the practical application of Data Science.  Students completing this sequence will be expected to assist in a wide variety of companies in small, medium, and large-sized organizations in an area related to generating, processing, studying, and reporting on data, both in textual and graphical format.

 Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

1. Analyze and evaluate a computer-related situation in a business and/or scientific environment to identify a potential problem.
2. Design a technologically feasible and efficient solution.
3. Construct and complete the solution
   
4. Demonstrate and explain their solution.

 Catalog Descriptions for Each Course in the Certificate

ANTH 215: Methods and experience in defining and solving quantitative problems in the behavioral sciences. Emphasis on the design of experiments and the application of a variety of parametric and nonparametric techniques to the analysis of data.

BIO 215: Methods and experience in defining and solving quantitative problems in the life sciences. Emphasis is on the design of experiments and the application of a variety of parametric and nonparametric statistical techniques to the analysis of data.

CSIS 110: Principles of Information Systems. An introductory course in Information Technology with an emphasis on business and business-related applications. Concepts include computer organization, data processing systems, decision support systems, systems analysis, and design, as well as ethics, security, e-commerce, global information systems, and application software. The laboratory component consists of hands-on problem solving using software applications including spreadsheets and databases.

CSIS 180: This course introduces the student to fundamental design strategies of relational data models for organizations. Concepts will include assessing organizational needs, logical design and application generating tools, normalization strategies, database architectures, data models, integrity rules, and query formulation skills. Students will formulate, design, implement and manipulate databases using a commercial software package.

CSIS 250: Introduction to Python Programming. This is an introductory course in Python programming.  Topics covered include basic language syntax, functions, control flow, looping, data types, strings, lists, dictionaries, exception handling, software tools and libraries, and functional vs object-oriented programming concepts.  This course is intended for persons with a prior background in any programming language.

CSIS 276: This is an introductory course in Structured Query Language (SQL) programming intended for persons with basic computer literacy skills. The course is designed to teach students the fundamentals of good relational database design and how to use and maintain a database using the industry-standard data query and manipulation language SQL. Students will use SQL to create tables, keys, and indexes, handle security in the database; and perform simple and complex queries.

GEOG 104: Fundamental concepts in geographic information systems including cartography, global positioning systems (GPS), remote sensing, and spatial statistics. Hands-on use of current, industry-standard computer technologies that enhance geographic analysis and improve decision-making abilities for solving geospatial problems in a wide range of applications.

MATH 160: This course provides an introduction to descriptive statistics, probability theory and inferential statistics. Topics include data collection; summary and graphical displays of data; measures of central tendency and variability; elementary probability theory; standard procedures involving the normal, binomial, student’s t, chi-square, and F distributions; confidence intervals and hypothesis testing; linear correlation and regression; and ANOVA. Students will learn techniques for statistical analysis and interpret the relevance of the statistical findings. Applications come from various fields such as biology, business, economics, education, social sciences, health science, life sciences, and psychology.

PSC 120: This course will focus on problem-solving, data manipulation, and visualization using the MATLAB computing environment using applications from: physical science, engineering, life sciences, mathematics, and statistics. Students will learn to analyze data, write simple algorithms for data processing and simulation, and visualize the results. Topics include operations and variables; graphics and programming; solving equations and model fitting.

PSY 215: Methods and experience in defining and solving quantitative problems in the behavioral sciences. Emphasis is on the design of experiments and the application of a variety of parametric and nonparametric techniques to the analysis of data.

SOC 215: Methods and experience in defining and solving quantitative problems in the behavioral sciences. Emphasis is on the design of experiments and the application of a variety of parametric and nonparametric techniques to the analysis of data.

An analysis of data on the Cal-PASSPlus LaunchBoard showed that from 2016-2017, nine colleges in the San Diego-Imperial region had 1,611 completers and awarded 1,808 degrees and certificates in the sector of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). It is anticipated that this certificate will serve as a valuable and strategy certificate within the Computer Science and Information Systems program area.

With marketing by Grossmont College and the pull of a regional certificate, increased enrollment is anticipated.  In partnership with our East County and SanDiego Chamber, this program will be disseminated as an option for many of our local employers seeking qualified workers. The data science will replace enhance our existing curricula, such as the Mathematics and other degrees and make Grossmont College offerings more relevant and meaningful for the workforce in East County. With our completion rates for existing Grossmont college Computer Science and Information Systems programs being in the range of 40-70%, it is our anticipation that the program will carry between 30-40 students in the Data Science COA or its courses per semester.

Grossmont College’s vision is “Changing Lives Through Education” and aims to meet its vision through several components: “Grossmont College is committed to providing an exceptional learning environment that enables diverse individuals to pursue their hopes, dreams, and full potential, and to developing enlightened leaders and thoughtful citizens for local and global communities.”

Our mission is fulfilled by providing the people of East San Diego County with:

• Transfer degrees and certificates programs
• Career technical education and workforce development
• Basic skills
• Student support services that promote student access and achievement
• Community education

The Data Science Certificate of Achievement (COA) supports the career and technical education and workforce development component of Grossmont College.  The goal of the COA is to provide relevant workforce development skills that meet industry needs and allow students to successfully place into demand-based job markets.  Students who successfully complete the DataScience (NCSS) certificate will be prepared to thrive in the very large job arena related to Data Science positions. This is an area of emphasis leading to an entry-level position which specializes in networking and cyber defense. Students completing this sequence will be expected to assist network managers and cybersecurity managers in small, medium, and large-sized organizations.

The goals and objectives of the Data Science COA program are directly aligned with Grossmont College’s mission to provide career technical education and workforce development and transform lives through education.  The program was developed in collaboration with a knowledgeable local Industry Advisory Council, as well as a wide variety of Computer Science and Information Systems, Geography, Physics, Math faculty at Grossmont College. The Data Science Certificate of Achievement will provide students with a solid foundation and an excellent set of skills which are in demand in the marketplace today and most assuredly in the future.