Data Analytics and Social Sciences, BAAS
Combine the analytical tools of data science with an applied understanding of the social sciences. The Data Analytics and Social Sciences concentration offers the opportunity to integrate data analytics with insight into historical, political, economic, or behavioral contexts. In this degree concentration, you develop statistical and data programming skills to address real-world problems, learn to make and persuasively communicate data-driven decisions, and customize your studies with courses in global and area studies, organizational anthropology, leadership, and other social sciences.
For more information: https://lpsonline.sas.upenn.edu/academics/bachelors-degree/baas-concentrations/data-analytics-and-social-sciences
Curriculum
The Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) recognizes the power of an applied liberal arts education to provide students with strong communication skills, understanding of different cultures and perspectives, and the ability to apply their knowledge to nuanced, complex scenarios with insight, perspective, and empathy.
Overview of degree requirements
30 course units are required for the Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences degree.
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | ||
| Foundational Requirements | 8 | |
| Concentrations | 12 | |
| Electives | 10 | |
| Total Course Units | 30 | |
BAAS students are only required to visit campus for two on-campus learning experiences, which may be as short as an extended weekend. In addition to course requirements, BAAS students complete a capstone project in their degree concentration as well as an e-portfolio.
Foundational requirements
The foundational requirements of the BAAS degree reflect the core competencies and values of Penn LPS Online: the skills and knowledge needed to understand and solve complex problems, the ability to communicate effectively with a wide variety of audiences and an appreciation for diverse cultures and traditions. Students can transfer a maximum of 4 course units of foundational courses from a regionally accredited institution. Our program team can also give a preliminary evaluation of transfer credits before students officially apply. Visit the Transfer Preparation & Policies page for more details.
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Foundational Requirements | ||
| Ethical Reasoning | ||
| Select 1 Ethical Reasoning course | 1 | |
| Qualitative Analysis | ||
| Select 2 Qualitative Analysis courses | 2 | |
| Quantitative Analysis | ||
| Select 2 Quantitative Analysis courses | 2 | |
| Scientific Process | ||
| Select 1 Scientific Process course | 1 | |
| Writing | ||
| Select 1 Writing course 1 | 1 | |
| Cross-Cultural Interactions & Diversity | ||
| Select 1 Cross-Cultural Interactions & Diversity course | 1 | |
| Total Course Units | 8 | |
| 1 | Must be taken at Penn |
Concentrations
Just as a college major serves to focus your studies during a four-year degree, the BAAS concentrations enable students to tailor their undergraduate education to specific personal and professional goals. Concentrations progress from introductory-level courses to higher-level courses so that students develop skills and knowledge with greater complexity as they move through the curriculum. Many concentrations are interdisciplinary, to provide students with opportunities to explore their areas of interest from multiple perspectives and develop a flexible approach to solving complex problems in professional as well as academic contexts.
| Code | Title | Course Units |
|---|---|---|
| Data Analytics | ||
| DATA 101 | Introduction to Data Analytics | 1 |
| DATA 301 | Intermediate Data Analytics | 1 |
| DATA 310 | Introduction to Statistical Methods | 1 |
| DATA 401 | Advanced Data Analytics | 1 |
| Professional Writing | ||
| PROW 200 Writing with Numbers | 1 | |
| PROW 201 Writing for Presentations and Public Speaking | 1 | |
| Social Sciences | ||
| Select six additional courses in the Social Sciences * | 6 | |
| Total Course Units | 12 | |
| * | With input from your academic advisor, choose six additional Penn LPS Online courses in the social sciences to complete this degree concentration. Up to 3 of these courses can be transferred in with approval of your academic advisor. |
Electives
Electives are courses that do not apply toward your foundational or degree concentration requirements. You may choose to deepen your field of study by taking additional classes within your concentration, develop a new skill by completing all of the courses within a course block outside of your degree concentration, or discover new interests and abilities by taking individual courses that appeal to your interests. Students choose 10 electives from any of Penn LPS Online's areas of study. Transfer students can apply a maximum of 8 course units from a regionally accredited institution toward this requirement.
E-portfolio and capstone requirements
Throughout the BAAS degree, students draw on their coursework to build a digital collection of materials, or e-portfolio. The e-portfolio is a powerful tool to ensure that academic studies are aligned with professional, personal and academic goals. Developing the e-portfolio provides students with the opportunity to reflect on selected assignments and how they can be applied to the broader context of their current and future careers. Students can share their e-portfolios with prospective and current employers to provide evidence of the skills and knowledge they have developed through coursework.
One advanced course in each concentration will require students to complete a final project, or capstone, in which they integrate learning and skills from across the full concentration. Capstone projects will be graded as a requirement of the course and also will serve as the final culminating artifact for students’ e-portfolios. Students will have the option to come to campus to present their final projects and receive face-to-face feedback from fellow students as well as the course instructor. Students who choose this option can count it toward their elective on-campus learning experience requirement.
On-campus learning experience requirements
BAAS students are only required to visit campus for two on-campus learning experiences, which may be as short as an extended weekend. These face-to-face instructional experiences have been developed to provide students with opportunities for engagement with the Penn campus, while also providing students with choices for the experiences that best fit into their own schedules.
The degree and major requirements displayed are intended as a guide for students entering in the Fall of 2020 and later. Students should consult with their academic program regarding final certifications and requirements for graduation.