The data science and physics combined major brings together computer and data science, physics, and mathematics. The computer science and mathematics requirements serve as a foundation for both data science and physics. From hands-on experience with sophisticated physics instruments, to mathematical theory, to the latest computational innovations, our interdisciplinary approach is designed to prepare students for the myriad challenges in today’s rapidly changing world.
Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.
Universitywide Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the Universitywide Requirements.
NUpath Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.
Data Science Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science Overview | ||
| CS 1200 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
| or INSC 1000 | Science at Northeastern | |
| or PHYS 1000 | Physics at Northeastern | |
| CS 1210 | Professional Development for Khoury Co-op | 1 |
| or EESC 2000 | Professional Development for Co-op | |
| Programming Sequence Pathways | ||
| Choose one of the two options | 12 | |
| Computer Science Option | ||
| Fundamentals of Computer Science 1 and Lab for CS 2500 | ||
| Fundamentals of Computer Science 2 and Lab for CS 2510 | ||
| Object-Oriented Design and Lab for CS 3500 | ||
| Data Science Option | ||
| Programming with Data and Data Science Programming Practicum | ||
| Intermediate Programming with Data and Lab for DS 2500 | ||
| Advanced Programming with Data | ||
| Computer Science Required Courses | ||
| CS 1800 and CS 1802 | Discrete Structures and Seminar for CS 1800 | 5 |
| CS 3200 | Database Design | 4 |
| Data Science Foundations | ||
| DS 3000 | Foundations of Data Science | 4 |
| DS 4200 | Information Presentation and Visualization | 4 |
| DS 4300 | Large-Scale Information Storage and Retrieval | 4 |
| DS 4400 | Machine Learning and Data Mining 1 | 4 |
Physics Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| PHYS 1161 and PHYS 1162 and PHYS 1163 | Physics 1 and Lab for PHYS 1161 and Recitation for PHYS 1161 | 5 |
| PHYS 1165 and PHYS 1166 and PHYS 1167 | Physics 2 and Lab for PHYS 1165 and Recitation for PHYS 1165 | 5 |
| Intermediate Physics | ||
| PHYS 2303 | Modern Physics | 4 |
| PHYS 3601 | Classical Dynamics | 4 |
| PHYS 3602 | Electricity and Magnetism 1 | 4 |
| PHYS 3603 | Electricity and Magnetism 2 | 4 |
| Advanced Physics | ||
| PHYS 3600 | Advanced Physics Laboratory | 4 |
| PHYS 4115 | Quantum Mechanics | 4 |
| or PHYS 5116 | Network Science 1 | |
| PHYS 4305 | Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics | 4 |
Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Khoury Elective | ||
| With adviser approval, directed study, research, project study, and appropriate graduate-level courses may also be taken as upper-division electives. | ||
| Complete four semester hours of CS, CY, DS, or IS classes that are not already required. Choose courses within the following ranges: | 4 | |
CY 2000 or higher, except CY 4930 | ||
DS 2500 or higher, except DS 4900 | ||
| Physics Elective | ||
| Complete one course not already required in the following range: | 4 | |
PHYS 3000 to PHYS 5999 | ||
Computer Science Writing Requirement
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| College Writing | ||
| ENGW 1111 | First-Year Writing | 4 |
| Advanced Writing in the Disciplines | ||
| ENGW 3302 | Advanced Writing in the Technical Professions | 4 |
| or ENGW 3307 | Advanced Writing in the Sciences | |
| or ENGW 3315 | Interdisciplinary Advanced Writing in the Disciplines | |
Supporting Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Calculus | ||
| MATH 1341 | Calculus 1 for Science and Engineering | 4 |
| MATH 1342 | Calculus 2 for Science and Engineering | 4 |
| MATH 2321 | Calculus 3 for Science and Engineering | 4 |
| Additional Mathematics Requirements | ||
| MATH 2341 | Differential Equations and Linear Algebra for Engineering | 4 |
| MATH 3081 | Probability and Statistics | 4 |
Integrative Course and Capstone
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PHYS 5318 | Principles of Experimental Physics | 4 |
Required General Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete 16 semester hours of general electives. | 16 | |
Khoury College GPA Requirement
Minimum 2.000 GPA required in all CS, CY, DS, and IS courses
NUpath Requirements Satisfied
- Engaging with the Natural and Designed World
- Conducting Formal and Quantitative Reasoning
- Analyzing and Using Data
- Writing in the First Year
- Advanced Writing in the Disciplines
- Writing-Intensive in the Major
- Demonstrating Thought and Action in a Capstone
Integrating Knowledge and Skills Through Experience is satisfied through co-op.
Program Requirement
132 total semester hours required
Sample Plan of Study:
Four Years, Two Co-ops in Summer 2/Fall
| Year 1 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| CS 1200 | 1 | CS 2510 and CS 2511 | 5 | MATH 2321 | 4 | MATH 2341 | 4 |
| CS 1800 and CS 1802 | 5 | ENGW 1111 | 4 | General elective | 4 | General elective | 4 |
| CS 2500 and CS 2501 | 5 | MATH 1342 | 4 | ||||
| MATH 1341 | 4 | PHYS 1165 and PHYS 1166 and PHYS 1167 | 5 | ||||
| PHYS 1161 and PHYS 1162 and PHYS 1163 | 5 | ||||||
| 20 | 18 | 8 | 8 | ||||
| Year 2 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| CS 3500 and CS 3501 | 5 | CS 1210 | 1 | CS 3200 | 4 | Co-op | 0 |
| DS 3000 | 4 | DS 4200 | 4 | MATH 3081 | 4 | ||
| PHYS 2303 | 4 | ENGW 3307 | 4 | ||||
| General elective | 4 | PHYS 3601 | 4 | ||||
| General elective | 4 | ||||||
| 17 | 17 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 3 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Co-op | DS 4300 | 4 | PHYS 3600 | 4 | Co-op | ||
| PHYS 3602 | 4 | PHYS 3603 | 4 | ||||
| PHYS 4305 | 4 | ||||||
| Khoury elective | 4 | ||||||
| 0 | 16 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||||
| Co-op | DS 4400 | 4 | |||||
| PHYS 5318 | 4 | ||||||
| PHYS 4115 or 5116 | 4 | ||||||
| PHYS advanced physics elective | 4 | ||||||
| 0 | 16 | ||||||
| Total Hours: 136 | |||||||
- Modern Physics (PHYS 2303) offered every fall, spring, and summer 2
- Electronics (PHYS 2371)/Lab for PHYS 2371 (PHYS 2372) offered every fall
- Advanced Physics Laboratory (PHYS 3600) offered every summer 1 and summer 2
- Classical Dynamics (PHYS 3601) offered spring and fall (even years)
- Electricity and Magnetism 1 (PHYS 3602) offered every fall and spring
- Electricity and Magnetism 2 (PHYS 3603) offered fall (even years) and summer 1 (odd years)
- Quantum Mechanics (PHYS 4115) offered every fall and spring
- Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics (PHYS 4305) offered every spring and summer 2 (even years)
- Biological Physics 1 (PHYS 4621) offered spring (odd years) and fall (even years)
- Medical Physics (PHYS 4623) offered summer 1 and fall (even years)
- Medical Physics Seminar 1 (PHYS 4651) offered spring and fall (odd years)
- Medical Physics Seminar 2 (PHYS 4652) offered every spring
- Principles of Experimental Physics (PHYS 5318) offered every spring