---
title: Data Science Basics
date: 2025-06-20T15:32:00-04:00
author: fcampus
canonical_url: "https://freecampus.usg.edu/courses/data-science-basics"
section: Courses
---
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# Data Science Basics

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## Course Description

This course presents a basic introduction to data science and analytics. Discover what data science is, what data scientists do, and why data science is important in the modern world. Learn about techniques used by data scientists to collect, summarize, visualize and draw conclusions from data. Topics for exploration include data types, data sources, data cleaning, Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA), data visualization, machine learning concepts, Big Data concepts, and ethical/legal issues surrounding the use of data. Programming experience or mathematical expertise is not required for this course.

## Learning Outcomes

- Define data science and explain its importance.
- Identify and distinguish among types of data (e.g., structured, unstructured, semi-structured, numerical, categorial).
- Describe basic data cleaning techniques and their importance.
- Discover patterns or relationships in data or summarize data by applying Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA).
- Recognize and describe appropriate tools or technologies to visualize data.
- Identify and categorize common machine learning algorithms, including models that implement supervised learning, unsupervised learning, and reinforcement learning.
- Describe Big Data concepts and recognize tools for analyzing Big Data.
- Draw a reasonable conclusion from a data analysis.
- Identify ethical, privacy, or legal issues surrounding the use of data.

## Instructor

- Adjunct Instructor
    
    Rachel Ashman, M.S.I.T.
    
    
    
    
    - University of North Georgia
    
    Teaching:
    
    Summer
    
    Fall

September

1

Fall 2026

Start Date

January

4

Fall 2027

End Date

Upcoming refers to the next academic term after the current one.

January

5

Spring 2027

Start Date

May

3

Spring 2027

End Date

Duration

### 16 weeks

Instruction Method

### Self-paced

[View Syllabus](https://ecampus-usg.simplesyllabus.com/en-US/doc/rx7jwfdtq)

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