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Frequently Asked Questions
CSci 39542: Introduction to Data Science
Department of Computer Science
Hunter College, City University of New York
Fall 2023

Logistics

• When does the course meet?

  The course will meet Wednesdays, 11:30am-2:15pm in HN C002.

• Does it meet the whole 3 hours?

  Yes, all three credit courses meet for 150 minutes a week. We will usually meet for 75 minutes (lecture mixed with programming exercises and submitted coursework), 15 minutes break, and then 75 minutes (lecture mixed with programming exercises and submitted coursework). Depending on how topics fit in lecture, the break may be a bit later than the 1 hour 15 minute mark.

• Do I have to attend lecture?

  Since we work through examples and code for the programming assignments and coding midterm and work through exam questions each lecture, students who attend lecture do much better on their programs and exams. That said, If you have to miss a lecture, your classwork (participation grade) will be replaced by the grade you earn on the final.

• Do I need a computer for class?

  You need a device that you can write programs and access Gradescope, Blackboard, and HackerRank. To get the most out of lecture, bring a laptop with you with a development environment (IDE) that has Python 3+ (preferably the laptop you plan to use for technical screening part of internship/job interviews). Hunter College is committed to all students having the technology needed for their courses. If you are in need of technology, see Student Life's Support & Resources Page.

• How do I enroll in the class?

  Enrollment for the course is via CUNYFirst. Fall enrollment opens in early May.

• What are the prerequisites?

  The course prerequisites for this programming-intensive class are:

  • a year of college-level programming in the same language ((CSci 127 & 133) or (CSci 135 & 235)),
  • at least one semester in Python (i.e. CSci 127), and
  • a course in statistics (i.e. Stat 213 or equivalent).

• Can I still take the class if I took the prerequisities elsewhere?

  If you took the courses elsewhere, reach out to a computer science advisor about what's needed to align your previous courses to Hunter courses on your CUNYFirst record.

• Can I still take the class if I'm missing the prerequisites?

  Maybe. If you have had a year of college-level programming but only one of the other requirements, we are okay with giving waivers for the lack of one prerequisite but with a caveat:

  The course is designed for students who have had a year of programming courses in the same language plus at least a semester of Python and a semester of college-level statistics. We incorporate programming and statistics into lecture, as well as the coursework and homework. It won't mean that you can't pass the class, but it does mean that it will likely drop your final grade a half to full letter grade from it would be from what you likely earn if you took it after you had completed the prerequisites. For example, if you normally earn B in your CS courses, you would likely earn a B- or C.

  If you are okay with not doing as well as if you waited, send email to data.science@hunter.cuny.edu that you have been forewarned to start the waiver process.

• If the class fills, can I overtally?
  No, the department does not allow overtallying since almost all courses have their course capacity already set at the seating capacity of the room. We are assigned to a room with 90 chairs and a capacity of 90, so, there's no space for additional students. If you are interested in taking the class, enroll sooner, rather than waiting for a seat to open from the wait list.

• How do I contact the course instructors?

  The course email is: data.science@hunter.cuny.edu.

Course Material

• What does this course cover?

  This topics course focuses on computational methods and statistical techniques to analyze data and make inferences. Topics include data collection and cleaning, exploratory data analysis and visualization, and statistical inference and prediction. Students will acquire a working knowledge of data science through hands-on projects with real-world data.

• Do I have to program?

  Yes.

• I'm a bit rusty at Python, any suggestions for refreshers?

  Here are a few:

  • The textbook used for CSci 127 has interactive exercises built into the text.
  • There are good short courses at Educative.
  • HackerRank offers tutorials in Python.
  
  
• Last semester, there were weekly programming (HackerRank) quizzes. Do we still have to do programming quizzes?

  No. Last semester, we had weekly programming quizzes that tested concepts learned and prepared students for the coding exam and techinal screenings used for internships and full-time jobs. While most students did extremely well on the at-home quizzes, many didn't do well on identical or similar questions asked on the in-class exam.

  This semester, we are replacing the weekly programming quizzes with a midterm that tests concepts both written and programming. Every lecture leading up to the midterm, we will incorporate programming challenges (both on Gradescope and HackerRank) to prepare for the midterm.

• Why are the programming assignments now every 2 weeks, instead of every week like last semester
  

  We wanted to incorporate more into each programming assignment, in particular, more complex models and testing. Since the assignments are longer, they are due once every two weeks.

• Do I have to do a project?

  No, the project is optional. If you choose not to do it, the grade you earned on your final exam will replace the project grade. The project will be a lot of work. That said, the goal of the project is to synthesize the skills acquired in the course to analyze and visualize data on a topic of your choosing, as well as to produce a high quality project that you could proudly add to your coding portfolio, to showcase when seeking internships and full-time jobs.