Data Science with Python (DATA 360)

2025 Spring

Python is currently the top programming language for data science. It's a flexible and efficient language that's relatively easy to learn and use, with an extensive set of packages for data wrangling, visualization, statistics, and machine learning. In this course we will supplement basic programming skills by exploring data formats and storage, data cleaning and wrangling, and exploratory data analysis using industry-standard Python packages. The goal of this course is to take a more programmatic and Pythonic view of data science. Much of our work will be in the Jupyter notebook environment with some exposure to the command line and scripting. We will also cover basic SQL queries for interacting with databases. Students will learn reproducible research techniques and skills for working with big data in Python.

Prerequisite
Teaching Time

Tuesday, Thursday 3:30–5:20.

Office Hours
Instructor

Jingsai Liang (please call me Jingsai).

Discord

Discord for announcement and Q&A:

https://discord.gg/vcKx534U

(Email me if this invitation link is expired.)

Discord is an instant messaging platform. By using Discord, we can discuss questions and communicate with each other more efficiently. You can use it in a web browser or there are apps for most platforms (including mobile phones).

Email

All email correspondence for the course should be conducted through

Also note that math questions are very difficult to answer over e-mail. Please restrict those types of questions to class time and office hours. I would also ask that you check this syllabus and other resources on the Canvas site before emailing me; most of the common questions are addressed here.

Assignments cannot be turned in via email.

Reference Books (not required)
Topics Covered
Methodology

This class is a participatory experience. As we discuss the material, I will ask many questions so that you, the student, will be involved in an active classroom discussion. Sometimes the participation will be voluntary. Other times I will call on specific individuals to contribute. You will not be able to listen and take notes passively. I firmly believe that the more you are engaged in the dialogue, the better your chances of success are in the course. It is critical that you become an active participant in the classroom. I will guide the direction of the course and play a steady supporting role, but the real work will—out of necessity—be in your capable hands.

Attendance/Participation

You are required to be in class every day. If you know you are going to be gone or if there is an illness or other emergency, please send me an email. (You can tell me in person if you'd like, but you will not receive an excused absence in the gradebook until it's officially documented in an email to me.)

If you are not present when attendance is taken, you will be marked absent. Therefore, if you come in late and wish to be marked present, you must let me know in class or send me an email.

In-class activities and assignments

The homework will consist of Jupyter notebooks that ask you to complete certain questions relating to the topics covered in the course. You typically have to turn in in-class activities by the midnight of next day and taken-home assignments in one week later.

Modeling project

Your final project will be a case study, for which you will choose a suitable data set, clean, analyze, and visualize the data, and build a model for the data if possible using tools learned in the course. More information about this project is posted in the assignment instructions.

Grading

The grade distribution is as follows:

Type Percentile
In-Class Activities 20%
Assignments 35%
Modeling Project 20%
Quizzes 15%
Attendance/Participation 10%

Your letter grade will be based on the following scale:

Grade Percentile
A 93%–100%
A- 90%–93%
B+ 88%–90%
B 83%–88%
B- 80%–83%
C+ 78%–80%
C 73%–78%
C- 70%–73%
D+ 65%–70%
D 60%–65%
D- 55%–60%
F 0%–55%
Academic Honesty

All work shall comply with the Westminster College academic honesty policy. (See the relevant section in the Academic Catalog.) Cheating will not be tolerated. This includes—but is not limited to—copying assignments, using unauthorized materials in a test, looking at someone else's paper during a test, collaborating with another person during a test, plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, and other similar activities. You are all adults and you know what constitutes cheating; therefore, I will never accept an excuse of "I didn't know." If there's any question as to what constitutes cheating, please ask before it becomes a problem. I reserve the right to assess a penalty for cheating as the severity demands. The minimum penalty will be a zero on that particular test or assignment. More likely, though, is that you will receive an "F" in the class. You will also be reported to the dean for any violation. Having said that, I encourage you to work together on the assignments (this is not the same thing as copying another's completed assignment) and study together for tests.

Your rights under federal laws

Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act of 1973/ADA. Westminster University is committed to providing equal access in higher education and to creating a learning environment that meets the needs of its diverse student body. If you are a student with a disability, or you think you may have a disability, we encourage you to meet confidentially with the office of Student Disability Services, to begin a conversation or request an official accommodation. You can email disabilityservices@westminsteru.edu or call 801-832-2272. You can find more information, including how to request accommodations, at https://westminsteru.edu/student-life/student-disability-services/index.html

Title VI
Westminster University's Equal Opportunity policy prohibits discrimination or harassment based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, genetic information, military status, national origin, race, religion, pregnancy and related conditions, childbirth, gender identity, sex, or sexual orientation in any of its programs or activities. Westminster University is committed to providing a safe and non-discriminatory environment for all members of the University, including those whose gender identity and/or expression differs from the sex assigned to them at birth. Harassment and discrimination based on gender identity or expression are prohibited by the University and will not be tolerated. This includes the refusal to address an individual by the gender they identify with. If you experience or witness prohibited conduct or any form of discrimination or harassment, you should contact the Director of Student Care, Mary Edmonds at 801-832-2496 or medmonds@westminsteru.edu.

As an instructor, I am required to report any information I obtain regarding discrimination or harassment to Mary Edmonds, Director of Student Care and Conduct/Title IX Coordinator for further review.

Title IX
Westminster University is committed to providing a safe learning environment for all students that is free of all forms of discrimination and sexual harassment. This includes discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. If you (or someone you know) has experienced or experiences any of these incidents, know you are not alone. Westminster University has staff members trained to support you in navigating campus life, accessing health and counseling service, providing academic and housing accommodations, and more.

Please be aware all Westminster University faculty members are “mandatory reporters” which means if you tell me about a situation involving sexual harassment or gender discrimination, I must report that information with the Title IX Coordinator. Although I have to make the notification, you will control how your case will be handled, including whether or not you wish to pursue a formal complaint. Our goal is to make sure you are aware of the range of options available to you and have access to the resources you need.

If you are seeking a pregnancy accommodation, please reach out to Title IX. A pregnancy accommodation request form can be found at https://westminsteru.edu/about/title-ix.html.

If you wish to speak to someone, you can contact any of the following on-campus resources. These resources are confidential:

If you wish to make a report directly to the Title IX Office, please complete the online reporting form located on https://westminsteru.edu/about/title-ix.html or contact Mary Edmonds at 801-832-2496 or medmonds@westminsteru.edu. The Title IX website contains more information about resources, rights, policy and procedures, and updated information regarding our Title IX program at Westminster University.

Student Care
Westminster University supports students through all aspects of their academic endeavors. Student care works collaboratively with campus resources to provide support for students who are in distress or who have been identified as exhibiting concerning or worrisome behaviors. Effective case management ensures that the community at large remains safe while the student involved gains the necessary resources to remain successful academically and personally at Westminster University. If you or someone you know is exhibiting concerning behaviors please reach out to Mary Edmonds, Director of Student Care and Conduct at medmonds@westminsteru.edu.

Wellness Statement at Westminster University

Westminster University’s integrated approach to wellness empowers students to live a healthy life and to develop self-efficacy toward their own wellness and the communities and social groups with which they are engaged. Through prevention and intervention programing, students learn how a holistic approach to well-being can help them discover health, contentment, purpose, and connection. Integrated Wellness at Westminster encompasses social, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, physical, environmental, and financial aspects.

Westminster faculty care deeply about both your academic success and personal wellbeing. The University, and its faculty and staff, are all committed to advancing the mental health and wellbeing of students, while acknowledging that a variety of issues, such as stress, strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, and depression can directly impact students’ academic performance. If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed, and/or in need of support, services are available. For help, contact Westminster Counseling Center at (801) 832-2465 for more information or to schedule an appointment. The Counseling Center is located on the lower level of Shaw Student Center. Counseling Center Webpage

The L.S. Skaggs Integrated Wellness Center is open. Home to the Counseling Center, Student Health Services, and Financial Wellness Counseling. The center will add wellness-oriented space to accommodate classes and programming to the Westminster community. A teaching and demonstration kitchen, featuring multiple cooktops and stations, will create opportunities for nutritional education and instruction. The building will wrap around an inner courtyard with space for relaxation, meditation, gardening, and other mindfulness activities.

Resources:
Integrated Wellness at Westminster

Integrated Wellness Student Resource Guide

SafeUT - connect to a licensed counselor that are ready to help you and listen to any sized crisis or concern. Help is immediate and confidential, and as easy as reaching for your phone and sending that first text.

Westminster Counseling Center

Purple Basket - The Purple Basket addresses the impact of hunger, nutrition, housing insecurity, and disparities in access to basic needs and is located on the lower level of Carleson Hall. Stop by anytime Monday – Friday from 9:00 – 5:00.

Changes to the syllabus

I reserve the right to change the syllabus as circumstances necessitate, but no new policy will be enforceable until after you have been notified in class.