Data

For anyone interested in applying for our Data Division Fall 2025 Cohort, we are excited to introduce you to our new recruitment process:

1. Fill out our application form on our contacts page

2. If you choose Data as your primary choice and leave the secondary choice N/A, you will ONLY need to complete the following game and submit the result to Google Colab by Oct. 10th. You will be automatically enrolled in our Fall 2025 cohort.

3. If you choose Data as your primary choice and have a different secondary choice, you will be invited to ONE interview and need to complete the following game and submit the result to Google Colab by Oct. 10th. If you pass the interview, you will be automatically enrolled in our Fall 2025 cohort.

4. Any questions, please contact fitucla2023@gmail.com 

Welcome to the Data Science Department! Our mission is to provide members with practical, hands-on experience by taking a complete data science project from conception to conclusion. This semester, you will work in a team to tackle a real-world dataset, uncover meaningful insights, and present your findings in a professional poster session.

This program is designed for anyone with curiosity and a willingness to learn, regardless of your starting skill level. We provide the roadmap; you provide the drive.

Program Structure

Our program is structured in two distinct phases to ensure that everyone has the foundational skills needed to contribute effectively to a team project.

• Phase 1: Onboarding & Competency Check (2 Weeks)

  • You will work through a self-paced learning module to master the essential tools for data analysis. This phase concludes with "Project 0," a standardized competency check that serves as your gateway to joining a project team.

• Phase 2: Project Execution & Poster Session (8 Weeks)

  • After successfully completing Project 0, you will be designated a Project Analyst. You'll join a team, select a project, and spend the rest of the semester conducting research and analysis with mentorship from department leadership. The program culminates in our end-of-semester Poster Session.

How to Get Started: Your Path to Becoming a Project Analyst

Follow these three steps to join a project team. All onboarding materials are free and accessible online.

Step 1: Join the Community on Discord

This is our central hub for all communication, announcements, and help. It's the most important first step.

• Action: Join our Discord Server

• Once you join, please introduce yourself in the #introductions channel!

Step 2: Master the Fundamentals

Work through these curated tutorials to build your core skills. All work will be done in Google Colab, a free, browser-based environment, so you won't need to install anything on your computer.

• Python Fundamentals: Introduction to 10 Important Python Concepts

• Pandas for Data Manipulation: Official "10 Minutes to pandas" Tutorial

• Data Visualization with Seaborn: Official Seaborn Introduction Tutorial

• Introduction to Google Colab: A Beginner's Tutorial on Google Colaboratory

Step 3: Complete "Project 0"

This is your final onboarding step and serves as your application to a project team. It is a straightforward analysis of the classic Titanic dataset designed to verify that you have mastered the skills from Step 2.

• Action:

  1. Go to the Project 0 GitHub Repository for detailed instructions.

  2. Read the instructions and complete the analysis in the provided template.ipynb notebook.

  3. Submit your completed notebook via the submission form linked in the repository.

• DEADLINE: Friday, October 10, 2025, at 11:59 PM PDT.

Questions?

If you have any questions, the best place to ask is the #onboarding-help channel on our Discord Server.

Our Student Mentors