Division of Computational & Data Sciences

The Division of Computational & Data Sciences (DCDS) at Washington University in St. Louis trains students interested in problems from across a range of disciplines that share a common reliance on data and computing.

The introduction of now-standard tools from statistical analysis and hypothesis testing transformed the practice of natural and social science in the mid-20th century. Emerging tools from computational and data science have the potential to bring about an even larger transformation of scientific practice, especially in the social sciences. The questions raised by data generated by and about human behavior are engaging and profound. However, many if not most of these questions can only be tackled using a multidisciplinary approach that combines a deep knowledge of the capabilities and operation of data science techniques with the domain expertise needed to apply them effectively to the problems under consideration.

Doctoral students in Computational & Data Sciences receive strong methodological training in modern computational and statistical methods, and they also acquire expertise in a particular social science application area.

The program is inherently interdisciplinary and brings together leading experts from across the university who are using data to solve some of the greatest challenges that our world faces today. Faculty include both data and computing experts as well as domain experts from different application areas.

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