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UVA School of Data Science Welcomes New Class of 107 B.S. in Data Science Students
The University of Virginia School of Data Science welcomed a new class of B.S. in Data Science students to Grounds this fall, marking the third cohort to enter the undergraduate program since its launch in 2024. The new class arrives as the BSDS program continues to evolve, with curriculum updates, new academic opportunities, and a growing community of undergraduate students studying at the intersection of data, technology, artificial intelligence, and society.
The new data science cohort of 107 students includes 71 Virginia and 36 non-Virginia residents, as well as 13 international students from Switzerland, South Korea, and China.
Highly accomplished, the class includes an entrepreneur who founded a youth employment agency in Ethiopia, a technology innovator with a U.S. patent, a Division I track and field athlete, a founder of a prebiotic soda startup in India, an accomplished esports competitor, and founders of AI-powered startups. Students have conducted published research, performed with the Charlottesville Symphony, earned the rank of Eagle Scout, and led student organizations focused on culture, sustainability, service, and technology.
Students gathered at the School of Data Science for orientation before the first day of classes, where they met faculty, staff, and classmates and learned about academic resources, career support, and opportunities to get involved in the data science community.
Interim Stephenson Dean Jeffrey Blume welcomed the students by emphasizing that the faculty and staff are invested in their success. He also encouraged them to ask questions.
“No one here is expected to figure everything out on their own,” Blume told students. “Explore. Be curious, and most of all, take risks.”
Blume also challenged students to focus not simply on mastering the technologies of today, but on developing the ability to think critically and continue learning as data science and artificial intelligence rapidly change.
“By the time you’re done, there will be new technologies already,” he said. “So, we’re going to teach you how to think, how to teach yourself, how to learn, how to grow, and how to evaluate.” That ability to think independently is increasingly important in an era when generative AI can perform tasks that once required significant time and technical expertise. Blume encouraged students to view AI as a powerful tool rather than a substitute for developing their own knowledge and judgment.
“These tools will help speed up your work, but they won’t actually do the thinking for you,” he said.
An Evolving Undergraduate Curriculum
The BSDS is a three-year degree designed to give students a strong interdisciplinary foundation in computing, statistics, mathematics, and the societal dimensions of data science, while providing opportunities to apply those skills through research, experiential learning, internships, and coursework across UVA.
Over the past year, faculty and academic leaders have reviewed and updated the curriculum to reflect lessons learned from the program’s first two cohorts as well as the rapidly changing demands of data science and AI.
“Our theme this year is alignment,” said Prince Afriyie, undergraduate program director and associate professor of data science. “Courses are built intentionally on one another so that expectations remain consistent and every graduate develops the four domains of our 4+1 model.”
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Afriyie previously led the School’s residential M.S. in Data Science program before transitioning to the BSDS program director role and brings extensive experience in teaching, curriculum development, and student mentorship to the undergraduate program.
As the field of data science evolves, Afriyie recognizes that the undergraduate curriculum must also evolve, including stronger connections to AI, new concentrations, and more undergraduate research opportunities. Students can tailor the degree to their interests through core and collaborative concentrations that connect data science with disciplines and applications across the University. The program is designed not only to build technical proficiency but also to help students understand how data-driven technologies are developed, evaluated, and responsibly applied.
“I want students to feel that the School of Data Science is their school, not simply a place where they take classes,” Afriyie explained. “I also intend to grow the program thoughtfully and intentionally, recognizing that data science is inherently interdisciplinary and increasingly essential across nearly every field of study."
For the 107 students beginning the program this fall, Blume emphasized that their education will extend beyond any particular programming language, model, or technology. Instead, the aim is to develop the adaptability and judgment required to work at the forefront of a field that will continue to change throughout their careers.
“You are going to leave here and will be at the forefront of where technology, business, and science intersect,” said Blume.
Creating an Earlier Path to Data Science
As the third BSDS cohort begins the fall term, the School is also looking ahead to its next class through a new Assured Enrollment pilot for first-year UVA students.
Beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, Assured Enrollment gives first-year students an opportunity to secure non-binding admission to the BSDS by successfully completing published program requirements by the end of their first year. Students participating in the program receive priority BSDS course registration for fall 2027, personalized data science curriculum advising, invitations to School events, and opportunities to engage with the data science community beginning in their first year.
Students who do not participate in Assured Enrollment can continue to pursue the BSDS through the traditional spring application process.
The pilot reflects the continued growth of undergraduate data science at UVA and gives students an earlier opportunity to envision data science as part of their academic path.
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About the School of Data Science
The University of Virginia School of Data Science, the first of its kind in the nation, is guided by common goals: to further discovery, share knowledge, and make a positive impact on society through collaborative, open, and responsible data science research and education.
Founded in 2019 through the largest gift in UVA history, the School is UVA's 12th and newest school and brings together faculty, students, and partners from across disciplines to address complex challenges through data. Today, the School is committed to teaching and practicing responsible data science and AI for the common good, preparing students not simply to use rapidly changing technologies, but to understand, evaluate, and help shape them for the benefit of society.
