Specialized Certificate in Data Mining for Advanced Analytics

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1 Specialized Certificate in Data Mining for Advanced Analytics Frequently Asked Questions Jump to information about the certificate, the courses, or financial aid, or request more information. About the Certificate What is predictive analytics? Predictive analytics or data mining (also known as advanced analytics or data science) is a process that uses a variety of data analysis and machine learning tools to discover patterns and relationships in data that may be used to make valid predictions. Predictive analytics has become a fundamental component of all facets of business, commerce, and scientific discovery. In what industries is predictive analytics used? Predictive analytics is an interdisciplinary field, used in a variety of industries, from business to surveillance, from science and engineering to music, and from health sciences to insurance. In what professional areas is predictive analytics most commonly applied? Application areas include analytics, bioinformatics, business intelligence, fraud detection, customer analytics, marketing, surveillance, drug discovery and social networking. What are the benefits of this certificate? Hands-on comprehensive training designed to immerse the student in the skills needed to successfully get started in or advance their career Industry-neutral curriculum allows for students to apply knowledge to their field of interest Essential knowledge and skills in proficiency with data extraction and collection, identifying effective methods across datasets, and understanding the data preparation techniques. What will I take away from this program? The Data Mining for Advanced Analytics certificate is designed to provide individuals in business and scientific communities with the skills necessary to design, build, verify, and test predictive data models.

2 Who is your typical student? What experience or skills are required prior to enrolling in this program? The Data Mining for Advanced Analytics program is designed for students seeking to gain a deep understanding of this rapidly expanding field and the tools used by successful data scientists. Knowledge of statistics and probability theory is required. Qualified students may waive the Statistics for Data Analytics prerequisite. (See Are there any prerequisites to the certificate program? and Can the statistics prerequisite be waived if I have taken a statistics course elsewhere or have equivalent working knowledge? below for more information.) What courses must I take to complete the certificate? Course Title Course No. Units FA WI SP SU Prerequisite (Recommended.) Statistics for Data Analytics CSE O O O O Required Courses (Four courses required. Courses must be taken in the order listed.) Fundamentals of Data Mining CSE O O Data Preparation for Analytics CSE O O Data Mining: Advanced Concepts and Algorithms CSE O O Data Mining Practicum CSE O O Elective Courses (Choose one.) Introduction to R Programming CSE O O O O Python for Informatics CSE X O X O Text Mining CSE O O O = Online course, X = Location TBC Are there any prerequisites to the certificate program? Fundamentals of Data Mining requires Statistics for Data Analytics or equivalent knowledge. We also recommend that you have knowledge of probability theory and linear algebra. All required courses are designed to be taken sequentially and should be taken in the order shown on the course matrix. Can the statistics prerequisite be waived if I have taken a statistics course elsewhere or have equivalent working knowledge? Students who are working with statistics, probability theory, and/or linear algebra in the course of their current employment or who have completed a similar course previously may waive the Statistics for Data Analytics prerequisite, and begin the program directly with Fundamentals of Data Mining. Attached at the end of this document is a short self-assessment quiz to help you gauge whether or not you should forego the Statistics for Data Analytics prerequisite. How much does the certificate cost? The full cost of the certificates varies depending upon the particular courses and electives you choose to take, if you need to take the Statistics for Data Analytics prerequisite, and if you choose to take courses

3 online or as intensive workshops (when available). Courses can range in price from $595 to $1395. The full cost of the certificate can range from $3400 to $5600. Please note that all fees are subject to change and do not include books or other required course materials. Current fees will be listed on the UC San Diego Extension website. Do I need to pay for the program up-front? You do not pay for the entire program at once, you pay per class at the time of enrollment. Is there an application fee? There is no application fee; however, upon acceptance into the program, there will be a certificate fee. The certificate fee is currently $60. How do I apply to the certificate program? STEP 1: If you have a My Extension account, skip to Step 2. If you do not have a My Extension account, go to myextension.ucsd.edu, click Create an account on the right side of the page, and follow the instructions to create an account. Once you have a My Extension account, continue to Step 2. STEP 2: Click on the yellow Apply Now button on the certificate information page. Complete the required fields on the application. Then click the Save button. Once you have saved the application, the Submit button will appear. Click the Submit button to submit your application for review and consideration. Once submitted, your application cannot be changed. You can track the progress of your application at My Extension. Can I register for the certificate program at any time? Yes, you may enroll in the program at any time. However, it is recommended that you enroll as soon as possible. The program curriculum may be updated at any time; if certificate requirements change, you must adhere to the curriculum at the time of your enrollment into the certificate. Can this certificate program be completed entirely online? Yes! This program is designed for you to take online in the convenience of your own home or office. Some courses also offer in-person options, but all certificate requirements can be completed online. How long does it take to complete the certificate? You officially have 5 years to complete all requirements for the certificate, although it generally takes between 4 to 6 quarters. Is this certificate program open to non-california residents? Yes, the program is open to non-california residents. The tuition is the same for California residents as it is for non-california residents. If I work full-time, will I still be able to complete this program? Yes. Our programs are designed to be working-student friendly.

4 Is the program accredited? UC San Diego is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). UC San Diego Extension like all other UC San Diego schools, colleges, and departments is accredited by WASC through the University. All courses and certificate programs offered by UC San Diego Extension have been developed and are administered in accordance with Extension policy and the regulations of the Academic Senate of the University of California. Will this program prepare me for a certification exam? We do not align our program with any one certification exam. Our programs are designed to provide students with knowledge that will make them valuable in the workforce. Do you provide job or internship placement? We do not offer job placement assistance. However, the Center for Life/Work Strategies has career resources for current job seekers. For more information, visit extension.ucsd.edu/careers. How do I get my certificate once I have completed the requirements? When you have paid your certificate fee and successfully completed all program requirements, you will need to notify Student Services by either: Calling Certificate Processing at (858) Submitting the Online Intent to Complete Certificate Program form Once you have formally notified Student Services, your certificate will be mailed to the address we have on file for you within 2 weeks. About the Courses What software is used in the Data Mining courses? WEKA, a collection of Windows-based applications, is used in hands-on class assignments. WEKA contains tools for data pre-processing, classification, regression, clustering, association rules, and visualization. Can I take a course without registering for the certificate? Yes, you may take any course without registering for the certificate provided you have fulfilled all prerequisites for the course. How long is each course? Each course can vary; they generally run from six to nine weeks. When is each course offered? Please view the certificate matrix on the certificate webpage for the projected schedule of classes. The columns labeled FA, WI, SP and SU represent our quarters: Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer.

5 What kind of credit do I earn? Is it accepted at other universities? You will earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from each course. The CEU is a uniform measure of non-credit continuing education learning experiences. One CEU is defined as ten contact hours of participation in a continuing education course. Employers, professional groups, licensing agencies, and others who routinely examine and evaluate individual accomplishments generally accept this unit of measure. A CEU is not an academic unit and each individual academic institution decides whether or not to accept Extension s CEUs. If you wish to transfer credit, it is your responsibility to confer with the receiving institution before enrolling. How many hours can I expect to spend studying outside of class time? Each student has their own learning style so this can vary greatly. As a rule of thumb, expect to spend an average of 2 hours studying for every hour you spend in-class. How are the online classes formatted? The online courses are asynchronous: they have a start and end date but all the lessons are uploaded on Blackboard, our online learning management system, so you can learn at your own pace. However, please be aware that you may have weekly assignments, quizzes, or tests that are due on specific dates. Please click here to view a sample course tour to see if this format suits your learning style. What are the instructors credentials? The program is taught by seasoned professionals and overseen by an advisory board of leaders in the field. You can view the advisor list on the certificate webpage. How do I communicate with the instructor(s) if I have a question? Each instructor has his/her own preferred method of communication and response policy. However, most instructors utilize or the discussion board and will respond within hours. Once I have enrolled in a course, when will I get online access to it? If you have enrolled at least three days before the course begins, generally you will have access starting on the first day of class. You should receive an from Student Services with instructions for how to login to the course. If you have enrolled on or after the start date of the course, you will have access within 24-hours. What are my grading options for each course? If you plan to obtain a certificate, you must either take all courses for a letter grade or pass/no pass. You must earn a grade of at least a C- or a Pass in order to apply the associated units towards the certificate. A Pass grade is equivalent to C- work or better. Any courses taken as Not for Credit will not count towards the certificate. Will I get any hands-on experience in the program? Most courses combine theory with hands-on exercises.

6 What are the required textbooks? Instructors will post the current text requirements and recommendations on their associated course enrollment page. Please note the textbooks requirements are subject to change each quarter. Will I be able to order the required textbooks before the class begins? Yes, you can order the book(s) at any time if the instructors posts text requirements/recommendations on their associated course enrollment page. You may order books through the campus bookstore or online retailers, such as Amazon.com. What tools are used and what are the system requirements? Weka 3.6 (or higher), an open source tool readily available for download, is used in all required courses. Please click here to review the installation procedure and requirements. After I enroll, how can I retrieve a receipt for my records? Login to the My Extension website and select Documents as the top of the page. How will I receive my final course grade? Once the course is completed, the instructor has 10 working days to submit your grades. Once grades have been posted, you can view and print them via My Extension. What if I am having trouble with Blackboard or My Extension? Please contact Student Services at or unex-reg@ucsd.edu if you experience any issues logging in to any of our systems. Financial Aid Is financial aid available? Yes, there are various financial aid options available to students. Continuing Education Loans UCSD Extension offers continuing education loans through UC Approved Lenders. Each institution offers low competitive interest rates and flexible payment options. You are also encouraged to contact your personal financial institution about possible lending solutions. You can find links to UC Approved lenders on our website. Employment Development Department The Employment Development Department (EDD) provides a comprehensive range of employment and training services in partnership with state and local agencies/organizations. More information is available on their website at edd.ca.gov. San Diego Workforce Partnership Career Centers Located throughout San Diego County offer their communities comprehensive employment and training services benefiting both business and job seekers. More information is

7 available on their website at workforce.org. Veteran s Benefits Please click here for information about veteran s benefits. FASFA Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) funds are limited to degree programs only, and cannot be used for courses or certificate fees at UCSD Extension. How do I get more information? For program specific questions, please visit the Certificate webpage, or contact the program representative at (858) or unex-techdata@ucsd.edu. For administrative questions, please visit the Student Services webpage or contact them at or unex-reg@ucsd.edu.

8 Introduction to Statistics Self-Assessment Quiz 1. This is a broad category of applications and technologies for gathering, storing, analyzing, and providing access to data to help enterprise users make better business decisions. a. data mart b. business information warehouse c. business intelligence d. business warehouse 2. This is the practice of dividing a customer base into groups of individuals that are similar in specific ways relevant to marketing, such as age, gender, interests, spending habits, and so on. a. customer managed relationship b. customer life cycle c. customer segmentation d. change management 3. In data mining, this is a technique used to predict future behavior and anticipate the consequences of change. a. predictive technology b. disaster recovery c. phase change d. predictive modeling 4. If there are two sets, X={2,3,4} and Y=(2,1,5,4}, how many elements does the union of X and Y have? a. 2 b. 3 c. 4 d Working with Binary numbers what is 1 AND 0 =?. a. 1 b. 0 c. 11 d Calculate the Euclidean distance between the points (0, 0) and (3, 4). a. 1 b. 7

9 c. 5 d From a population with a variance of 900, a sample of 225 items is selected. At 95% confidence the margin error is: a. 15 b. 2 c d On average, how many times must a 6-sided die be rolled until a 6 turns up? a. 1/6 b. 5/6 c. 5 d What is plotted in the ROC curve? a. Specificity/Sensitivity b. True Positive/True Negative c. Probability/Actual Values d. False Positive/False Negative 10. Given that P(A) = 0.4, P(B) = 0.5, and P(A and B) = 0.20, determine P(A B) a. 0.1 b. 0.4 c. 0.5 d. 0.6

10 Answers: 1. C 2. C 3. D 4. D 5. B 6. C 7. C 8. D 9. A 10. B