Inspire 2026: Data Science: Foundations of Data Science (July 13- July 24)

This course provides an introduction to the foundational concepts and skills that make up the data science pipeline, emphasizing the Virginia Model of Data Science as a guiding framework. Students will learn to think like a data scientist by engaging in lectures, group discussions, and hands-on labs that emphasize evidence-based reasoning and analytical problem solving.  

A key component of this learning process is exposure to how machine learning models are trained and used. We will expose students to introductory topics necessary to understand how machine learning models work and how to evaluate their effectiveness. By the end of the course, students will have built and evaluated models of their own, applying them to real-world problems to draw meaningful conclusions.

This is an in-person course that meets daily Monday-Friday in Fairfax, 9AM – 4PM ET. Tuition covers materials, meals (lunch/snacks), and transportation to any off-site excursions.

Refund Policy: Registrants are eligible for a refund until 60 days from the program start. Please note that a $150 administrative fee will be retained to cover the costs associated with application review and the admissions process. No refunds will be available after 60 days from the program start. To cancel your registration and request a refund, please contact inspire.northern@virginia.edu.