Frequently Asked Questions

Typically, a Practicum is a 1 CU course in a single semester. In some cases, 2 CUs in the same semester are allowed based on your advisor's and Projects Director's discretion and the project scope.

No. You should take 1 CU of Thesis in two consecutive semesters.

Students typically do a thesis or practicum in their 2nd year (2nd or 3rd semester).

Yes. You receive a letter grade each semester and need to submit deliverables — a final report and a presentation or poster — at the end of each semester. Work with your faculty advisor to clearly define deliverables for each semester. At the end of the semester, your advisor will be consulted on their assessment of your progress and a grade will be assigned accordingly.

Two strategies that have worked well: (1) approach a faculty member whose course you took and who has expertise aligned with your interests, and (2) search "upenn research <your domain>" and email the faculty members who work in the area you're interested in to explore if they'd be willing to serve as your advisor. The DATS Focus Areas Handbook is also a great resource for finding campus research groups.

If you've identified a faculty member who will sign the advisor agreement form, use that time to briefly discuss the project domain and some research questions you'd likely explore. The 2-page project proposal is a tool for you to identify the broad scope of the project, your role in it, and how you would contribute. It doesn't need to be final.

Yes. You can work as a team of 2–3 students if your faculty advisor signs off on it and each team member has a clearly distinct set of deliverables. This should be identified upon discussion with your faculty advisor and mentioned in the advisor agreement form.

No. You cannot receive payment for a project you are also enrolling for academic credit.

Practicum: A 5–10 page report describing the project, background, data used, methods developed/employed, and takeaways/conclusions. Include links to any evaluable code.

Thesis: Follow SEAS thesis formatting guidelines. For citations, follow the Chicago Manual of Style, MLA Handbook, or the appropriate manual for your field. See the DATS title page template. You'll need three signatures on the title page: your faculty advisor, Dr. Guntuku (DATS Projects Director), and Prof. Susan Davidson (DATS Program Director).

Your grade combines your advisor's assessment with the Projects Director's review of your deliverables — progress against your proposed milestones, the quality of your report, and your presentation. The Evaluation Rubric lays out the specific dimensions (problem framing, methods, results, communication, and independence). It's designed for you and your advisor to use together as a self-assessment throughout the project, not just at the end.

The Industry Capstone is a variant of the Practicum where your project comes from an industry sponsor instead of a Penn faculty advisor. You're admitted by application and sponsor interviews rather than an advisor agreement, and the semester runs on a structured cadence — weekly check-ins with your sponsor and with DATS teaching staff, plus quarter reports graded by your sponsor and forwarded to teaching staff. See the Industry Capstone page for full details.

Review the posted sponsor projects, then submit your transcript, resume/CV, and a short statement of interest. If a sponsor wants to move forward, you'll have a phone interview followed by an interview at their HQ or via Zoom. See How to Apply for the full process.

No. The Industry Capstone is for academic credit only, consistent with the program-wide rule that you cannot be paid for a project you're also enrolling for credit. Work is remote from the employer's perspective. Any internship or full-time offer after the capstone is at the sponsor's discretion.

Thesis: Prepare a 5-minute presentation for DATS Presentation Day.

Practicum: Present a poster (24 × 36 inches, landscape orientation). Print at CETS — contact the Program Manager for the budget code. Easels and poster board will be provided. See the Resources page for templates and design tips.

All students upload their presentations/posters to the shared Google Drive folder before the event. Check the Timeline for specific deadlines.