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The School of Information Studies at Syracuse University introduced the new applied data analytics program this fall, housing a new field of study in Hinds Hall. 

Students who choose applied data analytics as their major have the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Science degree and have the option to pursue a master’s through the iSchool’s accelerated Fast Track format, which allows undergraduate students to complete graduate credits to kick-start their desired master’s program.

The program offers innovative approaches through hands-on learning and familiarization with artificial intelligence tools to develop the skills needed for careers in data science.

It aims to instruct students on how to collect, analyze and present data effectively and efficiently through the use of visual and computational data science methods.

Students can also expect to develop and enhance sought-after technical skills such as R and Python programming languages. The program allows students to delve into all aspects of data analytics: big data analytics, data mining, information visualization, data in society and information reporting and presentation.

As the job market continues to advance technologically, students of data science and analytics are becoming more and more in demand, according to the program’s webpage.

“The stars were aligned around the applied data analytics major,” said Bruce Kingma, professor of entrepreneurship and director of undergraduate programs at the iSchool.

Over the next 10 years, according to the webpage, jobs in the field of data science are projected to increase by 31% as data becomes increasingly necessary to power critical decision-making across industries. The applied data analytics program, offered as both a major and minor, aims to equip students with the skills needed to enter the increasingly diverse world of data-driven industry.

“It’s night and day, the tools that are available. But that means you’ve got to learn how to correctly use those tools to make predictions on the data.” Kingma said.

Data is used in numerous fields, such as sports science, healthcare, performing arts and economics, Kingma said.

iSchool faculty formulated the structure and contents of the program curriculum from August to October 2020. After the university administration and New York state approved the program, it officially launched for the fall 2021 semester.

“We’re all in on a set of courses and faculty in data analytics,” Kingma said, emphasizing the experience and expertise the iSchool faculty bring to the table, especially surrounding data science. He referred to the team of faculty as a group of people who will lead the program and set students up for success.

When asked about the value of the program for new and current students, Kingma highlighted the growing practicality around data analytics.

“Any employer that has data and wants to do a better job of decision-making on that data would be wise to hire one of these graduates,” Kingma said.

The iSchool has already seen a surge of students interested in the applied data analytics program.

Caleb Welsh, a junior who switched his major from information technology management to applied data analytics this fall, is one of these students.

“Personally I chose to switch because I’m minoring in marketing, and I actually wanted to go more into that field. I think the applied data analytics major complements that well,” Welsh said.

Welsh echoed Kingma’s sentiment of the versatility of pursuing an academic study of data science when going into the career field.

“I think it gives a more diversified range of careers you can acquire than just the ITM (information technology management) major alone, and I’m excited to see where this program leads me,” Welsh said.

Published on October 18, 2021 at 12:18 am

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