Communications of the ACM
Clarkson Adds Master's in Data Analytics
Credit: Plays Together
Clarkson University will offer a new master of science degree in the highly sought-after field of data analytics, beginning this fall. The new graduate degree was approved by the New York State Education Department earlier this month for Clarkson, Potsdam, N.Y.
Data analytics or "big data" is one of the most in-demand career paths in today's marketplace, leading to high-skill/high paying jobs in big pharma, the entertainment industries, marketing intelligence, high-tech, engineering firms, Fortune 500s, fast-growing startups, and many other businesses.
Organizations across industries collect large amounts of data for a variety of reasons: to gain a competitive advantage, to improve the efficiency of operations, to reduce fraud/waste/abuse, or to better understand customers, among others.
"Everyone from corporations and governments to startups and small businesses are looking for the insights in today's mountains of big data," says Business Professor Boris Jukic, director of business analytics. "But they are realizing they need specially trained and highly skilled people who can turn these endless streams of data into useful insight and actionable intelligence."
The new data analytics degree will provide students with the skills to be effective professionals in the field of identifying, acquiring, managing, presenting, analyzing, and interpreting large amounts of data in a variety of professional fields and organizational settings.
No matter what a student's academic or professional background is, Jukic says they can get the analytical skills and learn the critical methodology to make the most of big data. "These skills will enable them to get positions with job titles like data analyst, data analytics manager, and data scientist, among others," he says.
The program is interdisciplinary, meaning that students will take classes from faculty in all of Clarkson's schools. "This cross-disciplinary approach of science, business, and engineering with all of our schools contributing to the degree will expand the network of opportunities available to students who complete the program," Jukic says.
Graduates of the program will develop skill sets in the core areas of data mining and knowledge discovery; managing big data: modeling, retrieving, transforming, and organization of big data; and data visualization, presentation, and interpretation.
Students with a variety of professional and academic backgrounds can apply to the new program. The 33-credit program is structured to fit into one academic year, including a sponsored, paid internship during the summer.
Foundation courses in calculus, mathematical statistics, and basic programming can be completed as part of an undergraduate degree program or, for students with a non-technical background, prerequisite courses are available during the summer.
Information on the master of science degree in data analytics program, or on applying to the program, is available at http://www.clarkson.edu/bigdata,. Inquiries can also be made via email.
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