New academic year brings new master’s in Data Science
(Photo above courtesy of UW-Extension)
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay marks the Sept. 2 start of the fall semester and the 2015-16 academic year with the debut of the first online master’s degree in data science ever offered in the UW System.
UW-Green Bay is a partner in the new Master’s of Data Science degree with UW-Extension and five other UW System universities, in Eau Claire, La Crosse, Oshkosh, Stevens Point and Superior. Faculty from each of the participating campuses will teach the online classes.
Officials say the new degree responds to one of America’s fastest growing fields as businesses and organizations seek to harness vast amounts of data — newly available through various technological innovations — to make better, data-driven decisions.
“The exponential growth in data generation, and the need to get hands around this data, has led businesses scrambling for ways to hone their strategies, improve existing processes and bolster innovation in their products and services,” says Gaurav Bansal, associate professor of management, information science and statistics at UW-Green Bay.
Adds Bansal, who will direct the Master’s of Data Science program at UW-Green Bay, “This program harnesses not only the faculty expertise from different UW campuses but also different academic disciplines including Computer Science, Statistics, Information Technology Management, Business Management and Communication. The program has been developed with input from Industry leaders and is closely aligned with the business needs in this area.”
The curriculum will be grounded in computer science, math and statistics, management and communication. Students will learn how to clean, organize, analyze and interpret large and complex data sets using the latest tools and analytical methods. Admission to the program will require a bachelor’s degree and a 3.0 GPA. Aptitude tests such as the GMAT and GRE will not be required.
“Our ability to collect and interpret data is crucial to the success of our business,” says Matt Mueller, senior vice president of finance and chief financial officer for Schreiber Foods of Green Bay, an advocate of the new program. “Decisions that we make — from providing market insights, to developing modern capabilities, to creating efficiencies in our manufacturing environment and everything in between — are data-driven. We employ a number of professionals (in this area), and I see this online master’s degree program in Data Science as another great resource for us.”
Bansal says tuition will compares favorably to competing graduate programs from other institutions. Like other collaborative online University of Wisconsin programs, students will pay the same tuition whether they live in Wisconsin or out-of-state.
The Master of Science in Data Science program is intended for students with a bachelor’s degree in math, statistics, analytics, computer science, or marketing; or three to five years of professional experience as a business intelligence analyst, data analyst, financial analyst, information technology analyst, database administrator, computer programmer, statistician or other related position.
Bansal points also to a report by McKinsey Global Institute that predicts demand for “deep analytical talent” in the United States could be 50 to 60 percent greater than projected supply by 2018. Opportunities have been identified in almost every economic sector: manufacturing, construction, transportation, warehousing, communication, science, health care, computer science, information technology, retail, sales, marketing, finance, insurance, education, government, law enforcement, security and more.
The Master of Science in Data Science joins a growing list of online degree and certificate programs available at UW-Green Bay. Prospective students seeking more information about the Master of Science in Data Science program are encouraged to visit the website, call 1-877-895-3276 or email.
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