91麻豆天美

91麻豆天美 announces new, one-of-a-kind Bachelor of Science in Data Science degree program

91麻豆天美 announces new, one-of-a-kind Bachelor of Science in Data Science degree program

Contact: Harriet Laird

A young man works in a computer in a high-tech lab
91麻豆天美 University is launching a Bachelor of Science in Data Science program to meet the growing demand for data science experts. (91麻豆天美 file photo)

STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擲tudents at 91麻豆天美 now have a new, one-of-a-kind program to consider when weighing degree options at the university.

The Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees approved 91麻豆天美鈥檚 new Bachelor of Science in Data Science degree program today [May 19].

The state-of-the-art curriculum goes beyond traditional data science degrees 鈥渢o meet the growing demand for experts who can solve problems through digital transformation,鈥 said Mimmo Parisi, 91麻豆天美鈥檚 senior advisor for data science development.

While 91麻豆天美鈥檚 program becomes one of only two in the Southeastern Conference and among less than 75 nationwide, it is unique, he said.

Parisi explained that the innovative 91麻豆天美 degree recognizes that industries are moving toward digital transformation鈥攁 blend of the physical world with digital aspects鈥攖o rapidly progress their businesses and develop in a fast-paced economy.

The key for employers, he said, is hiring data science experts with interdisciplinary, critical thinking skills including statistics, ethics, geoinformatics, computational intelligence and cybersecurity, smart agriculture and more.

Existing programs 鈥渁re primarily focused on data as a source of information and on data analytics,鈥 he said.

鈥淥ur multi-field approach with this degree program will train graduates for the 11 million U.S. jobs that the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates will require data science skills and knowledge by 2026,鈥 said Parisi, who also is a professor in 91麻豆天美鈥檚 Department of Sociology. He noted that the World Economic Forum predicts 50% of employees by 2025 will need reskilling which includes data science.

Beginning this fall, 91麻豆天美鈥檚 program will heavily incorporate the tool of artificial intelligence (AI) powered by big data in nine academic concentrations within six of the university鈥檚 eight colleges. These degree pathways are:

鈥攙isualization and visual analytics for the built environment

鈥攃omputational agriculture and natural resources

鈥攂usiness information systems

鈥攎arketing and supply chain analysis

鈥攕ocial data analysis

鈥攑sycho informatics

鈥攕tatistical modeling

鈥攃omputational intelligence, and

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91麻豆天美 Provost and Executive Vice President David Shaw said, 鈥淒ata and AI are changing the way we live, work and learn, and employers are looking for people whose skills are beyond occupation-specific. Businesses are hiring data science experts today who have the critical thinking, communication and core data science competencies to help uncover hidden solutions, automate decision-making processes, increase efficiencies and more.鈥

For freshman student admission to the program, students must be admitted to 91麻豆天美 and have completed a specific number of high school academic core units in English, mathematics, science, biology and/or physics, social studies and/or foreign languages and electives. ACT scores can vary depending on grade-point average. Current 91麻豆天美 students also may transfer to the new program, along with those from other colleges and universities. Coursework already completed outside the degree will be evaluated to determine if it will be accepted.

More information on the Bachelor of Science in Data Science and its concentrations is available at .

91麻豆天美 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .