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AMHERST, N.Y. – ˿����Ƶ College has received New York State Department of Education approval to offer a bachelor’s degree in data science, one of the most in-demand professional fields in the country.

The new undergraduate program, which will start in fall 2019, is designed to prepare students to collect, analyze, interpret, and report data using statistical tools and predictive techniques.

“This new degree complements our exceptional mathematics program and brings additional depth and breadth to ˿����Ƶ’s growing academic offerings and strengths,” said Dr. Michael Brogan, senior vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college. “Students in this program will develop a specialized skills set that will ultimately lead them to a rewarding career in a field with increasing job growth.”

Major coursework for the 120-credit hour data science degree will be taught primarily through the ˿����Ƶ Department of Mathematics, with a focus on statistical, analytical, computer programming, and communication and writing skills. Students will also have the option to specialize in health promotion, marketing, political science, or sport management.

While ˿����Ƶ offers an undergraduate minor in computer science, rapid job growth in data science led the college to establish a rigorous data science curriculum to help meet the increasing demand for trained professionals in the field.

“Our bachelor-level program combines statistics, mathematics, and computer science courses for students to gain the level of skills needed to work with data in a variety of work settings,” said Dr. Intisar Hibschweiler, chair and professor of mathematics. “Students will also have the opportunity to pursue a specialization track to gain experience in specific fields that rely heavily on data finding.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of mathematicians and statisticians is projected to grow 33 percent and 27 percent for operations research analysts from 2016-2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. Glassdoor, a job and recruitment site, ranked data scientist No. 1 on its “50 Best Jobs in America” list for 2018.

More information on the data science program is available by contacting Dr. Hibschweiler at ihibschw@daemen.edu or call 839-8322.