Program to address need for specialized professionals with computational skills
Recognizing the increasing need for data-savvy professionals, the University of Mississippi School of Engineering is launching a new Bachelor of Science degree program in data science.
“Job demand is very high in data science, so it’s a high priority for our department,” said Yixin Chen, chair of the Department of Computer and Information Science. “About four years ago, we created a data science emphasis and a data science minor, which were both very successful.
“We saw the potential for growth and increased industry need, so we began developing a bachelor’s degree program in response two years ago.”
The Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning recently approved the program, which will welcome its inaugural class in fall 2024.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of data science occupations was expected to grow by 35% from 2022 to 2023, which is much faster than average.
Data scientists use statistical methods, machine learning and advanced data analysis techniques to extract insights from complex data sets.
A bachelor’s degree in data science will give graduates flexibility to seek jobs in virtually any field, said Timothy Holston, instructional assistant professor and assistant chair of computer and information science.
“The need is for people who have computational skills as well as training in a particular subject,” Holston said. “For instance, a data scientist trained in journalism could assist in fact-finding missions to determine what news is real and what’s false.”
Other applications include predicting patient outcomes in health care, personalizing customer experiences in retail and optimizing service quality in telecommunications, he said.
To that end, the curriculum will incorporate courses in a focus area of a student’s choosing.
“This will allow students to use the skills that they’ve learned in the data science intro courses and apply them to a specific area,” Holston said. “The coursework also revolves around the application of mathematics. Data science can be heavily math-influenced.”
A significant number of current computer science students are opting to enroll in the data science program, but the degree is open to anyone, he said.
The department’s next step is to pursue accreditation through ABET, which is the accrediting body for all Ole Miss engineering programs, Chen said.
“Once the first students have graduated, we can begin the accreditation process,” he said. “We have a well-defined curriculum, and we are all excited about the first group of incoming students.”
By Erin Garrett
