Data Science and Analytics Major
Case Western Reserve University and the Business-Higher Education Forum partnered to assess the academic options available in data science and analytics and learned that there is a distinct need for data science education at the undergraduate level to help train a workforce of data science experts able to apply data manipulation and analysis across a spectrum of fields.
Responding to this need, CWRU is developing a new undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree in Data Science and Analytics* that focuses on real-world applications.
Graduates of the Data Science and Analytics program will be able to:
- Understand processes for efficient collection and management of large data sets;
- Develop successful strategies for formulating and testing hypotheses about data;
- Extract valid and meaningful conclusions from large data sets, which are actionable "data products";
- Demonstrate deep competence with fundamental algorithmic approaches to analyzing large data sets;
- Gain experience with open-source data management and analysis tools.
Granted through the CWRU School of Engineering's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, the Data Science and Analytics major will consist of a core curriculum that includes:
- Mathematical modeling of data sources, including recitations that provide focus area applications;
- Informatics, including the acquisition, aggregation, assembly and security of data;
- Data analytics: examining raw data using analytics that focus on inference through the transformation of data to actionable information that improves decision-making;
- Visual analytics and user experiences;
- Capstone coursework that involves project-based applications of learning.
The curriculum will further entail open source data management and analysis tools; a breadth of instruction in allied technical areas such as biology, physics or engineering; and a focus on a specific domain area: health, energy, and manufacturing and production. The new program will also feature a strong experiential learning component via partnerships with industry that provide co-op assignments and internships to students.