(Photo: Adam Nowakowski via Unsplash)
The School of Business is introducing a new data analytics major for undergraduate students interested in the science of identifying trends and patterns in raw data and drawing conclusions.
“Big data is everywhere, and almost every industry is being reshaped by the need for data-driven decision making,” says Mary Ellen Zuckerman, dean of the School of Business. “The need for data analysts is rapidly growing across the globe, and employers are looking for people who can responsibly evaluate and interpret big data.”
A data analytics minor has been available at Geneseo since 2020. The new major, available to students beginning in Fall 2022, reflects Geneseo’s response to an increased demand for capable data analysts with a well-rounded education.
The BS program equips students with the skills required to collect, organize, analyze, and model data to draw sound conclusions. The major aims to train data analysts who are not only technically proficient in analyzing data but who also know how to responsibly use data to make decisions, think critically, and communicate effectively. As an interdisciplinary major, data analytics can be paired with a number of other subjects for potential second majors or minors.
Highlights of the new major include exposure to statistics, mathematics, and computer science as well as hands-on experience through in-class learning and analytic projects. Graduates of the program will have the ability to transform data into a powerful tool in decision making and be prepared for careers in fields such as business intelligence, data engineering, or transportation logistics.