BIDDEFORD — The University of New England has announced that it is adding a new Data Science program to its offerings.
The program, which leads to a bachelor of science degree, will be part of the Department of Mathematical Sciences, located on the university’s Biddeford Campus, according to UNE President Dr. James Herbert.
“Not only will UNE’s Department of Business and its Makerspace laboratory contribute in the development of courses for the data science degree, but our programs in areas such as marine sciences and health sciences offer key opportunities for data science research projects,” Herbert said.
Herbert said he believes that UNE is uniquely suited to the study of data science, which involves the use of mathematical modeling and computing to analyze data and to design systems for making predictions, information extraction and decision-making.
Beginning with foundational skills in mathematics and computing, UNE students participating in the program will develop techniques in data mining, statistical and machine learning, predictive modeling and data visualization.
According to Dr. Michael Arciero, a UNE associate professor and chair of the Department of Mathematical Sciences, an important component of the new program will be project-based, experiential learning through work on real problems from industry.
Partnerships with local employers will serve as a source for these opportunities, he said.
Arciero says that these partnerships have already begun to create pathways to permanent employment for recent UNE mathematical sciences graduates employed at successful companies, including Cotiviti, a provider of analytics-driven health care solutions, and UNUM Group, a Fortune 500 insurance company.
He expects that data science majors will be in high demand from these partners as well as other companies throughout the nation and across a broad array of fields.
“Projections by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and other sources confirm what our local area employers are already telling us: there is a growing demand for professionals with data analytical/computational expertise and problem-solving skills,” said Arciero.
Glassdoor.com, a marketplace for employers and job-seekers, recently ranked data scientist as the top job for the third year in a row based on salary, job availability and job satisfaction.
For more information about the new data science program, visit www.une.edu/cas/math/programs/bachelor-science-data-science
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