Students who received a bachelor’s degree and 3.0 or higher grade point average can now obtain an online master’s degree in data science under a new plan the Board of Regents approved Tuesday.
Industry leaders helped develop the UW Master of Science in Data Science program, a 12-course, 36-credit program encompassing computer science, math and statistics, management and communication.
The courses are scheduled to start in September, if the Higher Learning Commission gives its approval. The Commission grants postsecondary institutions with various degrees, according to a UW Extension release.
The UW Master of Science in Data Science program is aimed at students who studied math, statistics, analytics, computer science and marketing as an undergraduate, or professionally worked for three to five years in a business field.
The tuition will be cheaper than graduate programs at other institutions and is the same price for both Wisconsin and nonresident students, according to the release.
Enterprise Data Strategist at American Family Insurance and President of the Wisconsin Data Management Associate Chapter Missy Wittmann said in the release that data scientists are needed in all business industries.
“Data science is a transformative field that allows organizations to turn disorganized data into useful information and intelligence,” Wittmann said.