Students enrolled in the Data Sciences degree program at Penn State Abington may choose from two options, applied or statistical modeling.
ABINGTON, Pa. — Penn State Abington announced a new bachelor of science degree program in data sciences, bringing the number of undergraduate degrees that can be completed at the campus to 26. Students will choose between the applied and statistical modeling options.
The program is designed to meet the high demand for trained data scientists, which will continue to grow as companies recognize the need for professionals with high-level analytical, statistical, and communication skills. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts jobs in the field will increase by 36% in the next decade. The median salary for data scientists is $108,000.
"The Data Sciences major provides Abington students with the skills and the framework necessary to understand and harness the power of the massive amounts of data available to us. Nearly every organization worldwide needs people who speak the language of data, and the Data Sciences degree will put students at the forefront of this growing field," Sabahattin Gokhan Ozden, associate professor of information technology and computer science and chair of the Data Sciences program, said.
The rigorous coursework fosters hands-on analysis, management and tracking of big data, and students learn to draw actionable insights and knowledge. By leveraging tools in informatics, computer science and statistics, students develop skills in data management, machine learning, information integration and predictive modeling, and they learn to effectively communicate their findings to a broad range of stakeholders.
After completing common core courses, students choose between two options:
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The Applied option equips students to formulate and solve problems drawn from domains such as business, and life and health, behavioral and cognitive, and physical sciences.
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Students who choose the Statistical Modeling option learn to formulate and apply the appropriate models and methods for data analyses such as experiment design, sampling, hypotheses testing, and limiting false discovery.
The data sciences degree can lead to careers as engineers, analysts, data visualizers, data warehousing analytics consultants and many more.
About Penn State Abington
Penn State Abington provides an affordable, accessible and high-impact education resulting in the success of a diverse student body. It is committed to student success through innovative approaches to 21st-century public higher education within a world-class research university. With more than 3,100 students, Penn State Abington is a residential campus that offers baccalaureate degrees in 26 majors, accelerated master's degrees, undergraduate research, the Schreyer Honors College, NCAA Division III athletics and more.
