Ithaca College students can now declare a minor in one of the most in-demand fields in the world: data science. Glassdoor named data scientist the best job in America in 2019.
The minor combines mathematical modeling, computational thinking, and inferential reasoning to draw conclusions from data. Students learn the tools used by data scientists and engage in the interdisciplinary problem solving needed to make sense of data and effectively communicate findings.
Thomas Pfaff, professor in the Department of Mathematics, says that the skills learned in the data science minor will be applicable in a wide range of careers, from professional sports to journalism to hospital administration. “Whether it be an economist, business administrator or a health administrator, being able to analyze data — or at least understand how data is analyzed — will be helpful career-wise,” he said.
Students minoring in data science will complete 27-30 credits in courses focused on mathematics, statistics and computer science. “Students in the minor are on the path to combining the programming skills of a computer scientist, the analysis of a statistician, and the modelling of a mathematician,” Pfaff said.