Misericordia University Unveils New Data Science Major

Misericordia University Unveils New Data Science Major

Misericordia University is excited to announce a new major in Data Science that students can begin applying to in the Fall of 2023. The new major is specifically designed to teach skills that employers and corporations are interested in for today’s everchanging economy.

In efforts to grow the offerings at Misericordia, faculty and staff stepped forward to work with LCM Consortium and Rize Education in order to add Data Science as a Major. After reviewing what the potentials were with a major it was agreed that this was a great opportunity for the college and students. There was an overwhelming vote of approval by faculty to add such a rich degree to the programs offered at Misericordia.

“We in the Mathematics Department are excited to be starting a Data Science program,” said Steven Tedford, Ph.D., department chair and professor of Mathematics, and director of the Statistics program. “We feel that Data Science will bring together two of our other programs, Computer Science and Statistics, in a way that will allow students to be well prepared to enter the workforce or to continue their education to obtain a graduate degree in Data Science.  With over 78% of companies using data analytics, our graduates from this project-based approach will be in high demand. The hybrid nature of the program, as well as our partnership with Rize Education, allows us to offer these courses taught by experts in the field that we would not be able to offer otherwise.  We are excited to see this program grow and prosper over the next few years.”

Data Analytics is expected to grow by 20% over the next decade, which is over 2.5x the national average. The major deemphasizes the excessive math our industry partners say doesn't meet the needs of real employers, and instead focuses on portfolio-building projects that impress hiring managers. By offering a refocused major, the program will allow students to have a better chance of landing a job in any industry using big data versus other programs that are only math-based.

For more information on the program, click here, or contact Steven Tedford