New Data Science program will expand post-grad career opportunities

For the first time this fall, MSU is offering students a Data Science Bachelor’s degree program. This program, which was previously offered by the Gianforte School of Computing as a minor, is expected to appeal to a variety of students.

The new Data Science program was brought to life by John Paxton, the director of and a professor in the Gianforte School of Computing. Paxton has been working on its development for three years. He explained that this program is an intersection of statistics, computer science and advanced math.

“The idea in general behind being a data scientist is you learn how to take information that's being generated from various sources — so it could be your smartphone, it could be a sensor for the environment, it could be as simple as one of those little hoses that goes across campus that counts the number of bikes that roll over it — and you're trying to put the information together in such a way that you can make more informed choices,” Paxton said.

Paxton said he had no doubts the new program would be a success, as around 20 to 25 students already declare a Data Science minor each year. “I think there will be students who might come to MSU because it has a data science program, maybe they would have chosen not to come here if we didn't [have one],” Paxton said.

He stated that many students have already switched their major to Data Science. As the program is so versatile, many students will have the chance to explore Data Science as a double major or minor, according to Paxton.

Data science careers are in high demand and offer many graduates high-paying jobs. Both of these factors are expected to appeal to incoming students who have an interest in computing, statistics and math.

“Almost every company is scrambling to hire people with data science skills,” Paxton said. There are 18 credits of application for students to gain additional knowledge in an area they are interested in. Paxton explained that students can customize their degree depending on this area.

Earning a degree in Data Science will give students a wide variety of paths to pursue post-grad. Careers in data science can include urban planning, medicine and even working in finance.

Paxton clarified that the program does not stand alone in the Gianforte School of Computing, but rather is partnered with the Department of Mathematical Sciences, which requires foundational courses in math and statistics.

In addition to this, the College of Business is contributing two courses to the major and the MSU Library is also contributing a course on big data ethics. This course teaches students about anonymizing data, individuals’ privacy and consideration of ethics when handling massive amounts of data. There is even a required technical writing course.

“I think in today's world, every university needs to offer Data Science,” Paxton said.

The students of this new program will do some of their learning in Gianforte Hall, the new School of Computing building currently under construction. Gianforte Hall will be located in MSU’s South Campus Energy District, which currently includes Norm Asbjornson Hall, Romney Hall and the new Student Wellness Center. Construction is expected to be completed in 2026.

“The computer science degrees, this new Data Science degree, a lot of the people involved in those programs will be in that building,” Paxton explained. The exciting addition to campus will house data science and machine learning classrooms, both of which are concentrations within the new program.

“If you enjoy math, statistics and computers and if you want to have a future-proof career that will be in demand for your entire life that can improve the world to be a better place and that incidentally will pay you well, then you may want to consider a Data Science major,” Paxton said.