UMGC Launches Online Master's Program In Data Analytics

High Demand for Data Analysts and Data Scientists Drive Creation of Flexible and Convenient Program for Busy Professionals

A new online master's program at University of Maryland Global Campus has been launched to help managers excel in the brave new world of “big data,” which is requiring businesses to gather, understand and use large streams of data and information to make decisions.

The Master of Science in data analytics program is designed to prepare early and mid-career professionals with skills to take on roles such as marketing analyst or data scientist, which Harvard Business Review described as the “sexiest job of the 21st century.”

Employment surveys indicate that the demand for data analytics jobs in the Washington-Baltimore region in sectors from health care to cybersecurity will continue to outpace supply of qualified applicants. Nationally, a recent McKinsey Global Institute report says the U.S. faces a significant shortage of data analytics professionals.

“The ability for managers to turn data into powerful knowledge and insights is essential to the success of businesses in virtually every sector of the economy,” said Marie Cini, provost and senior vice president of academic affairs. “And UMGC’s online program in data analytics was designed to be flexible and convenient for busy professionals to gain the skills that will set them apart and advance their career.”

UMGC’s data analytics program is the first such online master’s degree program in the state university system.

The program will focus on areas such as data mining strategies, predictive modeling, managing the quality, security and privacy of data; managing data analytics projects; and tackling industry- and organization-specific problems and challenges.

The curriculum covers sophisticated software tools and functions such as data mining, predictive modeling and visual analytics using large data sets.

UMGC’s new M.S. in data analytics program is now accepting students for classes beginning in fall 2013. Visit www.umgc.edu/data for more information about the program, including application deadlines and admission requirements.