New Programs: Master of Science in Data Science & Master of Science in Business Analytics

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – 11/1/2016 – To address the growing demand for high caliber data scientists and business analysts, Merrimack College is launching an online Master of Science in Data Science and Master of Science in Business Analytics program. These degrees are offered through a unique interdisciplinary partnership between the School of Science and Engineering and the Girard School of Business. Offered online, the programs provide an employer-aligned curriculum designed for busy working professionals.

“Merrimack College is committed to providing the highest quality education to all students. For busy working adult professionals, our online Data Science and Business Analytics Masters programs offer a unique opportunity to learn in a flexible and convenient environment. Our graduates will be prepared to take on critical management positions and become leaders in the growing field of data science and business analytics,” said Allan T. Weatherwax, Dean of the School of Science and Engineering.

High Industry Demand

The launch of the Merrimack College Master of Science in Data Science and Master of Science in Business Analytics programs coincide with a growing demand for leaders in these rapidly evolving fields. The McKinsey Global Institute agrees, “Demand for deep analytical talent in the United States could be 50 to 60 percent greater than its projected supply by 2018. The result may be a shortage of 140,000 to 190,000 people with deep analytical skills.”

Critical input from a broad range of industry experts and employers enables the Merrimack Data Science and Business Analytics programs to be tightly aligned with industry needs. Leading industry experts and employers contributed to our program’s curriculum. Thus ensuring students will develop the skills and knowledge most valuable to employers. Merrimack’s innovative online programs produce graduates who are poised to become leaders in the fields of Data Science and Business Analytics.

“There’s clearly a critical need for a high quality program like this in the Boston-area that can meet both employer demand and employer-determined competencies,” said Mark Cordano, Dean of the Girard School of Business.” That’s exactly why this program was designed with industry leaders to ensure the curriculum is focused on mastering the advanced analytical and business decision making skills that employers are looking for when making hiring and promotion decisions.”

Details About the Degrees

Graduates typically complete the program in fifteen months. Highly personalized, these degrees blend real-time, faculty-led sessions with self-paced learning elements to ensure maximum flexibility. Eight courses are offered in 8-week formats with multiple enrollment points throughout the year. Students learn from faculty who are practitioners and have experience in the fields of data science and business analytics. A dedicated success coach also guides students through the curriculum.

Course projects and assignments are based on authentic, real-world data issues allowing students to use cutting edge tools and approaches while providing real world business scenarios and data sets. The curriculum is infused with examples from their own professional experience to provide practical knowledge and problem solving skills that can be utilized in their current organization while earning their degree.

Enrollment is now open for the first session, which begins in January. For more information about the Merrimack College Master of Science in Data Science or Master of Science in Business Analytics programs, visit the program pages.