New Data Analytics Certificate Program Expands Options for Liberal Arts and Science Students

BSU Data Science & Analytics Initiative Targets Women and Minority Students to Become DSA Professionals

 

MEDIA CONTACT: Cassandra Robinson, crobinson@bowiestate.edu, 301-860-4336

(BOWIE, Md.) – Bowie State University will offer a new Upper Division Certificate in Data Analytics, the first of its kind at the university, as part of its Data Science & Analytics Initiative to increase the population of women and minorities entering into the Data Science & Analytics (DSA) workforce.

Beginning with the spring 2022 semester, the certificate program will be open to juniors and seniors in any discipline as well as students who wish to complement their existing bachelor’s degree program and earn the certification within the Data Analytics Concentration.

The upper division certificate program will focus on teaching students about data and its management and data analytics applications for problem-solving and decision-making using information technology. The program will benefit undergraduate students in majors such as finance, economics, marketing, accounting, information systems, mathematics, biology, chemistry, psychology, sociology, education, government and criminal justice.

“Introducing an upper division certificate in data analytics at Bowie State University supports the university’s mission to empower a diverse population of students to function effectively in a highly technical, data-driven and dynamic global community,” said Dr. Rand Obeidat, BSU Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator for Data Analytics, College of Business. “This new certification program specifically targets the creation of a diverse data science and analytical workforce to fill the existing talent gap in the nation in all of the DSA-enabled jobs, including data analyst and data engineering jobs.”

To earn the data analytics certificate, the core program requirements include four, 3-credit 300 and 400 level courses covering data management and processing, data visualization and data analytics for problem solving and decision support within the existing Bachelor of Science in business administration discipline. Additionally, a pre-requisite class is required.  

The field of data analytics focuses on problem and data understanding, identifying data, preparing data, analyzing data, interpreting results, and building models for solving problems and for decision-making purposes using methods, approaches, technologies, and tools. With advances in use of data and information technology in all sectors, competencies in data and analytics are increasingly becoming essential in all disciplines.

“The Upper Division Certificate in Data Analytics will transcend various skill sets needed across disciplines given your data governance structure,” said Dr. LaTanya Brown-Robertson, BSU Professor of Economics and Data Science and Analytics Lead, College of Business. “The certificate is an additional tool to enhance students’ existing major that they're pursuing, if needed, specifically for a job within this modern economy. It will give them versatility to be able to pursue more of a STEM trajectory than they otherwise wouldn't have thought.”

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About Bowie State University
Bowie State University (BSU) is an important higher education access portal for qualified persons from diverse academic and socioeconomic backgrounds, seeking a high-quality and affordable public comprehensive university. The university places special emphasis on the science, technology, cybersecurity, teacher education, business, and nursing disciplines within the context of a liberal arts education. For more information about BSU, visit bowiestate.edu.