New Grad Degrees in Data Science & Business Analytics

This year will bring forward new master’s degree programs at Wentworth Institute of Technology that are focused on two very in-demand fields: data science and business analytics. 

An unprecedented amount of data is currently being produced within companies and organizations, and employers are clamoring for trained professionals who can interpret and make the most of that data. 

“We’ve conducted extensive market research and have heard directly from folks in industry—there is high demand and these two degrees will set up our graduates for very successful careers,” said Dean of Graduate Education Durga Suresh-Menon.  

The Master of Science in Data Science degree will help students develop computational programming abilities to represent and explore data. Data science is particularly in demand in the fields of biomedical sciences, financial services and marketing, with 21-28% projected employment growth in top data science occupations.  

Graduates of the new degree program, according to Suresh-Menon, will master the use of statistical data analysis techniques and quantitative modelling and gain hands-on experience applying data munging/management principles to extract, load, process and transform real-world data. Ethical consequences of data-informed decision-making and how to communicate data findings effectively will also be illustrated.  

Students earning the Master of Science in Business Analytics degree will learn to prepare data-informed solutions to business-related challenges and implement actionable business strategies based on quantitative modelling.  

Top jobs for master’s-level business analytics professionals include: 

• Software Engineers 

• Data Scientists 

• Research Analyst 

• Data Engineers 

• Business Analyst 

Occupations awaiting master’s-level data science professionals include: 

• Software Engineers 

• Data Scientists 

• Research Analyst 

• Data Engineers 

• Product Managers 

Both degree programs will be offered completely online. Fall 2021 is the projected start date. 

“We obviously live in a fast-paced, ever-changing world and people have many different schedules,” said Suresh-Menon. “Having the fully online option affords so much more freedom, so much more flexibility for students.” 

In addition, the program will draw on several disciplines to provide a well-rounded, flexible experience. Electives from a cross-section of disciplines and schools will be offered including Applied Mathematics, Computer Science & Networking, Humanities & Social Sciences, Management, and Sciences. 

“The demand for job applicants with master’s degrees jumped by 50% within the last three years,” Suresh-Menon said. “And these disciplines are among the fastest-growing fields in today’s job market. We’re very excited to be offering them at the graduate level.”