Undergraduate Students
Data science is a new discipline, however the fundamentals and technologies have been maturing for years. The two most commonly used programming languages in the field are Python and R, both of which have been around for decades. Students in Loyola's data science program learn how to leverage these mature programming languages to turn messy web data into clean data and provide the knowledge of how to apply sophisticated statistical modeling to uncover problems and find solutions.
From Loyola's Jesuit background, the program also provides students the opportunity to learn about the ethical implications of the work they will do as data scientist. The school's strong commitment to social justice leads the program to encourage students to engage with nonprofits. And the program is interdisciplinary—students learn from faculty in business, statistics, and computer science—providing different perspectives and approaches to the field.
The program has 12 required courses and 3 electives. The program concludes with a capstone project where students apply the skills they have acquired in the program to a real world project working with an external client. The program highlights the ethical dilemmas data scientists face and the hurdles and challenges that occur in a corporate environment.
Students who graduate from our program walk away with immediately applicable skills and expertise to collect, process and analyze data to benefit organizations and businesses. They also enjoy a lucrative starting salary and a rewarding career as part of Loyola's 20,000, and ever-growing, graduate alumni network.