The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) has approved a new Bachelor of Science in data analytics program to be offered at Concord University starting in Fall 2024. Students will take a common core of courses and choose one of five elective concentrations: accounting, finance, mathematics, geospatial science or interdisciplinary. This program will provide the skills and knowledge to extract useful information from raw data to make data-driven predictions or decisions and communicate analytical results and recommendations to technical and non-technical audiences. Through interactions and coursework, students will be prepared to become life-long learners who can adapt to change in this rapidly growing industry.
The degree program has been designed with recommendations from professional organizations such as the Association for Computing Machinery and the American Statistical Association. A bachelor’s degree in data analytics will position students for well-paying careers in a wide variety of fields, where the number of jobs is projected to increase rapidly both nationally and in West Virginia. Organizations of all sizes and industries need skilled data analysts to collect, clean, analyze and interpret data. Data Analytics employment opportunities can be found in various sectors, including business, finance, criminal justice, science, medicine and government.
Inside West Virginia, there are several companies and government agencies that offer data analytics employment opportunities. Companies like American Electric Power, United Bank, Leidos, WesBanco and IBM are potential employers. Federal positions for analysts include the United States Departments of the Treasury, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation and the National Security Agency.
Outside of West Virginia, there are numerous opportunities for data analytics professionals across the United States. With the increasing use of remote work and cloud computing, many analysis jobs can be performed remotely from anywhere in the country or even the world.
To learn more about the data analytics program at Concord University, visit concord.edu/DA, or contact Lisa Darlington, professor of mathematics and department chair at 304-384-5284 or ldarlington@concord.edu.
