Data Analytics/Economics

The Bachelor of Science degree in Data Analytics/Economics offers an excellent opportunity as a field of study. This can be seen from a strong labor market picture, together with a wide range of internship programs and opportunities, and rapidly growing enrollment trends at colleges and universities nationally and internationally. The skills attained through this program prepare students for entry-level positions across a number of industries and occupations, including healthcare, finance, public policy, real estate, environmental analysis, digital media, research and development, behavioral science, marketing, outcomes research, and banking. The program also prepares students who choose to go on to graduate studies, e.g., MBA, MPH, etc. Based upon several recent studies and the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook, jobs in data analytics are in high demand and will continue to grow as the volume of data rapidly expands.

Courses cover core areas in economics, data visualization and mapping, and statistics. To develop and sharpen ones computational foundation, necessary for work in quantitative analysis, students are required to take core mathematics and computer systems technology (CST) courses. These courses provide students with the skills needed to think critically and to understand and clearly communicate regarding the increasingly complex and advanced economic concepts and theory of real-world problems. Finally, the program requires students to participate in a semester-long internship or to conduct a research project.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the program should be able to

• develop a firm understanding of complex survey and non-survey data and expertise in working with large scale data sets. 

• develop ability to apply tools of econometrics and data science, and to use programming skills to analyze complex economic data and economic/social problems.

• develop, strengthen and apply critical thinking skills to economic analysis. 

• develop and effectively apply mathematical and problem-solving skills.

• develop ability to clearly and effectively communicate ideas orally and in writing.

• recognize and to understand the importance of identifying and applying ethical research standards and practices. 

• build a strong foundation in statistics, econometrics, and computational economics.

• build a foundation in fundamental economic concepts and theoretical frameworks.

• develop ability to apply critical thinking skills to economic analysis employing complex datasets.