New graduate certificate in data analytics gives students competitive edge in growing field

4 May 2016

Chris North talking to two Ph.D. students about dimensionality reduction methods for interactive visual text .analytics, to Ph.D. students Jessica Self and Maoyuan Sun. This is one of the curriculum topics for the new graduate certificate in data analytics. — Left to right, computer science Professor Chris North explains dimensionality reduction methods for interactive visual text analytics to Ph.D. students Jessica Self and Maoyuan Sun. This is one of the topics covered for the new graduate certificate in data analytics.

Beginning fall 2016, graduate students at Virginia Tech will be able to earn a graduate certificate in data analytics to better prepare them for careers in one of the nation’s fastest growing fields.

The 12 credit program -- open to students both in Blacksburg and in the National Capital Region -- is offered collaboratively by Virginia Tech’s computer science, electrical and computer engineering, and statistics departments and will be administered through the Discovery Analytics Center.

“With increasing demand for deeply technical expertise in data analytics and data science, Virginia Tech wants its students to have an edge when they compete for jobs in this field,” said Chris North, professor of computer science and associate director of the Discovery Analytics Center.

Students in the new data analytics certificate program will acquire in-depth technical skills that will enable them to understand the underlying technical fundamentals of data analytics, to develop new analytical methods, and to engineer new analytical tools.

“The certificate offers a broader view that combines computation, statistics, and engineering. An interdisciplinary approach is important to effectively support innovative development of big data analytics operations in industry, government, and academia and ultimately, to address the major challenges of today’s data intensive world,” North said.

Master’s degree, Ph.D., and non-degree-seeking students enrolled in the Virginia Tech Graduate School may apply to the data analytics certificate program.

Most courses are classroom-based, located on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg and in the National Capital Region. However, some courses are delivered via distance learning and online.

For more information on the program, contact Chris North.