The new department will open at the start of the next fiscal year
Michigan Technological University’s College of Computing will open a new Department of Data Science on Jul. 1, placing MTU among a small group of universities nationwide with a dedicated academic department focused on the rapidly growing field.
The new department formalizes a discipline that has already played a central role in the College of Computing since its founding in 2019. By establishing a dedicated department, Michigan Tech aims to strengthen its academic structure in one of the fastest-growing areas of computing and expand opportunities for students and research.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, data science ranks fifth among the 20 occupations expected to see the largest employment growth between 2024 and 2034. Demand for data scientists across all industries is projected to increase by 34 percent. The median annual salary for data science jobs reached $112,590 in 2024.
The Department of Data Science will become the third department within the College of Computing, alongside the Computer Science and Applied Computing departments. The new department is intended to clarify each department’s academic focus and support collaboration in emerging computing fields, such as Artificial Intelligence.
The Department of Computer Science will continue to focus on Software Engineering and foundational computing research while partnering with the Department of Data Science to advance Artificial Intelligence initiatives. The Department of Applied Computing will concentrate on programs such as Cybersecurity, Electrical Engineering Technology, Information Technology, and Mechatronics.
The Department of Data Science will oversee several of Michigan Tech’s existing degree programs. It will administer the B.S. and M.S. Data Science degrees, introduced in 2023 and 2014, respectively. The department will also house the university’s Master in Health Informatics.
University leaders say the new department reflects shifting student interests within computing fields. While computer science remains the largest major within the College of Computing, demand has grown for other programs in computing, such as data science and artificial intelligence.
Hands-on learning will remain a key component of the new department’s curriculum. Students will apply technical skills in areas such as machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data analytics to real-world applications across industries such as advanced manufacturing, electric vehicles, and health sciences.
University officials say the creation of the department provides a clearer academic home for data science at Michigan Tech while supporting collaboration across research programs and disciplines.
