CONWAY, Ark. (March 5, 2018)
– Hendrix College will offer a new minor degree in Data Analytics, beginning with
the 2018-19 academic year. The new minor was approved by the Hendrix College
Board of Trustees at their February meeting.
Hendrix is one of only four
Associated Colleges of the South member institutions with a data analytics
minor. Hendrix offers 33 majors and 35 minors, in addition to a master of arts
in accounting.
“There is a tremendous
amount of data out there that is stored, and a tremendous need for people to
find meaning in it. There’s more data than there are people to examine it,”
said Dr. Gabriel Ferrer, Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science and
chair of the Department. “Demand for data analysis professionals is high, and
we can help with the supply. We want to equip students with the skills they
need to help people get valuable information from data.”
The Data Analytics minor requires
that students study computer science, then draw from a range of elective
courses, with options from mathematics, psychology, sociology and anthropology,
biology, economics and business, and politics. Electives may focus on developing
skills in computing and statistics, or introduce students to areas of the
physical or social sciences with needs for applying statistical knowledge.
Faculty recommended the new
minor at their January meeting, citing work already underway in multiple
departments that gives students opportunities to examine data and determine
effective ways to use it. For example, a new course in Computational Humanities
offered by the computer science department is exploring a variety of data
across multiple disciplines.
“Right now, my students are
learning techniques for analyzing and visualizing textual information,” said
Dr. Mark Goadrich, Associate Professor of Computer Science. “Using data
analysis, they are clustering a corpus of literature and poetry based on
semantic content and writing style, and revealing some unexpected connections.”
“We see this program
complementing existing majors, and we’re confident that it will bridge
computational, mathematical, and statistical tools with the various contexts
that can benefit from the examination of data,” Ferrer said. “And of course, learning
to think about and interpret the underlying meaning of information fits with
the spirit of a strong liberal arts education.”
For information on course requirements
for the new Data Analytics minor, contact Ferrer at 501-450-3879 or ferrer@hendrix.edu.
About
Hendrix College
A private liberal arts
college in Conway, Arkansas, Hendrix College consistently earns recognition as
one of the country’s leading liberal arts institutions, and is featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That
Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges. Its academic quality and
rigor, innovation, and value have established Hendrix as a fixture in numerous
college guides, lists, and rankings. Founded in 1876, Hendrix has been
affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. To learn more, visit www.hendrix.edu.