The program will focus on both cutting-edge technical skills and essential "soft" skills—like effective communication and collaboration—that are best taught and learned in on-site programs, not online.

"Our program is designed to prepare the next generation of data scientists and analytics professionals," says program coordinator Jeremiah W. Johnson, a senior lecturer in mathematics. "It will incorporate experiential education, professional development, and projects and work experience at a greater level than that typically seen in a bachelor of science program."

Another important feature that sets the UNH Manchester program apart: students will use the industry-standard software, SAS, developed by the Statistical Analysis System Institute for use in advanced analytics, business intelligence, data management, and predictive analytics. Students will have the opportunity to qualify for SAS certification, greatly enhancing their employment prospects.

The goal, Johnson says, is "to prepare students for a seamless transition to the workplace."

Intense Demand for Data Analysts
The demand for qualified analytics professionals is growing rapidly, says Johnson, at the local, regional, and national levels, and across all sectors of the economy.

With data the chief product of the digital era, industries from finance to engineering to health care are wrestling with how to distill and analyze the vast quantities of it available, and hiring analytics professionals to help them do it.

Johnson points to research from the McKinsey Global Institute indicating that by 2018, the U.S. will face a shortage of between 140,000 to 190,000 people with the technical skills necessary to work effectively with data. That need is especially critical at the bachelor's degree level, according to the Education Advisory Board, which documented a 32 percent increase in demand for college graduates with data analytics skills from 2010 to 2013.

The need for analytics professionals with various levels of education was confirmed by a series of focus groups that UNH faculty conducted with executives from across New England, as well as business leaders in Manchester. Executives also cited the need for professional skills such as critical thinking, the ability to present information effectively, and to work well in groups.

What Students Will Learn
Johnson emphasizes that the new UNH Manchester analytics program is not just for hard-core computer jocks. "It's designed to start at the level of calculus and with an introductory programming course," he explains. Nor, he adds, is the program targeted to a single industry. "It provides a flexible, practical skill set that can be applied widely. If you like problem solving and thinking quantitatively, you can use data analytics in broad range of fields."

Following foundational courses in computer science, mathematics, and business, analytics majors will take a sequence of five data analytics courses, all of which will incorporate the kind of team-based projects found in business settings—particularly the capstone course, where students will team up to solve a real-world analytics problem. They will also complete a professional internship, and take a series of specialization courses (for example, in economics or biological sciences) to give them discipline-specific expertise.
Students will learn:

• How data is used in guiding decision-making in industry;
• How data is generated, stored, and accessed, and data security maintained;
• How to use statistical methods to derive actionable information from data;
• How to use multiple programming languages, including Python and R;
• How to use multiple statistical and data analysis software programs, including SAS;
• How to communicate detailed, technical information to a variety of audiences clearly and concisely, without the use of jargon;
• How to work effectively, both as an individual or as a member of a team;
• How to successfully lead a team; and
• How to adapt to a dynamic, rapidly changing work environment.

However workplaces evolve, says Johnson, "there's only going to be more and more demand for people who can work with computers and data at a high level. This is a cutting-edge field, and our graduates are going to be right there at the forefront."