Michigan Technological University's College of Computing will officially launch its new Department of Data Science on July 1, becoming one of a handful of institutions across the nation with an academic department dedicated to the growing and in-demand discipline.
While the department is new, data science education and research have been an integral part of the College of Computing's focus since it was founded in 2019.
Data scientist is one of the United States' fastest-growing occupations. It's currently ranked fifth by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics among the 20 occupations with the highest projected increase in employment from 2024 to 2034. The need for data scientists across industry sectors is expected to grow by 34%. In 2024, the latest year for which data is available, the median pay for jobs in data science was $112,590 per year.
Preparations to create a separate Department of Data Science (DS) have been in the works for quite some time, said Dennis Livesay, dean of the College of Computing.
"We've been working toward it since I arrived," he said. "Along the way, we've been gathering the assets needed to make sure the new department was successful."
"You can count the colleges of computing that explicitly put 'Data Science' in the department name on one hand. That distinction matters because it reflects our dedication to DS as a core, foundational pillar of the future."
The Department of Data Science will join the College's departments of Computer Science (CS) and Applied Computing (AC). Livesay sees benefits for all three entities.
"CS and AC will finally be able to focus on their core identities. For the CS department, this means a sharpened mission around computer science and software engineering, while partnering with the data science department to lead our artificial intelligence initiatives," he said. The impact is even more significant for the applied computing department, he noted, as it more closely defines its unique contributions to the College through foundational programs including cybersecurity, electrical engineering technology, information technology and mechatronics.
The new data science department will house one bachelor's degree program and two of Tech's graduate degree programs. It will administer the Bachelor of Science in Data Science, which was created in 2023, and the Master of Science in Data Science that preceded it in 2014. It will also be home to the University's Master of Science in Health Informatics. A new bachelor's degree program in artificial intelligence (AI), currently undergoing the University approval process, is projected to join them in fall 2026. It will be jointly administered with the computer science department.
Health informatics is a broad field with far-ranging effects on health, bringing down costs for patients and providers and helping health care teams and their patients to make better decisions. It combines information technology and computer science with clinical expertise and management. As Livesay explained it, "You can think of health informatics programs as biomedical data science. Unifying our data science and health informatics faculty will make identifying and implementing efficiencies much easier."
Livesay said the reorganization positions the College to better align its resources with the fastest-growing areas in the computing field.
"Computer science remains our largest major — and one of the largest on campus," said Livesay. "Even with recent headwinds, that isn't likely to change," he added, referring to widespread and ongoing speculation related to how AI affects careers in computing. "However, students are increasingly looking for a broader range of computing opportunities, specifically in data science, AI and other more applied and focused areas."
He's excited about the potential for expanded enrollment reach, noting that 50% of students enrolled in data science are women, although women comprise just 17% of total student enrollment in the College of Computing.
Livesay also said that Michigan Tech's renowned hands-on approach to learning across all of the University's degree programs will be a mainstay in the new data science department.
"We don't just teach the technical fundamentals like artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics and data wrangling as abstract tools; we pair them directly with real-world context," said Livesay. "Whether our students are diving into advanced manufacturing, the EV (electric vehicle) industry or health sciences, they aren't just 'processing data.' They are learning the deep context of the problems they're solving."
Livesay said that the implications of the new department are both simple and profound for Tech's current and prospective students, faculty and research projects.
"It's the difference between having a collection of related programs and finally having a home for the discipline. Students will become part of a department that treats data science as the discipline it is," he said. "We're building a dedicated intellectual community and providing a clear, recognizable home where partners from across the University know exactly where to go to find the DS expertise they need. We aren't just 'doing' data science anymore; we're defining what it looks like when it's built into the very architecture of a computing college."
Livesay added that the most exciting aspect of the new department is yet to come. "I'm looking forward to what our students and faculty accomplish next. Both are amazing and I'm sure they'll surprise and impress us all."
Michigan Technological University is an R1 public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, and is home to nearly 7,500 students from more than 60 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan's flagship technological university offers more than 185 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
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