Data Analytics

Data Analysts gather, analyze, and interpret data to make data-driven predictions or decisions. Skills and related topics include database management and security, project management, machine learning, big data, data mining, data extraction, data manipulation, data analysis, and data visualization. Analysts communicate analytical results and recommendations to technical and non-technical audiences.

Concord University’s Data Analytics curriculum provides students with the technical abilities and professional skills to gather, analyze and interpret data, facilitating decision-making. Students will be introduced to a wide range of data analysis concepts such as database management and security, project management, machine learning, big data, data mining, data extraction, manipulation, analysis and visualization. Students will develop the skills to communicate analytical results and recommendations to technical and non-technical audiences. This program helps students develop the skills and knowledge to extract meaningful and useful information from raw data to make data-driven predictions or decisions.

Students take a common core of courses, but then choose one of five elective concentrations: Accounting, Finance, Mathematics, Geospatial Science, or Interdisciplinary.

Image by Tung Nguyen from Pixabay

The degree is designed with recommendations from professional organizations such as the Association for Computing Machinery and the American Statistical Association. We will continue Concord’s commitment to affordable, quality education. Our program will feature close interaction among students and their peers, and among students and instructors, as well as instruction by full-time faculty. We will provide experiences with up-to-date technology and concepts in addition to preparing students with an array of soft skills to help them succeed in the workplace. Through our interactions and coursework, we will mentor students so that they are prepared to become life-long learners who can adapt to rapid change in the industry.

Students will learn methods, tools, and algorithms used in modern data analysis and analytics. This program will provide undergraduates with a comprehensive foundation in cutting-edge data analytic techniques, with a focus on fundamentals. The program prepares students for careers in a wide variety of fields and graduate school.

  1. Analyze a complex computing problem and to apply principles of computing and other relevant disciplines to identify solutions.
  2. Design, implement, and evaluate a computing-based solution to meet a given set of computing requirements in the context of the program’s discipline.
  3. Communicate effectively in a variety of professional contexts.
  4. Recognize professional responsibilities and make informed judgments in computing practice based on legal and ethical principles.
  5. Function effectively as a member or leader of a team engaged in activities appropriate to the program’s discipline.
  6. Apply theory, techniques, and tools throughout the data science lifecycle and employ the resulting knowledge to satisfy stakeholders’ needs.

  • Rapidly growing field
  • Jobs in multiple fields
  • Strong, competitive salaries
  • Decision making and problem solving
  • Data is everywhere

A Bachelor’s degree in Data Analytics will position students for well-paying careers in a wide variety of fields, where the number of jobs is projected in increase rapidly both nationally and in West Virginia.

Organizations of all sizes and industries need skilled data analysts to collect, clean, analyze, and interpret data. Data Analytics employment opportunities can be found in various sectors, including business, finance, criminal justice, science, medicine, and government.

Inside West Virginia, there are several companies and government agencies that offer Data Analytics employment opportunities. The WV Division of Personnel lists multiple positions for Data Analysts across the state, including Environmental Resources Analyst, Technical Analyst, Programmer Analyst, Utilities Analyst, and Investment Analyst. Companies like American Electric Power, United Bank, Leidos, WesBanco, and IBM are potential employers. Federal positions for Analysts include the US Departments of the Treasury, Homeland Security, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, and the National Security Agency.

Outside of West Virginia, there are numerous opportunities for Data Analytics professionals across the United States. With the increasing use of remote work and cloud computing, many analysis jobs can be performed remotely from anywhere in the country or even the world.