University of Puget Sound Announces New Interdisciplinary Data Analytics Minor

Submitted by By Veronica Craker, University of Puget Sound.

The University of Puget Sound will launch an Interdisciplinary Data Analytics minor in Fall 2025, equipping students with the skills needed to navigate the growing world of big data, artificial intelligence, and data-driven decision-making.

The new minor offers an interdisciplinary approach, allowing students to explore data analysis within their specific fields of interest. With course contributions from eight different departments, students will learn to analyze, model, interpret, and communicate insights from data, preparing them to address challenges in a variety of fields such as sociology, physical sciences, economics, business, public health, and education.

“Every single job involves looking at data and interpreting data and visualizing data,” said Marissa Masden, assistant professor in data analytics, mathematics, and computer science. “This minor empowers students to identify patterns in data, draw their own conclusions, and produce meaningful narratives.”

The data analytics minor was designed to align with Puget Sound’s educational goals while adhering to core competencies set by leading organizations such as the American Statistical Association (ASA), the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS), and the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). The curriculum balances technical proficiency with ethical decision-making, featuring courses like DATA 160, an introduction to Python for data analysis, and DATA 260, which covers managing and analyzing large datasets.

These courses emphasize industry-recommended competencies, ensuring students gain practical skills alongside a strong conceptual foundation. A unique feature of the program is the required ethics course, PHIL 286, which explores responsible data usage and its societal impacts. By integrating technical training with ethical considerations, the minor prepares students to navigate the complexities of a data-driven world with confidence and integrity.

“We need to consider not just how our own data is used, but also what we do when we have access to data and how that impacts the people whose data we use,” Masden said. “The ethics component is crucial in shaping students’ understanding of data analytics.”

The launch of the Interdisciplinary Data Analytics minor has been a passion project for Puget Sound Trustee Nicholas Vasilius ’07 who has long recognized the critical importance of data analytics skills for today’s graduates.

“This marks a significant milestone for the university,” Vasilius said. “It equips students with critical analytical skills to prepare them for data-driven careers across multiple fields.”

Vasilius recognizes the minor’s vital role in preparing students for the modern workforce. His efforts, coupled with support from the university and fellow trustees, were instrumental in bringing this interdisciplinary program to fruition. The minor’s design, which allows for course overlap with the university’s core requirements, reflects a commitment to flexibility, ensuring students can seamlessly integrate data analytics into their academic journeys.

Students interested in learning more about the Interdisciplinary Data Analytics minor are encouraged to visit the Interdisciplinary Data Analytics webpage.