Program responds to soaring industry demand for data-literate employees
Lawrence University announced it will launch a new Data Science & Statistics major beginning with the Fall 2026 academic term. The program builds upon the success of the minor, which has seen consistently high interest and enrollment since it was established in 2020.
“Data has become a common currency across industries,” said Andrew Sage, associate professor of statistics. “It empowers business leaders and healthcare professionals to identify trends, make informed decisions, strengthen competitive advantage, and improve people’s lives. Employees with the ability to manage and draw insights from increasingly large and complex datasets are indispensable to employers.”
Career prospects are very promising for graduates of this in-demand degree program. Employment of data scientists is projected to grow 34 percent from 2024 to 2034, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, much faster than the average for all occupations. As a result, data scientists can anticipate high earning potential and abundant employment opportunities across multiple industries.
A unique intersection of technical and interpersonal skills
The Data Science & Statistics major at Lawrence University is an interdisciplinary program that creates a formal structure for leveraging the strengths of multiple areas of study. Drawing on core courses in mathematics, statistics, computer science, and related disciplines, such as biology and economics, students develop the computational skills, mathematical foundations, and advanced statistical techniques that comprise the data science discipline.
“The interdisciplinary structure of our Data Science & Statistics major allows students to customize their degree program around their academic and future career interests,” said Peter Blitstein, provost and dean of the faculty. “In this program grounded in the liberal arts and sciences, students learn core technical skills for data analysis while also strengthening professional skills in critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and ethical decision-making.”
The Data Science & Statistics major is a natural fit for Lawrence students because its interdisciplinary structure allows students to customize the major around their academic interests and career goals. For example, a student interested in health sciences might take electives in bioinformatics and experimental design. A student interested in economics and finance might take econometrics and a data visualization course. That flexibility allows students to hone their skills to their specific area of interest.
Lawrence’s local and regional partnerships also open pathways for students to apply their knowledge in actual practice. The major culminates in a capstone experience in which they conduct hands-on analysis of real data, often in collaboration with a community organization. Through internships, guest lecturers, field studies and other applied learning opportunities, students build a professional portfolio while they are in school that prepares them for rewarding careers after graduation or acceptance into the nation’s top graduate schools.
For more information about Data Science & Statistics or other degree programs at Lawrence University, contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@lawrence.edu or 920.832.6652.
