Meredith College to Offer Major in Statistical and Data Sciences

Meredith College will offer a new major in statistical and data sciences beginning Fall 2025. 

Meredith’s Statistical and Data Sciences major will allow students to gain experience in making data-driven decisions using advanced data science techniques. Students in this program will also develop a solid foundation in the core statistics, mathematics, and computer science principles essential for a successful career.

Data science is a growing career field as data has become more integrated into our daily lives. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 36% growth in the data science job sector between 2023 and 2033.

There are data science applications in essentially every field, including finance, political science, education, public health, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, data mining, data visualization, software engineering, and artificial intelligence.

“Everything in our world has changed dramatically because of our ability to generate and access data. Meredith College is dedicated to being at the forefront of data education, preparing our students for career opportunities in this pervasive and exciting field,” said Dr. Emily Lada, who will serve as program coordinator. 

Meredith’s new program will build on the College’s long history of strength in STEM fields. Lada has more than 14 years of extensive data science industry experience.

“This new program pulls from areas that we have a strong foundation in, including mathematics, statistics, and computer science, built collaboratively within a single department,” said Dr. Jennifer Hontz, chair of the department of mathematics and computer science, which houses the new major. “The data science program builds on that foundation and is a natural extension of our department’s program offerings.”