BA/BS in Data Analytics

Ball State's data analytics major, a science bachelor's degree, comes from the sciences and humanities college. The degree draws on four fields: computer science, statistics, mathematics and the visual display of information. Most instruction takes place on campus, and a good number of courses can also be taken online. Students select one of five concentrations, each aimed at a different application area. The options are computational, environmental systems, health, media, and social and behavioral analytics. The environmental systems track can be finished entirely through online study. A shared curriculum runs beneath all five tracks. It introduces programming fundamentals, the management of projects, and the ethical and social issues that arise when technology is used to collect and interpret information. Specific course requirements and the technical tools students use differ by concentration and by catalog year, so advisors and the course catalog are the places to confirm details. Students in the computational track who meet the standards may apply to the university's accelerated master's option or to another graduate program.