Middle Tennessee State University is exploring the creation of a new bachelor of science degree in data science, the institution’s Board of Trustees learned at its quarterly meeting Tuesday.

Pam Wright, chair of the board’s Academic Affairs, Student Life and Athletics Committee, told trustees of the administration’s intent to submit letters of notification to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission for the new degree, pending results of ongoing feasibility studies.

MTSU in May announced the creation of a Data Science Institute, led by Charlie Apigian, a professor of information systems and analytics in MTSU’s Jones College of Business, to promote funded interdisciplinary research and develop public and private collaborations around the emerging field of “big data.”

MTSU WordmarkThe degree would build upon many of the attributes of the new institute, which now seeks ways to collect, store and analyze raw data from multiple sources and study it to determine ways to increase efficiency, analyze problems and make better decisions.

In other actions Tuesday, the trustees approved expedited tenure for two new faculty hires, professor Anne Anderson in Economics and Finance and professor Cathy McElderry in Social Work.

They also heard a presentation by Jones College Dean David Urban about numerous activities and progress by the college, including a Sept. 28 leadership summit, open to the public, that will feature nationally known speakers John O’Leary and Mel Robbins. (Read more)

For more information about the MTSU Board of Trustees, go to mtsu.edu/boardoftrustees.

— Andrew Oppmann (andrew.oppmann@mtsu.edu)