First Data Science B.S. Degree Graduates Praise Faculty Support, Prospects

Data has always fascinated recent Middle Tennessee State University graduate Musa Touray, so his interest was piqued when he saw that MTSU started offering data science concentrations a few years ago.

The university then transitioned to data science being offered as a full undergraduate degree program not long after, a perfect fit for Touray — one of the first three graduates from the interdisciplinary program who walked the stage inside Murphy Center just over a month ago.

A West African native and Nashville, resident, Touray was joined by fellow data science graduates and Franklin, Tennessee, residents David Jean and Kevin Smalley. They enter a job market where entry-level salaries average $70,000 to $85,000 for “data scientists” skilled at analyzing and interpreting data.

Led by Ryan Otter, director of the Data Science Institute, and associate professor Lisa Green, director of the data science undergraduate program, the university’s data science program recently received approval to launch a master’s degree program this fall to complement the incorporation of data science into its doctoral program in computational science and its certificate program launched a few years ago.

“The graduation of these three students is a significant milestone for the undergraduate data science program,” Green said. “We are so proud that our graduates are at such a high standard. These students will represent MTSU well.”

“MTSU invested early into data science, and now with the launching of the M.S. degree, we are very excited to offer the full array of academic programs so students and professionals be trained at all levels, from B.S. degrees to graduate certificates to Ph.D.’s in data science.

‘Hot field … lot of opportunity’

Nashville and the Midstate are home to a litany of health care and financial services companies, logistics and similar industries that rely on data. One such industry is logistics behemoth Amazon, which has offered Touray an operational manager’s position that he’s considering along with other offers facilitated through a talent recruitment agency.

Touray likes the interdisciplinary nature of data science in that it encompasses a convergence of computer science, statistics and business.

“For me, it’s all about history. When you go to high school, and they give you a history class, the reason they teach you that is to know where you’re going,” said Touray, whose degree included a business intelligence cognate with a minor in statistics. “Because if you don’t where you’re from you will not know where you’re headed. That’s what data is all about.”

Fellow graduate Jean, who also earned his bachelor’s in data science with a business intelligence cognate, transferred to MTSU from Columbia State Community College as an information systems major. Upon learning of the university’s creation of the full data science major, “it just seemed like a logical step,” he said.

“It’s a hot field with a lot of opportunity, and I felt it was a good time to hop on that boat,” he said, adding that MTSU professors and advisors “really help you get a degree that’s highly customizable and that’s a perfect fit for you. The faculty have been great and really supportive of the program.”

Jean is continuing a paid internship at the Data Science Institute this summer, then will start the university’s new master’s degree in data science in the fall. He said pursuing his master’s will help him determine whether he wants to move into industry or pursue a doctorate.

Touray said he’s been accepted into MTSU’s graduate program in business intelligence and plans to start taking classes this year while he continues to work full time.

Meanwhile, Smalley is also excited about his prospects in the job market. He’s searching for full-time employment, preferring to stay in the Southeast if possible but open “to wherever I can get a cool job.”

For more information about MTSU’s Data Science Program, visit https://www.mtsu.edu/datascience/index.php or email [email protected].