About Us

The interdisciplinary School of Data Science allows UNC Charlotte to expand its programs in the field and open up the growing and diverse field of data science to students with varied career interests. In 2013, the University’s Data Science Initiative was one of six game-changing proposals funded by the North Carolina General Assembly and the UNC Board of Governors. It continues to be a top priority for the University, and faculty engaged in data science-related research have received nearly $20 million in state and industry funding.

UNC Charlotte’s School of Data Science is a collaboration among the College of Computing and Informatics, the Belk College of Business, the College of Health and Human Services, the College of Science, the College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences, and the William States Lee College of Engineering. Its interdisciplinary approach recognizes the evolution of data science in many industries and the need for multiple skillsets among business managers, social scientists, government officials, statisticians, health care leaders, and many others to create meaning from data.

The opening of UNC Charlotte’s School of Data Science responded directly to job demand in Charlotte, throughout the state, and the country, as jobs in data science outstretched the number of qualified candidates. In 2018, the United States experienced a shortage of 151,000 data scientists and by 2025, experts indicated that the gap would increase to 250,000 jobs.

Click the button below for an interactive timeline of the School of Data Science’s history