Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Academic Programs Data Science topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
UA trustees approve School of Data Science and new public-policy degrees
Summary
The University of Alabama System board approved final authorization for a School of Data Science at UA and final approvals for a master’s and bachelor’s in public policy; trustees and presenters said the programs aim to align degrees with workforce needs and launch in fall 2027 pending ACH approval.
The University of Alabama System board on June 12 approved the creation of a School of Data Science at the University of Alabama and granted final approval for a Master of Public Policy and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy.
Dr. Peter Mohler, president of the University of Alabama, told trustees the School of Data Science will offer bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees and serve as “a hub that interacts with faculty across all of our colleges” and connect students with industry, government and research partners. “The School of Data Science will allow students to gain both deep technical expertise and hands-on experience,” Mohler said.
Dr. Tangjanita Johnson, presenting the UA academic items, said the public-policy programs were previously given initial approval in February and that Alabama Commission on Higher Education staff were expected to recommend final approval; both programs, she said, are planned for implementation in fall 2027. “This program is expected to prepare graduates for careers in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors,” Johnson said of the master’s proposal.
The board also played a prerecorded endorsement from Nan Bowden, a 1986 UA graduate who cited data literacy and high-performance computing as reasons the school would “prepare graduates for the future workforce.”
Trustees moved and approved the UA individual action items by voice vote with no recorded opposition. Dr. Johnson and Mohler said the proposed data-science school will leverage a new high-performance computing center and industry partnerships to provide internships and applied learning across majors.
The action items now proceed to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education for any remaining approvals required before implementation. The board’s materials list the targeted implementation term as fall 2027; funding, faculty hiring timelines and final curricula were discussed in committee materials included with the agenda but were not debated on the floor.
Next steps: the proposals will be implemented only after final board and ACH approvals; trustees and presenters indicated they expect ACH staff to recommend the degrees and school for approval.
