Information Management and Data Science

Program Overview

COMING FALL 2021!

Skagit Valley College will be offering a new forward-thinking, interdisciplinary program that will allow students to serve as a contractor, consult for businesses, or get an entry level job in the area of information management and data science. The Information Management & Data Science (IMDS) program will focus on preparing students to lead and thrive in a cloud-driven industry and determine, analyze, and communicate relevant information and data in a variety of workplace settings. IMDS is an interdisciplinary and technologically forward-thinking two-year degree focusing on the theory, organization, and process of data collection, transmission, analysis, and utilization. IMDS focuses on four broad areas:

Professional communication
Business leadership
Decision making
Systems design, development, operations

Content includes information classification and organization; information storage and processing; communications; systems planning and design; human interfacing and use analysis; database development; information policy analysis; and related aspects of hardware, software, economics, social factors, and capacity. Students will acquire invaluable experience in teamwork, decision-making, leadership, and develop a growth mindset right along with learning essential technology skills.

Sample Career Options:

Data science and analytics continue to raise demand in the market, and there are concerns that the future workforce is dangerously behind demand. Companies expect their employees and contractors to be able to analyze data and information effectively. The national average salary for experienced data-related engineers is approximately $135,164 USD/year, which is 9% above the national salary average. Approximately $109,745 USD/year is the average salary for data-related engineers in the State of Washington, which is 12% below the national data-related engineer average. The average salary for Data Analysts Salaries in Washington State based on salaries estimated from 81 employees, users and past and present job advertisements on Indeed in the past 36 months as of June 6, 2019 is $71,623 USD/year.

Data Analysts salaries for a candidate with less than one year of experience is estimated at approximately $54,100 USD/year and approximately $60,300 USD/year for prospective employees with 1 to 5 years of experience.
Computer and Information Systems, Database administration, and Technical Writing have an average annual wage of $62,563 to $157,980.

Degree Option:

This program offers an Associate in Applied Science Degree, AAS Degree in Information Management & Data Science. During their first year, students will be introduced to foundational hands-on-skills in the general areas of technological futures, cloud computing, and programming. In the second year, students will continue with more advanced topics in information systems, computing architecture, and development. The program will be offered through a combination of face-to-face, hybrid, and distance education. Both Microsoft and Amazon industry certifications are intertwined throughout the courses giving students the option to prepare and certify for industry certifications. The program will also include experiential learning through two cooperative education internship courses where students will work on product ideation and product deployment.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the SVC Information Management & Data Science program, students will be able to:

Demonstrate mastery of industry-grade technologies in data analysis techniques.
Address business needs and opportunities using data-driven approaches.
Optimize information management ecosystems in the cloud, networks, and physical premises using ethical practices and security standards.

Program Admissions:

Enrollment for Fall 2021 will begin in May 2021. To get started, please contact Enrollment Services .

Specialized Program Information:

Program Highlights

Industry certifications are intertwined in the courses, students will have the option to prepare and certify for industry certifications during the entirety of their degree program. Both Amazon and Microsoft technologies are in demand in the marketplace today.
Microsoft Imagine Academy will be used beginning with building basic skills in data analysis using Excel and database fundamentals, then moving on to more intermediate and advanced concepts and applied skills such as working with non-relational data, data visualization, and finally exploring data science and machine learning.
Additionally, Amazon industry certifications will be incorporated such as Big Data, Machine Learning, and Advanced Networking. This will provide a holistic approach with integrated lessons on industry technology to create a diverse knowledge base for students.

Work-Based Learning

Cooperative education is integrated in two-parts. Students work on product ideation during the first year and then product deployment during their second year.