Darden launches dual degree

The University Of Virginia Darden School Of Business has announced an innovative dual-degree program with UVA’s Data Science Institute.

The new MBA/Master of Science in Data Science (MBA/ MSDS) aims to provide the robust training and cutting-edge tools ideal for students who plan to pursue a variety of career fields, from technology to entrepreneurship to consulting.

By combining Darden’s topranked general management program and unparalleled edu- cation experience with the cutting-edge, data-intensive curriculum of UVA’s Data Science Institute, students will gain broad understanding of business leadership opportunities and challenges. They will also develop a deep knowledge of data science tools that can turn data to action-oriented business insights.

“This new dual degree represents an incredibly exciting development for the Darden School and prospective students,” said Raj Venkatesan, Darden professor and faculty lead for the dual degree. “There is a clear demand from students for this kind of analytics-driven curriculum and from organizations for employees who can harness the almost limitless power of Big Data to develop new business models. These graduates will be coveted hires and become indispensable leaders.”

The new dual degree, which will begin enrolling a limited cohort of students in summer 2017, with a fuller launch in 2018, will deliver both the Darden curriculum of core and elective courses and the 11-month MSDS curriculum offered by the Data Science Institute over a twoyear span.