UT Dallas is about to become the first university in North Texas to offer a data science degree to its undergraduates.

In recent years data science has become one of the most promising fields for college graduates, with websites such as www.glassdoor.com placing it at the top of its 50 Best Jobs in America list.

According to a press release from the university, data science teaches methods for quickly drawing accurate conclusions from large information sets. Industries in need of data scientists include banking and finance, technology, health care, marketing and product development, retail, manufacturing and government.

“[Data science] is important for so many fields, from companies that ship or manufacture goods to researchers who study disease control and human health to those who track climate change," said Bruce Novak, dean of the School of Natural Science and Mathematics. "We collect data like crazy these days, so data science is relevant to almost any business or research area.”

Data science will be offered through the departments of mathematical science and computer science, which both already offer the degree to its graduate students.

The program, which opens to students in the spring, will include a balanced mix of computer science, statistics and mathematics.