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What minor would be a good choice for someone who wanted to use data science to study retail data/trends?

Marketing, sales, general business?

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Keith’s Answer

A minor in businss or marketing would be a good choice for someone who wants to use data science to study retail data and trends. These minors would provide you with a strong understanding of the business work and consumer behavior, which are essential when analyzing retail trends. Additinally, you could consider a minor in statistics or computer science to gain technical skills required for data analysis. This will give you a strong foundation in programming and statistical analysis, working with larget datasets and predictive modeling. Other relevant minors could include econ or psych, as they provide insights into consumer buying behavior. Ultimately, the choise of minor will depend on your interests and goals.
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Jolese’s Answer

Hi Genevieve,
I would suggest doing Business marketing with a minor in computer science. I am currently in school for computer science and we are learning a lot of databases and analyzing data. I also work for a company where I analyze data and they encourage us to get a degree in computer science. I hope this helps!
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Jill’s Answer

My recommendation would be to minor in supply chain.
Here's a great article for you on it.
https://industrytoday.com/data-scientists-in-supply-chain-management/
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Benjamin’s Answer

It's fantastic that you're considering a career in Data Science! Your passion will definitely lead you to great accomplishments in this field. Depending on your interests, if you're keen on exploring artificial intelligence and machine learning, I would highly recommend delving into subjects like history, linguistics, philosophy, and of course, math. Studying these subjects will broaden your horizons and provide a strong foundation to build upon. Remember, with dedication and perseverance, you can achieve anything you set your mind to! Best of luck on this exciting journey.
Thank you comment icon Thank you for the advice and well wishes Benjamin! :) Genevieve
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Robert’s Answer

Computer science, math, and statistics come to mind. There is a lot of critical thinking that goes into a good data science team, as the data is just data. We need smart humans to build the right algorithms to leverage the data correctly to provide the right outcomes for the business. There will be much institutional knowledge to obtain from the business team you support down the road as well.
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George’s Answer

Consumer Science.
Thank you comment icon Good idea! Thanks George!! Genevieve
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Akinwumi M’s Answer

If you want to use data science to study retail data trends, then there are several minors that could be a good choice for you. Here are a few options:

Business: A minor in business can help you gain a deeper understanding of the retail industry and the various factors that influence consumer behavior. This can include courses in marketing, supply chain management, and consumer behavior.

Mathematics: A minor in mathematics can provide you with the skills and knowledge needed to analyze and interpret large datasets. This can include courses in statistics, probability, and data analysis.

Computer Science: A minor in computer science can help you develop the technical skills needed to work with big data and machine learning algorithms. This can include courses in programming, databases, and artificial intelligence.

Economics: A minor in economics can provide you with a solid foundation in micro- and macroeconomic principles and how they apply to the retail industry. This can include courses in econometrics, industrial organization, and game theory.

Data Science: A minor in data science can provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the data science process, including data cleaning, data visualization, and predictive modeling. This can include courses in data mining, machine learning, and natural language processing.

Ultimately, the best minor for you will depend on your interests and career goals. Consider what skills and knowledge you want to gain and choose a minor that aligns with those goals.
Thank you comment icon Thank you for the detailed advice!! :) Genevieve
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Andres’s Answer

The best minor would depend on your major I would say.


If you're studying Computer Science, then you could choose stats (or a data science minor that I know some schools have). Data and numbers are domain-blind and you will be able to work with retail trends with no problem, simple interest in the market and articles will get you far, which it seems you already have an interest in.

If you're taking more business related roles, then a computer science or stats major would be most beneficial for much the same reason.

If you're already studying a major and a minor and are just thinking of a second minor, or want to specifically chose one of the three minors you selected in the question: I would recommend marketing. How people publicly perceive a product will have the largest impact on future trends in the data and to be an effective marketer you have to know a lot about a product, a very useful skill to have if you want to be learning about how a specific product works for a more holistic analysis of your data. (Rather than asking an expert for help, you ARE the expert!)
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Ahmed’s Answer

A skillset that will definitely set you apart is coding experience. You can become a data analyst with more math-focused degrees, but to truly get into the data science field and unlock a world of possibility, you'll want to build up your coding experience (Python is a great language and easy to pick up). If you're doing so already, then great!! In terms of the industry you're interested in, I'd supplement coding/data-science knowledge with a minor or certificate in marketing intelligence or retail management - this will give you an edge and a domain knowledge that will set you apart if you're focused on those specific areas. But I always recommend generalizing your learning especially early on: you might get passionate about a different industry but still within the data science realm later on...so might want to think about minors or certificates that cover a broad spectrum of industry applications.
Thank you comment icon Thank you for the awesome advice!! Genevieve
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