Data Analytics for Education–R Scripting

Furman University is launching a virtual certificate program designed to transition education data analysts from spreadsheet-based workflows to R scripting. The course aims to automate repetitive tasks and enable more sophisticated analysis of institutional research metrics such as student retention and admissions. This initiative highlights the growing demand for reproducible workflows and advanced statistical tools within the academic data and analytics sector.

Furman University’s Center for Innovative Leadership is offering a virtual certificate program titled "Data Analytics for Education–R Scripting," running from June 3 to July 1. The curriculum focuses on unlocking the power of automation by teaching analysts how to convert spreadsheet-based work into scripts that can be easily read, executed, and shared. By adopting a “do it once” workflow, the program aims to free analysts from rote tasks, allowing them to dedicate more time to in-depth analysis and process improvements.

The course specifically utilizes the R software package as a more efficient alternative to Microsoft Excel, particularly for professionals working with large datasets. Participants will learn to use intuitive scripting language to describe operations such as selecting, filtering, renaming, grouping, and summarizing data rows and columns. The program emphasizes that R allows for the creation of better-structured, more repeatable, and more informative reports, featuring graphics that are more explanatory than those produced by traditional spreadsheet software.

The workshop is designed to be interactive and applied, focusing on Institutional Research (IR) problems common to universities, including admissions, retention, learning effectiveness, and diversity. By using the language of spreadsheets—such as rows, columns, and data lookups—the course provides a clear path for beginners to transition into scripting. Priced at $995, the program is delivered through the university's Center for Innovative Leadership and aims to provide participants with new analytical abilities that can be implemented immediately within their respective educational institutions.