In 1992, the president of the University of Michigan, James Duderstadt appointed Daniel E. Atkins III as the dean of the school.

[4] Depending on the track chosen, students are prepared for many career paths, including business, research, government, computer programming, education and non-profit organizations.

Real-world engagement is a hallmark of the master's program: all students are required to complete internships or mentorships in the field.

The program is highly interdisciplinary, featuring faculty and students from a wide range of academic fields.

The degree was developed in collaboration with the U-M Office of Academic Innovation to meet the growing demand for people with experience in data science offered by the School of Information.

Faculty at the school are drawn from an unusually wide range of academic backgrounds including linguistics, public policy, computer science, library and information science, management, law, business, economics, psychology, history, and communications.