All About UVA’s Upper Divisional Undergraduate Programs

“Leading from anywhere” is truly the guiding principle of the Batten School. Batten faculty focus on teaching students how to identify problems in their day-to-day lives and then enact creative policy change to address those issues. This principle is fantastic for whatever you choose to do after graduation, as you will know how to generate positive change in your community. Regardless of your career path, the foundations taught in the Batten School will ensure that you are successful in crafting impactful policies.”

“During my first year at UVA, I planned to attend law school and pursue corporate law after earning my bachelor’s degree. I initially believed my choice of major wouldn’t matter much. However, a conversation with a McIntire alumnus shifted my perspective. He explained how his McIntire education helped him stand out in his current field, construction law, and emphasized how the school’s strong foundation across all areas of commerce added meaningful value to his legal career and helped him stand out among his peers. That conversation compelled me to apply. Once I was accepted into McIntire, I found myself fascinated by Marketing and Finance. Now, as a fourth-year student, I’ve chosen to pursue a master’s in data science over the next two years instead of attending law school. My time at McIntire helped me discover a genuine passion for the intersection of strategy and analytics. One of the most compelling parts of McIntire is the flexibility to shape your education in a way that aligns with your evolving goals. The curriculum equips you with a skill set that’s applicable across industries and supports you wherever your career path may lead, even if it changes.”

“My favorite experience in the Data Science school was in my machine learning class when we were all competing in teams to create the best prediction model from the same data set. I found this project really enjoyable because it was a moment where we could look back and appreciate everything we’ve learned, while also having fun and applying our learned skills. All the teams also took it pretty seriously and it was a great opportunity to grow closer to our teammates and our other classmates. We could also see the scores for each model as it was submitted on the leaderboard, which made it a lot more enticing to keep submitting. Friendly competition is something I always enjoy, and even though my team didn’t win, this experience is something I’ll always remember!”

“My experience in the Data Science program has allowed me to view the world’s challenges through a new lens. I now better understand that every problem has a potential solution; all it takes is asking the right questions in order to find the answers. Now, as a data scientist, I aim to use my knowledge and skills to address disparities in our society.”

“My favorite experience in the Data Science program so far has been building a DIY Spotify in our Systems I class. This involved creating an SQL database for mp4 song files and using AWS tools to bring it all together on a web interface. Taking concepts and tools we learned in class and applying them to a real world application was super insightful and fun.”

“My favorite experience is being able to hear from so many incredible speakers in my classes and at Batten events! Particularly Bryan Stevenson, that one was life changing! I thought it was particularly interesting because I loved his book Just Mercy when I first read it and I’m really interested in his field (proving the innocence of people on death row). But his overall message was just so impactful for the world we’re living in, he talked a lot about the power of fear and anger and how they can turn people against one another, and what we can do individually to be more optimistic and united.”