Chief Data Officer Certificate

In a post-pandemic world, every business is a digital-first and data-first business. Strong data leadership is a crucial ingredient for companies to maximize value from innovation, minimize risk, and evolve their data culture. The Chief Data Officer Certificate Program at CMU—taught by practicing CDOs and data thought leaders—provides aspiring data leaders with the necessary tools, skills, thought provoking ideas, and mentorship. Krishna Cheriath | VP, Head of Digital, Data, and Analytics | Zoetis

• Cohort 5 (Fall 2023) Program Dates & Schedule
  Virtual Orientation: 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. EDT

  November 1-3, 2023
  

   

  Virtual Modules: 4:00 - 9:00 p.m. EST

  (Note: all virtual class dates are Mondays)

  November 20 (2023)
  December 4, 18 (2023)
  January 8, 22 (2024)
  

   

  Mid-Session: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EST (Pittsburgh, PA; virtual option available)

  February 12-13, 2024
  

   

  Virtual Modules: 4:00 - 9:00 p.m. EST/EDT

  (Note: all virtual class dates are Mondays)

  February 26 (2024)
  March 11, 18, 25 (2024)
  April 8 (2024)
  

   

  Practicum: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EDT (Pittsburgh, PA; virtual option available)

  April 22-23, 2024
• Cohort 4 (Spring 2023) Program Dates & Schedule
  Virtual Orientation: 12:00 - 5:00 p.m. EST
  January 31-February 2, 2023
  
  Virtual Modules: 4:00 - 9:00 p.m. EST
  (Note: all virtual class dates are Mondays)
  February 13, 20 (2023)
  March 13, 20
  April 3
  
  Program Mid-Session: 9:00 - 5:00 p.m. EST (Pittsburgh, PA; virtual option available)
  April 12-13, 2023
  
  Virtual Modules: 4:00 - 9:00 p.m. EST
  (Note: all virtual class dates are Mondays)
  April 24 (2023)
  May 15, 22
  June 5, 12 
  
  Practicum: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. EDT (Pittsburgh, PA; virtual option available)
  June 26-27, 2023
• Class Location

  On-campus sessions are held at our main campus in Pittsburgh:

  Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy
  Carnegie Mellon University
  4800 Forbes Avenue
  Pittsburgh, PA 15213

  Please note: CDataO Certificate Program deliveries will be virtual for Cohort 4; the program mid-session and practicum will be offered virtually with an optional in-person delivery, if possible, in accordance with public health guidance. Students will not be required to travel to complete the program.

• Program Costs
  • $16,250 for the entire program
  • $13,000 discounted rate for Carnegie Mellon alumni—including CIO, CISO, CRO, and CDigitalO programs—U.S. government employees, veterans, and employees of non-profit organizations
  • Fee includes all program materials and daily continental breakfast, lunch, and refreshments during on-campus sessions.
  • Optional credit card installment payment plan is available

  Please note: Due to the non-credit bearing nature of the CDataO Certificate Program, students are unable to apply for tuition assistance, scholarship, or VA benefits.

   

  Cancellation/Refund Policy

  A non-refundable, non-transferable deposit of 1/5 of the total program cost is required to reserve a seat in the program.

  Should a student withdraw from the program after the deposit has been paid but prior to the program start date, students may have 5/6 of the program costs either refunded to them or transferred to the following cohort of the program.

  After the program start date, no refunds will be issued. However, under extenuating circumstances and with program director approval, students may petition to postpone their attendance to a future cohort and have 4/5 of the program costs applied accordingly.

• Deadlines

  Formal deadline for Cohort 5 is October 25, 2023. Please submit your application as soon as possible for consideration.

  If space remains in the cohort after the deadline, we will continue to accept applications on a first-come, first-served basis.

  Apply Now

• EDM Foundations

  Instructor: 
  Dr. David Steier | Distinguished Service Professor, Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College

  This module will set the stage for the program, reviewing the core components of an enterprise data management program. This module will also review the necessary components of the data lifecycle management process.

• Role of the Chief Data Officer – Enterprise Data Governance and Strategy

  Instructor: 
  Krishna Cheriath | VP, Head of Digital, Data, and Analytics, Zoetis

  This module focuses on defining the roles and responsibilities of the data management executive of the organization (a.k.a. Chief Data Officer). The module will focus on how the data executive integrates effectively in organizational governance and operations as well as best leadership and management practices that enhance the ability of today’s data executive to succeed in any organization.

• Data Maturity: From Foundations to Leading-Edge Practices

  Instructor: 
  Doug Laney | Data and Analytics Innovation Fellow, West Monroe

  Treating data as an actual business asset should go beyond just talking about it as one. Typically, other traditional assets are measured, managed, and monetized with great discipline, using standards, frameworks, specialized roles, and technologies to do so. Becoming data-driven requires a similar degree of maturity regarding the organization’s data assets, as well as an appreciation of data’s unique properties.

• Data Engineering: Infrastructure and Technology

  Instructor: 
  Olga Lagunova | Chief Data and Analytics Officer, VP of Software Engineering, Pitney Bowes

  Data is growing at an exponential rate. Keeping up with new data sources and structures across multiple environments creates new complexity at an unprecedented scale. This module will provide students with a grounding in all things data, with a focus on retrieving data of all types (structured, semi-structured, or unstructured) to assist them in understanding how to begin to identify critical data elements in their own organizations, and to understand the necessary components to build a robust data pipeline.

• Data-Driven Digital Transformation

  Instructor: 
  Sameer Badlani | EVP, Chief Digital Officer, Fairveiw Health Services

  Today, most organizations are undergoing data-driven transformation and change management efforts to bolster and speed up business decision-making processes. The benefits of a data-driven culture are the ability to examine and organize data with the goal of better serving the organization’s customers and support its mission. In order to survive in this hyper-competitive and disruptive business climate, companies must change at the speed of the market. This module will inform and discuss ways in which managers can develop a data-driven transformation culture, and become change leaders to enhance the competitive advantage of their organization.

• Modern Analytics for Business Intelligence

  Instructor: 
  Craig Brabec | Chief Data and Analytics Officer, McDonald's

  This module focuses on the analytic component of Business Intelligence (BI) in the context of its practical application. Participants will have a chance to gain and solidify knowledge of the most important contemporary methods of analytics, to develop understanding of practical applicability, how to formulate analytic tasks in support of business objectives, and how to define successful projects.

• Advanced Data Science and Machine Learning

  Instructor: 
  Dr. David Steier | Distinguished Service Professor, Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College

  This module will provide students with an understanding of the latest in data science and modeling methodologies, and the ability to formulate and solve problems. Particular attention will be paid to practical, efficient, and statistically sound techniques, capable of providing not only the requested discoveries, but also estimates of their utility. This module will also focus on unsupervised machine learning techniques of clustering and the latest tools for mining frequent patterns with applications in segmentation and market basket analysis.

• Demystifying AI

  Instructor: 
  Dr. David Steier | Distinguished Service Professor, Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College

  This module provides data leaders with a practical guide to using AI in the near future. We begin with an overview of AI technologies and what they can and cannot do. We present a framework for human-AI collaboration and describe how projects to build such collaborative systems are planned, executed and deployed in the enterprise. We give some tips for finding, organizing and retaining AI talent and conclude with some tips for creating an enterprise AI strategy. The module will include time to discuss problems presented by students that might be addressable by AI.

• CDO Structure and Operations

  Instructor: 
  JoAnn Stonier | Chief Data Officer, Mastercard

  This module is an overview of practical “day-to-day" operations, focusing on how to properly plan, structure, finance, run and obtain “buy-in” from the organization. This clear outline of the enterprise data management team structure and operations will better enable CDOs to demonstrate the charter and effectiveness of the team to their organizations.

• Data Monetization: The Practice of Infonomics

  Instructor: 
  Doug Laney | Data and Analytics Innovation Fellow, West Monroe

  The discipline of Infonomics takes you beyond thinking and talking about information as an asset to actually valuing and treating it as one. This module provides the foundation and methods for quantifying information asset value and tactics for using information as your competitive edge to drive growth.

• Data Product Development & the Business of Data

  Instructors: 
  Mario Faria | Data & Analytics, Global Competence Center, Amazon
  Krishna Cheriath  |  VP, Head of Digital, Data and Analytics, Zoetis Inc. 

  This module will provide a more in-depth view of the strategy, process, and needed resources for the development of data products to support the growth strategy of the organization. This module is also focused on the requirement for today’s CDataOs to develop the business case and budget for data and analytics investments that aligns with the annual strategic planning process and is supported by key organizational stakeholders.

• Data Visualization and Storytelling

  Instructors: 
  Christopher Goranson | Distinguished Service Professor, Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College
  Chris Labash  |  Associate Professor Of Communication And Innovation, Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College

  Telling a great data-driven story can be useful for both stakeholders and your customers and can drive better decision making within an organization. However, turning data into a great story can be an intimidating task that many organizations struggle to accomplish. This module will review tactics to help facilitate better communications between internal and external company stakeholders regarding data as an enterprise asset.

• Data Privacy, Ethics, and Regulations

  Instructors: 
  Alessandro Acquisti | Trustees Professor of Information Technology and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College
  Lisa Martinelli | VP, Chief Privacy and Data Ethics Officer Highmark Health

  Collecting and sharing information raises opportunities and creates challenges for organizations. Understanding how consumers/organizations think about their data (value, or not), their privacy and what individual, organizational, and societal economic consequences of data collection/protection decisions can help managers navigate these complex trade-offs.

• Data Security Best Practices

  Instructor: 
  Bob Rudis | Head of Data Science, GreyNoise

  Data security enables organizations to protect revenue, facilitate digital transformation, comply with regulatory mandates and generate customer loyalty. Effective data security can be a critical differentiator for today’s digital businesses. Data is at the heart of almost every organization, and keeping it protected while also facilitating effective usage to drive business value is a key success factor. This module will discuss the latest data security best practices that all CDOs need to be aware of to protect the business to achieve its objectives.