Top 23 Schools with Data Science Master’s Programs

Looking to freshen your résumé and improve your earning potential? You’re in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. According to Glassdoor, there are over 15,000 jobs in the analytics and data science fields as of January 2018. In response, universities have been looking to improve their existing degree data and analytical programs and to create entirely new degrees offerings, both online and on-campus. We’ve listed 23 of these programs below.

Choose the Best Master’s in Data Science Program For You

Does the data science program provide the skills you need?

Some data science programs target fields such as:

• Business Analytics
• Engineering
• Artificial Intelligence
• Information Systems
• Applied Statistics
• Programming languages like R or Python

For more on helpful skillsets, check out our blog post on data scientist foundations.

Can you work a data science program into your schedule?

Although plenty of universities offer a blend of evening, weekend and online classes, many of the programs mentioned here still require you to be present on-campus to complete your data science master’s degree. If seeking a local university, decide if you would like to attend an on-campus, hybrid, or online data science program.

Are there internships or real-world practicums for data science students?

Unless you’re on your way to a doctorate, field experience in the field is going to be one of the most important investments in your career. Look for data science programs that connect you to different industries, offer a variety of opportunities and numerous networking events.

Will a master’s degree in data science help to start my career?

The proof is in the numbers. If you can’t find it on the program’s website, ask about the percentage of graduates who have received employment offers or promotions.

We’ve also compiled a separate list of 25 top schools offering Master’s in Business Analytics programs and 22 top schools offering Master’s in Information Systems degrees.

The List

• Arizona State University

  Master of Science in Business Analytics

  • School: W.P. Carey School of Business
  • Location: Tempe, AZ
  • Full-Time Program: 9 months
  • Part-Time Program: Yes (online)
  • Online Option: Yes

  ASU’s nine-month program focuses on using analytics in day-to-day business processes and managing it effectively. Required courses include data mining, applied regression models, analytical decision making tools and business analytics strategy. The curriculum also includes internship opportunities and a capstone practicum project with local Arizona companies such as American Express and Intel. 30 credit hours.

• Carnegie Mellon University

  Master of Computational Data Science (MCDS)

  • School: School of Computer Science
  • Location: Pittsburgh, PA
  • Full-time Program: 144 units/16 months
  • Part-Time Program: No
  • Online Option: No

  CMU kicks some serious butt in top 10 U.S. News & World Report rankings for quantitative science, comp sci and statistics – a fact worth considering if you’re looking for name recognition. The MCDS has been around since 2004 and its program explores the design, engineering and deployment of very large information systems.

  Hands-on experience is important here. CMU has scores of research projects on the boil, and students are expected to contribute. For the capstone project, folks can choose to work alone or as a team. There’s also a summer internship with opportunities from companies like Apple, Amazon, eBay, Google, UBS and more. Job experience is not required for admission, but relevant work is highly valued.

• Columbia University

  Master of Science in Data Science

  • School: Data Science Institute
  • Location: New York, NY
  • Full-Time Program: 30 credits
  • Part-Time Program: Yes
  • Online Option: No

  Columbia’s MSDS is short, intense, and to-the-point. Early and mid-careerists who are hoping to strengthen their job prospects or switch to data science are the target audience. To accommodate professionals, the degree can be completed part-time or full-time.

  The curriculum includes 21 credits of required/core courses, including a capstone. The required courses cover the usual stomping grounds (e.g. machine learning). The capstone consists of a semester-length data science project sponsored by a faculty member or local organization.

  The fun arrives with 9 credits of electives. Students can choose a track focused on entrepreneurship or explore a subject area in Columbia’s Data Science Institute. This diverse group of research centers is conducting work on everything from health analytics and cybersecurity to smart cities and new media. There are also working groups devoted to frontiers in computing and materials discovery analytics.

• Cornell University

  Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Applied Statistics (Option II: Data Science)

  • School: Department of Statistical Science
  • Location: Ithaca, NY
  • Full-time Program: 2 semesters (3 or 4 if math prerequisites required)
  • Part-Time Program: No
  • Online Option: No

  Built on a solid base of statistics, Cornell’s MPS is a Professional Science Master’s (PSM) – an accreditation awarded to programs that combine advanced training in science or math with highly-valued business skills. Everyone is required to take common core courses (e.g. applied stats), but Option II students focus much more on data science.

  A big pillar of Cornell’s program is the two-semester-long MPS project with an industry partner. Past large-scale data analytics projects have included:

  • Collaborating with a health company to create a system that offered personalized article recommendations for anonymous users
  • Working with comScore to analyze browsing activities in order to infer users’ age and gender

  This is the kind of degree meant to prepare graduates for stats careers in government or industry.

• Georgia Tech

  Master of Science in Analytics

  • School: College of Computing, College of Engineering, and Scheller College of Business
  • Location: Atlanta, GA
  • Full-time Program: 1 year
  • Part-Time Program: No
  • Online Option: No

  Georgia Tech’s one-year program provides students with a world-class analytics education. The program consists of a core curriculum with the option to choose between three specialized tracks: Analytical Tools, Business Analytics, and Computational Data Analytics. This design allows students to choose electives that support their individual career goals.

  All courses are offered through the College of Computing, College of Engineering, and Scheller College of Business, three nationally ranked departments at Georgia Tech.

  Students benefit from participation in major analytics conferences and career mentoring during their stay in Atlanta. The school boasts a 100% placement rate for their 2015 graduates, and is dedicated to producing professionals ready to make an immediate impact in the field.

• Illinois Institute of Technology

  Master of Data Science

  • School: College of Science
  • Location: Chicago, IL
  • Full-time Program: 12-16 months
  • Part-Time Program: Yes
  • Online Option: Yes

  The Master of Data Science program, in keeping with IIT’s status as a leading technical university (it’s nationally ranked by US News & World Report for its Engineering, Computer Science, Math, and Physics programs), prepares students from a variety of backgrounds for data science careers with rigorous theoretical and practical training. In addition to technical material, courses include other important subjects such as communications, project management, and professional ethics.

  The curriculum includes a capstone practicum project working with a variety of Chicago-area companies in a variety of industries. The program is available online as well as part-time, making it a good fit for students who need to keep working while they earn the degree.

• Indiana University, Bloomington

  Master of Science in Data Science

  • School: School of Informatics & Computing
  • Location: Bloomington, IN
  • Full-time Program: 30 credits
  • Part-Time Program: Up to 5 years to complete the program
  • Online Option: Yes

  This MSDS distinguishes itself partly by offering two distinct paths for students: a technical path and a decision-maker path. The technical curriculum includes courses in topics such as analysis of algorithms, cloud computing, and security for networked systems. The decision-maker track covers project management and driving organizational change using data.

  IU is also pitching flexibility. The degree is available in a campus, online, or hybrid version. In the blended format, 12 credits are completed online and 18 credits are finished on campus.

  Bloomington has a sturdy reputation in quantitative analysis and computer science, and there are plenty of research opportunities open to students. The School of Informatics & Computing runs 15 research centers, including those that deal with bioinformatics, cybersecurity, social informatics, and much more.

• New York University

  Master of Science in Data Science

  • School: Center for Data Science
  • Location: New York, NY
  • Full-Time Program: 3 or 4 semesters
  • Part-Time Program: No
  • Online Option: No

  NYU’s Center for Data Science works with schools and colleges across NYU’s organization to help lead the university’s efforts in data science. It works especially closely with two other centers, the Center for Urban Science and Progress and the Center for the Promotion of Research Involving Innovative Statistical Methodology.

  The MS in Data Science includes a capstone project where students apply what they’ve learned to a real-world problem. Other requirements include courses in Machine Learning & Computational Statistics; and Inference & Representation.

• North Carolina State University

  Master of Science in Analytics

  • School: Institute for Advanced Analytics
  • Location: Raleigh, NC
  • Full-Time Program: 10 months
  • Part-Time Program: No
  • Online Option: No

  NCSU’s interdisciplinary analytics program is an official STEM degree that is designed to be practical and real-world-oriented. It does not focus on theory or act as a preliminary step to a Ph.D.

  During the course of their one-year study, NCSU students acquire real-world skills in applied mathematics, statistics, computer science and business disciplines. Initial classes focus on tools and foundations; subsequent topics include data mining, advanced modeling and geospatial analytics.

  In the second and third semester, students work on an intensive practicum using data provided by industry and government sponsors. Many graduate with SAS product certifications.

• Northwestern University

  Master of Science in Analytics (MSiA)

  • Location: Evanston, IL
  • School: McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science
  • Full-Time Program: 15 months
  • Part-Time Program: No
  • Online Option: See below

  Northwestern’s on-campus MSiA program was first offered in 2012, and combines math and statistical studies with advanced IT and data analysis. In addition to these courses, students are also required to complete:

  • 8-Month Industry Practicum: Team of students must analyze data supplied by a client and deliver a final report with recommendations in the spring quarter.
  • Summer Internship: Each student spends three months in a professional setting, either solo or embedded with a working project team.
  • Capstone Design Project: During their final quarter, students work in teams to develop business solutions to a current problem provided by a U.S. company.

  Online Master of Science in Predictive Analytics (MSPA)

  • Location: Online
  • School: School of Continuing Studies
  • Full-Time Program: No
  • Part-Time Program: Yes
  • Online Option: Yes

  Northwestern’s online MSPA program was launched in 2011. It covers areas like data mining, predictive modeling, and advanced statistics, but also works to help students hone business-focused skills like project management and communication, with the aim of preparing students to lead business initiatives based on data analysis. MSPA students will complete eleven courses overall: 7 required courses, 2 electives, a leadership course, and a thesis or capstone project.

• Rutgers University

  Master of Business and Science: Concentration in Analytics – Discovery Informatics and Data Sciences

  • School: Graduate School, Professional Science Masters Programs
  • Location: New Brunswick, NJ
  • Full-Time Program: 1.5 – 2 years
  • Part-Time Program: Yes
  • Online Option: No

  Rutgers’ interdisciplinary Master of Business and Science program unites the fields of data management, statistics, machine learning and computation. It prepares students for careers as predictive modelers, data mining engineers and analysts in a wide variety of industries.

  The curriculum includes eight analytics courses (four required; four electives) and six business courses.

  • Required topics cover statistics, analytics and data mining, database systems and programming.
  • Science electives may include courses in information science, artificial intelligence, distributed computing or computational science.

  Although most courses are located on the New Brunswick campus, some courses are available in Newark and Camden.

• Southern Methodist University

  Master of Science in Data Science

  • School: Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, Lyle School of Engineering and Meadows School of the Arts
  • Location: Dallas, Texas
  • Full-Time Program: 18–24 months
  • Part-Time Program: Yes
  • Online Option: Yes

  DataScience@SMU is an online Master of Science in Data Science program from Southern Methodist University that is designed for working professionals. The program features a project-based, interdisciplinary curriculum that helps students build the in-demand technical, analytical and communications skills needed to manage large data sets.

  Students attend an in-person immersion, participate in live, weekly online classes and complete interactive coursework that provides a comprehensive understanding of computer science, statistics, strategic behavior and data visualization.

• Stanford University

  Master of Science in Statistics: Data Science

  • School: Department of Statistics
  • Location: Stanford, CA
  • Full-Time Program: 45 credits
  • Part-Time Program: No
  • Online Option: No

  Stanford’s program is the result of a collaboration between the Department of Statistics and Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering. The core curriculum is, as you might imagine, heavy on mathematics and computer programming, but there are plenty of electives. These tackle lots of interdisciplinary subjects (e.g. geostatistics, human neuroimaging methods, computer graphics, etc.). Some students proceed from this degree to a PhD.

  Stanford’s key location in Silicon Valley has its benefits. For example, students are permitted to use Amazon’s EC2 cloud platform to do large-scale computing. Reputation is another critical factor. Stanford frequently appears in the #1 spot in U.S. News & World Report rankings for best graduate programs in statistics and computer science. If you want to impress any employer in the world, Stanford is one way to do it.

• Texas A&M University

  Master of Science in Analytics

  • School: Department of Statistics
  • Location: Houston, TX
  • Full-time Program: No
  • Part-Time Program: 2 year
  • Online Option: Yes

  Texas A&M’s Master of Science in Analytics program is offered through the Department of Statistics, which is ranked #12 according to US News & World Report and is the 3rd largest statistics department in the country. Students are also given access to courses from the Mays Business School.

  The program trains students through intensive statistical modeling and predictive analysis courses with the goal of producing the next generation of innovators in data science. This is a part-time program taught over five semesters, and courses are held in the evenings in the CityCentre educational facility in Houston, TX.

• University of California-Berkeley

  Online Master of Information and Data Science (MIDS)

  • School: School of Information
  • Location: Berkeley, CA
  • Full-Time Program: 12-20 months
  • Part-Time Program: Yes
  • Online Option: Yes

  UC Berkeley’s Master of Information and Data Science is a new degree intended for professionals who want to learn how to solve real-world problems in the data science realm. Students emerge with a solid understanding of the data lifecycle using the latest tools and methods for gaining insights from data.

  Although all coursework is delivered online, students are expected to attend a 4-5 day immersion session on the UC Berkeley campus.

• University of California, San Diego

  Master of Advanced Study in Data Science and Engineering

  • School: Departments of Computer Science and Engineering
  • Location: San Diego, CA
  • Full-Time Program: No
  • Part-Time Program: 38 units/2 years
  • Online Option: No

  The MAS is aimed at early- to mid-career data professionals working with massive data sets. That might mean folks who are currently on a technical leadership track or those who are looking at a career shift to data science. Courses are delivered on alternating weekends, on a Friday/Saturday schedule, with instructional materials available online. Most students are experienced engineers with 2+ years of experience.

  As you would expect from a career-focused degree, the core curriculum is built on data science fundamentals—areas like programming, analysis, systems, and machine learning. In the second year, students are expected to work in teams to design a data science project, write a final report, and explain their findings in an oral presentation. There might even be a demo of the working prototype.

• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  Professional Master of Computer Science in Data Science

  • School: Department of Computer Science, Department of Statistics, School of Information Sciences and Coursera
  • Location: Online
  • Full-time Program: 32 credit hours/five-year window
  • Part-Time Program: Yes
  • Online Option: Yes

  UI’s online data science degree is the result of an unusual partnership. Students get their lectures through Coursera’s MOOC platform, but their assignments, projects and exams are run through UI’s schools and departments.

  Each credit-bearing course consists of two 4-6 week Coursera MOOC classes plus an additional “high-engagement” component. Students must take fundamentals (e.g. AI, info systems, data visualization & systems/networking) before they’re allowed to play with advanced electives. The curriculum also includes a data mining or cloud computing capstone.

  UI at Urbana-Champaign is in the top 5 of U.S. News & World Report rankings for computer science, which is one of the reasons why it’s on our list.

• University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

  Master of Science in Data Science

  • School: College of Science & Engineering, College of Liberal Arts and School of Public Health
  • Location: Minneapolis, MN
    
  • Full-time Program: 31 credit hours/2 years
  • Part-Time Program: No
  • Online Option: No

  UMinn’s two-year MS takes a “steady-as-she-goes” and traditional approach to its curriculum. Students complete 18 course credits from three required tracks (stats, algorithms and infrastructure & large scale computing) while exploring various electives.

  As you might expect, there is a capstone project, which covers both years. Research opportunities are available in all kinds of areas & industries, from big data processing in mobile cloud platforms to comparing climate simulation model performances.

  Since this is an interdisciplinary degree, students have access to activities across campus, especially in public health. For example, UMinn’s Institute for Health Informatics has teams of researchers working on natural language processing.

• University of San Francisco

  Master of Science in Data Science

  • School: College of Arts and Sciences
  • Location: San Francisco, CA
  • Full-Time Program: 1 year
  • Part-Time Program: No
  • Online Option: No

  Students in USF’s interdisciplinary program master the methods and technologies tied to strategic decisions; develop technical skills such as software development and statistical analysis, as well as the skills needed to effectively communicate their results.

  Students are required to complete:

  • 35 Units: Including courses in data mining, machine learning, statistical models, data visualization, application development, distributed computing, natural language processing, deep learning, etc.
  • Analytics Boot Camp: Three five-week intensive review courses from July to August
  • Practicum: Nine months of practical work experience with industrial partners

  Like Stanford, USF benefits from its strategic location. Students develop software and run analyses on Amazon Web Services, and each receives his/her own server or servers to set up and manage along with access to the Data Institute’s GPU computing cluster.

• University of Southern California

  Master of Science in Computer Science – Data Science

  • School: Viterbi School of Engineering
  • Location: Los Angeles, CA
  • Full-Time Program: 32 units
  • Part-Time Program: Yes, if online
  • Online Option: Yes

  Run by the School of Engineering, the MSCS puts a heavy emphasis on stats, algorithms and systems expertise. The core curriculum is pure computer science—think classes in AI, data systems, data analysis. However, students can also choose from 9-12 units of group electives and 8-11 units of additional electives. This is a truly technical degree for folks with a background in engineering, math, or hard science.

  USC’s Computer Science department features in the top 20 of U.S. News & World Report graduate rankings for computer science. Partly because it has 40 research faculty members from the Information Sciences Institute (ISI) and the Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT); partly because it has so many cool programs with companies like Boeing and the U.S. military.

  If you can’t be in Los Angeles, the MSCS is also available online to working/professional engineers through the Distance Education Network (DEN@Viterbi). DEN@Viterbi has an extra-strong reputation for distance learning. For a number of years, it has sat at the top of U.S. News & World Report rankings for Online Graduate Computer Information Technology Programs.

• University of Virginia

  Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS)

  • School: Data Science Institute
  • Location: Charlottesville, VA
    
  • Full-time Program: 11 months
  • Part-Time Program: No
  • Online Option: No

  This professional master’s program emphasizes an integrated, team-based curriculum. Initial semesters begin with courses in languages, computation, and linear modeling. Once students have the basics, they can proceed to practice, application and the all-important capstone project.

  UVA’s Data Science Institute is juggling multiple research balls. There are opportunities for graduate students to:

  • Work on interdisciplinary big data projects (the Presidential Fellowship in Data Science)
  • Take advantage of training programs and high-speed computational resources
  • Get involved with research related to data integration, systems biology, ethics, law and more

  Every year, UVA also hosts Datapalooza, a University-wide showcase of data-driven research, resources and outreach.

• University of Washington-Seattle Campus

  Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS)

  • School: Interdisciplinary
  • Location: Seattle, WA
    
  • Full-time Program: Yes
  • Part-Time Program: 45 quarter credits/2-3 years
  • Online Option: No

  This flexi-degree allows MSDS students to choose one or two data science courses per quarter, attending class for one or two evenings per week. Students typically work on team-based data analysis and engineering practicums and go through the sequence of required data science courses as a cohort. A real-world capstone project crowns the end.

  Located in a famous tech hub, UW appears in the top 10 of U.S. News & World Report rankings for both comp sci and statistics. Faculty are heavily involved in UW’s eScience Institute, which focuses on developing and applying advanced computational methods and tools to real-world problems (e.g. urban science). What’s more, UW receives more money in federal research grants than any other public school in the U.S.

• University of Wisconsin

  Master of Science in Statistics: Data Science

  • School: Department of Statistics
  • Location: Madison, WI
    
  • Full-time Program: 30 credits/12 months for the campus degree
    
  • Part-Time Program: No
  • Online Option: No

  UW’s accelerated MS in Statistics is targeted at the working Wisconsin professional—especially folks who want to move up the leadership/career ladder. The curriculum covers stats courses, complex data analysis, models, data visualization and communication skills. In the summer semester, students tackle a practicum focused on change management in a complex organization. This kind of degree packs a lot into a short span.

  Online Master of Science in Data Science

  • School: UW Extension
  • Location: Online
    
  • Full-time Program: 36 credits
    
  • Part-Time Program: Yes
  • Online Option: Yes

  Alternatively, you can explore the more flexible online MSDS. Tuition is held to a flat fee, whether you live in Wisconsin or out of state, and courses have no set meeting times.

  The program targets all the usual data science hot points – statistical methods, data mining, prescriptive analytics, etc. What’s really nice is that its Virtual Lab offers free access to software tools and programming languages such as R, Python, SQL Server and Tableau.

Previously Included Schools

This list has been in existence for several years. We try to keep it updated to reflect the state of what’s available from top schools, and have also been narrowing its focus from all kinds of analytics degrees to more narrowly-defined data science degrees (together with publishing a separate page focused exclusively on top business analytics master’s programs). There were several well-regarded schools whose business analytics programs used to be part of the list above, and who are still of course worth a look from any students interested in that specialty:

Bentley University

• Degree: Master of Science in Marketing Analytics
• School: Graduate School of Business
• Location: Waltham, MA
• Full-Time Program: 1 – 1.5 years
• Part-Time Program: Yes
• Online Option: No

Thanks in part to demand from companies in the Route 128 corridor, Bentley’s program is growing by leaps and bounds.

The core 10-class curriculum includes required classes on strategic marketing, statistics and marketing research; students also select three graduate-level elective courses in marketing and/or information technology.

Internships are encouraged but not required. All classes are held at night. 80 percent of students are currently part-time and around 50 percent are international students.

Louisiana State University

• Degree: Master of Science in Analytics
• School: E.J. Ourso College of Business
• Location: Baton Rouge, LA
• Full-time Program: 1 year
• Part-Time Program: No
• Online Option: No

Sponsored by SAS, LSU’s program is modeled on the Institute for Advanced Analytics at North Carolina State.

The program works with real-world data, with a focus on data mining, forecasting, customer segmentation and predictive analytics.

Core courses cover advanced data management tools, applied statistics and operations research techniques.

During the year, teams of students collaborate with leading companies and government organizations on big data projects. They also learn the communication skills needed to present their solutions effectively.

Michigan State University

• Degree: Master of Science in Business Analytics
• Location: East Lansing, MI
• School: Broad College of Business
• Full-time Program: 1 year
• Part-Time Program: Evening and weekend courses available
• Online Option: Selected courses

Students in MSU’s program focus on three core areas:

1. Business data management process and analytic approaches
2. Data management and analysis
3. Experiential project management using live data sets for analysis and application

Core courses include business strategy, data mining, applied statistics, project management, marketing technologies, communications and ethics. In the final semester, students complete a capstone practicum in business analytics.

To help ease the path of professionals, MSU offers classes in evening, weekend and online formats.

University of Cincinnati

• Degree: Master of Science in Business Analytics
• School: Lindner College of Business
• Location: Cincinnati, OH
• Full-Time Program: 9 months – 1 year
• Part-Time Program: Yes
• Online Option: No

Formerly known as the M.S. in Quantitative Analysis, UC’s program combines math, business basics, analysis, and modeling, along with subject-area elective coursework on topics ranging from statistics and data mining to supply-chain management, operations management, finance, and epidemiology.

The curriculum covers core courses in optimization, simulation modeling, probability modeling and statistical methods.

Part-time students can choose to attend evening and late afternoon classes; all students are required to research, write and present a final capstone project.

University of Connecticut

• Degree: Master of Science in Business Analytics and Project Management
• School: School of Business, Department of Operations and Information Management
• Location: Hartford, CT
• Full-Time Program: 1 & 1.5 years
• Part-Time Program: Yes
• Online Option: Selected courses

The core of UConn’s program is built on ten years of an analytics partnership with General Electric. Graduates emerge with a solid real-world education in advanced business analytics and project management.

Students are required to complete:

• Four business analytics classes (e.g., predictive modeling, data management, data mining and business intelligence, etc.)
• Four project management classes (e.g., project leadership, risk and costs, advanced project management, etc.)
• Three electives
• A team-based capstone practicum course

Classes are held at night and on weekends; some courses are also available online. The program currently has a technology partnership with SAS and works closely with IBM.

University of Maryland

• Degree: Master of Science in Business for Marketing Analytics
• School: Robert H. Smith School of Business
• Location: College Park, MD
• Full-Time Program: 9 months
• Part-Time Program: No
• Online Option: No

Launched in the fall of 2013, UM’s program aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the mathematical and statistical models and tools needed to analyze customer data for marketing purposes.

The curriculum includes:

• Eight required courses (e.g., market-based management, customer analysis, statistical programming, ethics, data science, etc.)
• Five application courses (e.g., market forecasting, retail analytics, customer equity management/CRM, etc.)
• An action learning project

Smith is the hub of ten Centers of Excellence and Research, including the Center for Complexity in Business. 30 credit hours.

University of Tennessee

• Degree: Master of Science in Business Analytics
• School: Department of Business Analytics & Statistics, Haslam College of Business
• Location: Knoxville, TN
• Full-Time Program: 17 months
• Part-Time Program: No
• Online Option: No

UT’s program emphasizes the importance of business understanding. Students learn about technical techniques in the context of larger business problems and employ analytics in ways that optimize business processes.

The core curriculum focuses on analytics skills, including statistics, operations management, descriptive modeling, data mining, etc. While learning those essentials, students also choose one out of two overlapping areas: either applied statistics or process optimization.

Students are required to complete an applied project with a client in government or industry. They are also strongly encouraged to participate in an internship during the summer session of the first year.

Other Options

If you want to dig in further, you can also check out our list of online data science degrees, our state-by-state directory (see below), or our lists of Master’s degrees in fields closely tied to data science, such as Applied Statistics, Business Analytics, Online Business Analytics Master’s Programs, Business Intelligence Master’s Degrees, Data Science MBA Programs, or Health Informatics.