M.S. in Data Science

Today, society generates much more data than organizations are able to effectively consume. As a result, only a tiny fraction of that data is ever analyzed. The result is that the need for trained data scientists is growing exponentially. Data is produced in almost every sector and can come from a variety of sources such as social media, telecommunications, e-health networks, sensors, satellites, military surveillance, and scientific research. Integrating technical expertise, content knowledge, and well-developed communication skills, Data Scientists occupy a unique niche and possess a skill set that is in very high demand.In this interdisciplinary degree, students will develop skills related to data mining, predictive analytics, cloud computing, data-science fundamentals, communication, and business acumen. In addition to core courses, students will work with their advisors to select a set of domain-specific courses; in practice, combining technical skills with content knowledge allows students to tailor their degree to particular fields. This unique characteristic of the curriculum enables graduates to gain practical domain knowledge in preparation for immediate employment. The Data Science Master's degree is designed as a terminal degree to prepare students for careers in government or industry. Depending on the choice of domain specialty, students could apply this degree to a variety of fields, including: physical sciences, geosciences, geoinformatics, bioinformatics, cheminformatics, environmental science, social sciences, or business and commerce.