Data Science
The Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) is an inherently interdisciplinary field that requires effective integration of a domain to provide data and a context for its exploration, statistics, and computer science. The Program follows the Body of Knowledge of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Data Science. This degree prepares graduates for a myriad of opportunities to work in and advance their Data Science careers. The graduates can understand their data and know what they can expect to learn from the data. They can select the right tools and techniques to get the job done. Courses provide focus on data acquisition, data management, data mining, data governance, data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, and programming for computing, big data systems, and mathematics and statistics needed to deliver Data Science projects, as well as maintaining the professional skills required to advance in the Data Science field. Students will emerge with the experience and leadership identity required to influence the way that Data Science is implemented and consumed in any corporation or government organization. The Depth of Study (DOS) sequence prepares students to demonstrate expertise in a specific area. The Choice courses allow students to expand their interests in other disciplines. The internship provides students a vehicle to apply what they have learned in the degree to real work problems at a for-profit or a non-profit organization. The capstone is the platform that exhibits the synthesis of students' academic accomplishments and experiential internship learnings. Under the guidance of an advisor, the capstone can be a project, research paper, thesis or poster, and a public presentation designed to demonstrate mastery. Students with no prior coursework in computer programming may take a four-course undergraduate prerequisite series for entry to the program.