Summary
The US universities offer MS courses in Data Science through direct channels as well as via online platforms
You need not produce your GMAT or GRE score for admission to most of these courses
“Data! Data! Data! I can’t make bricks without clay!”
The most famous of all fictional sleuths, Sherlock Holmes, cried impatiently as he wanted more information to solve the case in Arthur Conan Doyle’s short story “The Adventure of the Copper Beeches”. Though it might not be easy to emulate the brilliance of Holmes, there’s at least one area where you can follow in his footsteps — invest in data to make a case for your future.
Data Science is the future as big businesses are already employing professionals from this field to grow and benefit with the help of existing market information. A Master of Science (MS) degree in Data Science from a US university could unlock the door for you in this thriving sector.
Top US universities for online MS courses in Data Science:
University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign
You need not submit your GMAT or GRE results for admission to Urbana-Champaign's online Master of Computer Science in Data Science Programme, which is offered by the University of Illinois, US. However, you’ll need to score well in TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign language). The cut-off for this programme in the 2020-2021 academic year was 39%. During the application procedure, no letters of recommendation are necessary. Though the course has a maximum duration of three years, you can complete it in one and a half years. You can finish the programme’s 32 credit hours in one year or as many as five years.
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
To complete this 36-credit programme, you must take at least nine courses, with at least five of them being graduate-level courses. You can choose from a variety of core courses in Database Systems, Analytics, Algorithms and Bayesian networks. The remaining courses are electives. UCLA allows students to take up to two electives in subjects other than Data Science Engineering. You are expected to complete your degrees in two academic years and one quarter, with a maximum of three academic years allowed in the programme. You need to complete a comprehensive test requirement by finishing a capstone project or passing three graduate-level written exams in your area of specialty to be eligible for graduation.
Northwestern University School of Professional Studies — by Great Learning
Offered by Northwestern University, this MS programme is hosted in collaboration with Great Learning. The programme offers live online classes as well as two in-person sessions, making it the only one that uses 100% live sessions rather than pre-recorded content. You can specialise in Analytics and Modelling, Artificial Intelligence, Data Engineering or Analytics Management, or you can take a broad Data Science track. You need to finish a total of 12 courses, including six foundation courses, one leadership or project management course, two specialisation courses and two electives. A culminating project or thesis is required of all students. You must have a four-year degree to be considered for admission. A resume, statement of purpose, transcripts and contact information for two references are required as part of the admissions process. You need not produce your GRE or GMAT score.
UC Berkeley School of Information
Berkeley School of Education offers a Master of Information and Data Science programme which draws upon Computer Science, Social Sciences, Statistics, Management and Law. The programme is designed for working professionals and has flexible paths. You need to complete programming-focused courses to understand the ethical impact of Data Science and how to communicate results effectively. The fully online programme can be completed in several flexible paths that allow for completion in as little as one year or as long as 32 months.
Georgia Institute of Technology
The MS in Analytics programme at Georgia Institute of Technology helps students develop and refine their abilities so that they can be more valuable to a variety of industries. Here you can learn topics like Business Intelligence, Statistics, Operations Research, Big Data and High-performance Computing. This two-year comprehensive online degree programme will teach you how to construct multidisciplinary tools and how to tackle a variety of analytical challenges.
University of Wisconsin
This online MS course in Data Science is a collaboration between the UW Extended Campus Office and six campuses. It covers topics like Computer Science, Mathematics and Statistics, Management and Communication. You must complete 123-credit data science courses, which include Statistical Methods, Analytics, Computing and Warehousing, Data Analysis, Decision-making and Ethics. You will need to work on a capstone project at the end of the course. You can complete the programme in a year.
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan's School of Information offers a Master of Applied Data Science programme. Computational methods for big data, exploring and communicating data, methods for visualising data, analytic techniques and data science applications are all covered in this course. You will complete three key projects during of course — it will help bolster your professional portfolio. The online curriculum is organised into one-credit, four-week course modules, giving students the option of studying one to three credits per month. The 34-credit programme can be completed in as little as 12 months or as long as three years.
Last updated on 04 May 2022
