Data Science (MS) Graduate Program of Study at The University of Arizona

General Information

Program/Degree

Data Science (MS)

Program Description

Through transdisciplinary work and a stacked certificate curriculum, the MS in Data Science program produces generations of professionals and researchers who have the knowledge, skill, and ability to engage in data science processes and work. This degree encompasses a blend of disciplines to address the grand challenges of today and the future. The MS in Data Science provides students the training they need in data collection, exploration, manipulation and storage, analysis, and presentation in order to navigate data-rich workplace environments.

This program is offered fully online through Arizona Online or in-person at the University of Arizona main campus in Tucson.

The MS in Data Science is a 30 unit master's degree offering a variety of electives and optional additional certificates in different specialization areas.

Department/Academic Unit(s)

School of Information

The ever-increasing pace of technological innovation requires a more information-savvy workforce that understands not only the how, what, where, when, and why of technology and data but how to apply that knowledge. At the University of Arizona’s School of Information, we have faculty and students engaged in research and education around all aspects of the information sciences without regard for disciplinary boundaries. We do research in: artificial intelligence; data management and curation; computer vision; computer-mediated communication and learning; natural language processing; social networking; human computer interfaces; dark networks; computational art creation; eCommerce, eGovernment, and eHealth; computational music; library sciences; educational and entertainment technologies; and much more.

We are preparing our graduates to be the doers, thinkers, solvers, and game-changers, not only of the problems and opportunities we see now, but also of the myriad scenarios we can’t yet imagine but are sure to arise during our students’ lifetimes.

College

College of Social & Behavioral Sciences

Campuses where offered

Global Microcampus - Online

University of Arizona - Main - Tucson

Arizona Online - Online

Contacts

Tuition and Fees

Please refer to the UA Bursar's Office Tuition and Fees Calculator for up-to-date information about tuition and fees.
Please refer to the UA Registrar's's Office Special Course Fees for up-to-date information about special course fees.

Admissions Information

Admissions Requirements

The MS Data Science degree is offered on main campus, AZ Online, and to Global campus through a partnership with upGrad in India. Students in India interested in the upGrad program should visit their website for information on admissions and requirements.

Admission will be based on an evaluation of your potential to become a qualified information professional or effective researchers in data science. We consider prior coursework and grades, letters of recommendation and research/artistic/professional products such as papers, substantive works, or significant contributions to software systems.

To be admitted you must have:

A bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona or from an accredited college or university recognized by the University of Arizona
A grade point average of 3.0 or higher
Academic coursework and/or professional experience that demonstrates strong quantitative and analytical reasoning abilities
Academic coursework and/or professional experience with math and programming, including data structures, analysis of algorithms, and linear algebra. Coursework and/or professional experience with calculus is encouraged but not required.
See additional requirements for international applicants
A GRE is not required

We admit applicants from a variety of different backgrounds, including sciences and engineering, social sciences and the arts and humanities. If you lack adequate math and computing training, you may be accepted provisionally and will be required to obtain necessary training before for admission (likely increasing the number of semesters needed for graduation).

We offer undergraduate courses that can help remediate deficiencies or you may pursue other courses from the University of Arizona or other institutions. Undergraduate courses taken for remediation purposes may not be applied for graduate credit.

Additional Forms

You may also need to complete:

A domicile affidavit if you wish to have in-state (Arizona) status. Mail or FAX the form directly to the Residency Classification Office. All students are considered out-of-state residents until domicile affidavits are processed. See Residency Guidelines and also review information about Proposition 300.
A financial guarantee form (international students)
An immunization form to be sent directly to Campus Health. Students will not be allowed to register for classes until they have met the University's immunization requirements. For more information, see the Campus Health Service's immunization requirements.

Standardized Tests

The GRE is not required.

International Students must provide information on English proficiency. More information on our page for International Applicants.

Funding Opportunities

It is highly recommended for all students to file for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students who file for FAFSA may qualify for assistance through Pell Grants or student loans. Need based awards and departmental funding require students to have their FAFSA filed.

There are numerous ways to financially support your graduate education, including assistantships, fellowships, scholarship programs, financial aid and other funding opportunities. Many of these opportunities have priority application deadlines each semester. The School of Information has a limited amount of funding each year for MS students. Find more information on our page for Graduate Funding. Students can also pursue funding options through the UA Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid.

Admissions Deadlines

Domestic Applicants:

Fall: February 1st
Spring: September 1st
Summer: March 1st

International Applicants:

Fall: February 1st
Spring: September 1st
Summer: March 1st

International Conditional Admission

International applicants will not be considered for conditional admission by this program.

Other Information

The GRE Institution Code for The University of Arizona is 4832

Completion Requirements

Minimum Credit Units

Core Coursework Requirements

Core required coursework:

INFO 520 Ethical Issues in Information, 3 units, minimum grade required: B

INFO 523 Data Mining and Discovery, 3 units, minimum grade required: B

INFO 526 Data Analysis and Visualization, 3 units, minimum grade required: B

INFO 698 Capstone, 3 units, minimum grade required: B

Elective Coursework

Elective Courses

18 units total
Students wishing to take an elective course outside of this list should obtain approval in advance from the MS Data Science faculty advisor
Students have the choice of completing the MS alone or adding graduate certificates with specific emphases. Visit our Graduate Certificates page for more information.
Any non-core courses with the INFO prefix is considered elective (see below for options within emphasis areas)
The following out-of-department courses are also pre-approved for electives:

Elective Courses Organized as Optional Certificates

Certificate 1: Natural Language Processing (Linguistics)

LING 539: Statistical Natural Language Processing (Cross-listed: CSC 539) (3 Units)

LING 582 Advanced Statistical Natural Language Processing (3 Units)

Plus one more course chosen from:

CSC 583: Text Retrieval and Web Search (3 Units)

CSC 585: Algorithms for Natural Language Processing (3 Units)

INFO 557: Neural Networks (3 Units)

LING 578 Speech Technology (3 Units)

LING 581 Advanced Computational Linguistics (3 Units)

Certificate 2: Geospatial Data Science (School of Geography)

GIST 603A Geog. Info. Systems Programming/Automation (3 Units)

GIST 604B Open Source GIS (3 Units)

GIST XXX Geospatial Visualization (3 Units)

Elective Courses Not Organized as Certificates

(if not opting for a set of certificates, courses can also be chosen from this set).

ECE 523 Machine Learning (3 Units)

ECE 524: Fundamentals of Cloud Security (3 Units)

ECE 579: Artificial Intelligence (3 Units)

GIST 570 Geodatabase (3 Units)

INFO 514: Computational Social Science (3 Units)

INFO 521: Introduction to Machine Learning (3 Units)

INFO 531: Data Warehousing and Analytics in the Cloud (3 Units)

INFO 536: Data Science and Public Interests (3 Units)

INFO 555: Applied Natural Language Processing (4 Units)

INFO 556: Text Retrieval and Web Search (3 Units)

INFO 570: Data Base Development and Management (3 Units)

INFO 578: Science Information and its Presentation (3 Units)

INFO 579 Database Design in SQL (3 Units)

SIE 530: Engineering Statistics (3 Units)

SIE 533: Fundamentals of Data Science for Engineers (3 Units)

SIE 545: Fundamentals of Optimization (3 Units)

SIE 640: Large-Scale Optimization (3 Units)

SIE 645: Nonlinear Optimization (3 Units)

You are encouraged to select one or two emphasis areas or develop your own in collaboration with your faculty advisor. The areas of emphasis listed below represent some anticipated areas of interest and specialization based on student interest and faculty expertise, but it is not a comprehensive list of courses.

Additional Requirements

Students will complete INFO 698 Capstone as part of the core requirements

Student Handbook

Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for students who are pursuing this program of study.

Persistent link: https://grad.arizona.edu/catalog/programinfo/DSCMS

Last revised 11 Aug 2022

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Graduate Program: Data Science (MS)