QS Rank:

164

University of Maryland, College Park

Maryland

United States

Program Rank

169

Overview

The Master of Science in Data Science is a 30-credit, 10-course, non-thesis graduate program that culminates with research methods, study design, and a capstone project.

Digital data is being generated at such a rapid pace, resulting in ‘Big Data’ and requiring new techniques for processing and analysis. Whether it’s called big data analytics, predictive analytics, or advanced analytics, Data Science is a growing, evolving field—and nearly every industry is in need of professionals who have the skills required to guide decision-making processes.
Get a degree that provides the skills required to compete in this exciting career.
Provides an education in the theory and practice of data science including mathematical and statistical foundations, computational approaches, and communication considerations.
Covers data science-relevant probability and statistics, algorithms, big data systems, machine learning, data mining, and analysis of networks.
Successful graduates should be able to design, conduct, interpret and communicate data analysis tasks and studies using methods and tools of statistics, machine learning, computer science, and communications.
Can be completed in sixteen months of continuous full-time enrollment. Part-time enrollment is welcome. See Designation of Full-time/Part-time Status.

Program Features

Curriculum focuses on five thematic competencies as follows:

Statistics - Standard statistics subsumed by general linear models (e.g., linear regression, ANOVA, t-tests, f-tests, and multivariate extensions); discrimination, classification, ordination (e.g., PCA, MDS), linear discriminant analysis, factor analysis, and related methods; permutation and randomization methods; Bayesian estimation.
Machine learning - Methods that are not subsumed by general linear models or other traditional distributional model-based statistics. Includes such things as: support vector machines; artificial neural networks and their derivatives and extensions; decision tree induction; random forests; other ensemble methods; affinity analysis; association rule learning.
Computing - Topics include those core elements most necessary for professional practice in data science and analytics: databases; programming using scripting/interpretative languages (e.g., shell, Python, Perl).
Communication - Methods and practice of communicating data science and analytics concepts, methods and results in written, verbal, and electronic media.
Research/professional practice - Actual design, execution, and communication of a data science and analytics project.

Total Tuition Fees

$40,000

Duration

12 Months

Median Salary

$80,000

Ranking

#55

US World and News Report

#104

The World University Rankings

#164

QS World University Rankings

Intake

Fall ( Sept - Nov )

Intake

Spring ( Apr - June )

Class Profile

Class Size

Average Age

Average Work Experience

2 Years

Language Test Scores

Minimum Score

96 / 120

Minimum Score

7 / 9

Minimum Score

68 / 90

Diversity

Others:

Hispanic or Latino:

13%

Black or African American:

11%

Two or more races:

Asian:

27%

White:

47%

Admissions

Application Deadlines

Fall

Round	Deadline	Decision
Standard Deadline	Jan 20	NA
Space Available	NA	NA

Eligibility Criteria

Any student applying for admission to a graduate program at the University of Maryland must meet the following minimum admission criteria as established by the Graduate School.

Applicants must have earned a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution, or an equivalent degree from a non-U.S. institution.
Applicants must have earned a 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) in all prior undergraduate and graduate coursework.
Applicants must provide an official copy of a transcript for all of their post-secondary work.

Program-Specific Requirements:

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) (optional)
CV/Resume
Description of research/work experience
Prior coursework establishing quantitative ability (including calculus II, linear algebra, statistics, etc.)
Proficiency in programming languages, demonstrated either through prior programming coursework or substantial software development experience

Application Requirements

What Really Matters When Applying

Statement of Purpose
Required
Transcript
Required
TOEFL
Required
IELTS
Required
Curriculum Vitae
Required
Personal History Statement
Required
Application Fee
75

Career Outcomes

Median Earnings After Graduation

$80,000 / year

Graduation Rate

86%

Job Placement

96%

Prospective Job Roles

Statistician

Manager

Database Administrator

Public Policy Analyst

Data Scientist

Business Analyst

Big Data Engineer

Big Data Specialist

Project Manager

Data analyst

Top recruiters

Fees and Funding

Tuition Fees

$40,000 / year

Overall Cost

$70,000 / year

Average Total Aid Awarded

$14,265 / year

Funding Options

Department Funding

Scholarships

International Students

Eligibility for Federal, State and Institutional Aid

Only students with the following status are eligible for federal, state, and institutional aid:

U.S. citizenship
U.S. national (includes natives of American Samoa or Swains Island)
U.S. permanent resident. Required are I-151, I-551, or I-551C (Alien Registration Receipt Card), or an Form I-94 with a stamp on passport indicating I-551 status.
Granted one of the following on a U.S. Arrival-Departure Record (Form I-94):
Refugee
Indefinite Parole or Humanitarian Parole
Asylum Granted
Cuban-Haitian Entrant, Status Pending
Conditional Entrant (valid only if issued before 4/1/1980)
Temporary Resident with an I-688 Card

If you are eligible to receive Federal Aid, complete the FAFSA

Private Education Loans for International Students

International students who are able to secure a U.S. citizen or permanent resident as a co-signer may apply for a private loan.

International students who are not able to find a U.S. citizen or permanent resident as a co-signer may be able to secure educational funding through their home country or other international lenders.

FAQs

GRE scores are sent electronically from ETS. Please use institution code 5814
The University of Maryland is dedicated to maintaining a vibrant international graduate student community. The International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) is a valuable resource of information and assistance for prospective and current international students. International applicants are encouraged to explore the services they offer, and contact them with related questions. As an international applicant, there are a few additional requirements you must satisfy to be considered for admission. Please see the Graduate Admissions Process for International Applicants for more information
No, do not upload an encrypted transcript to the application. It will upload as a blank document. The program will not be able to use it for its evaluation. Please print the document out, scan it, then upload a scanned version.
If you will be awarded a Master’s degree by the time you would begin graduate study at the University of Maryland, or your 3 year Bachelor’s degree was earned in a country with 13 years of pre-university formal education, then you are eligible for graduate study. We will also consider those with a 3 year Bachelor’s and a Post Graduate Diploma from a nationally recognized institution to be eligible. If your sole qualification is a 3 year Bachelor’s from a country with 12 years of pre-university education, and your degree would not qualify you for admission to an academic graduate program in this country, then you are not eligible to apply to the Graduate School. If your 3 year Bachelor’s would qualify you for admission to academic graduate programs in the country in which it was earned, then you are welcome to submit an application which will be reviewed by the department to determine whether you are a strong enough candidate for an exception to be made. The 3 year Bachelor’s must already have been earned at the time of application. It needs to be in a field closely related to the field of study that you are applying to with strong grades in order to be considered for an exception.
U of Maryland is one of the best universities in the world. The school is academically rigorous, has top-notch faculty, endless opportunities to participate in research and social activities, and it's located near DC, providing students unparalleled jobs and internships.