Khoury College of Computer Sciences

College of Engineering

Data Science

Master's: Portland, ME
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The Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS), an interdisciplinary program between Khoury College of Computer Sciences and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) in the College of Engineering, delivers a comprehensive framework for processing, modeling, analyzing, and reasoning about data.

Portland, ME
Location
Full-Time
Part-Time
Commitment
2-2.5 Years
Duration of Program
Fall
Entry Terms
Yes *
Meets F1 Visa Requirements
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Overview

An extensive core curriculum—designed jointly by Khoury College of Computer Sciences and the College of Engineering faculty—enables you to develop depth in computational modeling, data collection and integration, data storage and retrieval, data processing, modeling and analytics, and visualization. Electives from Khoury College of Computer Sciences, the College of Engineering, or a Northeastern partner college provide an opportunity to explore key contextual areas or more complex technical applications.

For the fourth year in a row, Glassdoor named data scientist as the best job in America. And as Daniel Gutierrez, managing editor of insideBIGDATA, told Forbes, "The word on the street is there's definitely a shortage of people who can do data science." Given the job prospects and shortage of talent, now is the time to advance your career in the data science field.

All Roux Institute programs provide content relevant to the urgent and emerging needs of industry in Maine and the rapidly evolving regional, national, and global economy. Opportunities for experiential learning will be concentrated in Portland, the state of Maine, and the Northeast region. Students are encouraged to pursue co-ops and special virtual Experiential Network projects with the institute’s founding corporate partners, a group of leading employers in Maine.

More Details

Unique Features

  • This is an interdisciplinary program between Northeastern’s Khoury College of Computer Sciences and the College of Engineering.
  • Courses are tailored toward technically or mathematically trained students.

Program Objectives

  • Data Management: Ability to effectively utilize integrated databases for managing large-scale datasets.
  • Machine Learning: Ability to effectively apply an appropriate machine-learning model to a problem.
  • Analysis and Visualization: Ability to effectively communicate insights derived from data.

An MSDS degree enables you to collect data from numerous sources (databases, files, images) and integrate them into a form in which the data is fit for analysis. Students develop strong programming and analysis skills to explore data, produce summary statistics, perform statistical analyses; using standard data mining and machine-learning models for effective analysis. Students learn to work with both structure and unstructured data. The program provides you with the knowledge to manage, process, analyze, and visualize data at scale. You will learn about the limitations of machine learning and data mining methods as applied to real-world problems and communicate the advantages/disadvantages of the methods to non-data experts. Students will carry out the full data analysis workflow, including unsupervised class discovery, supervised class comparison, and supervised class prediction. They will learn how to properly summarize, interpret, and communicate the analysis of results. In this program you will develop methods for modeling, analyzing, and reasoning about data arising in one or more application domains such as social science, health informatics, web and social media, climate informatics, urban informatics, geographical information systems, business analytics, bioinformatics, complex networks, public health, and game design.

Career Outlook

Northeastern's MSDS graduates have found success in a wide range of industries and positions:

  • Data science analyst at MFS
  • Fixed income quantitative researcher at State Street Corporation
  • Data analyst at TJX
  • Data analyst at Stop & Shop
  • OCR imaging/natural language processing engineer at iQuartic
  • Machine learning/OPS engineer at New York Life

Looking for something different?

View more Computing and IT programs
Admissions

A graduate degree or certificate from Northeastern—a top-ranked university—can accelerate your career through rigorous academic coursework and hands-on professional experience in the area of your interest. Apply now—and take your career to the next level.

Program Costs

$59.4K *
Tuition

Finance Your Education We offer a variety of resources, including scholarships and assistantships.

How to Apply Learn more about the application process and requirements.

Requirements

  • Online application and fee
  • Unofficial undergraduate/graduate transcripts (you can submit official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended at the time of admission)
  • Statement of purpose that should include career goals and expected outcomes and benefits from the program
  • Recent professional resumé listing detailed position responsibilities
  • Three confidential letters of recommendation
  • Unofficial TOEFL or IELTS examination scores (international students only)
  • 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
  • 8.0 on a 10.0 scale
  • 80 on a 100 scale
  • GRE is optional
  • Duolingo language test also accepted

Prerequisite Courses

The Master of Science in Data Science curriculum is tailored toward technically or mathematically trained students. To ensure that all students have the foundation necessary to be successful in this program, each incoming student must either complete two introductory courses at Northeastern or complete two placement exams administered one week prior to the beginning of the semester. The two exams cover fundamentals of computer science and programming skills and basic statistics, probability, and linear algebra. This admission requirement can also be fulfilled by successful completion of Introduction to Programming for Data Science (DS 5010) and Introduction to Linear Algebra and Probability for Data Science (DS 5020). The introductory courses are not counted as credit toward the degree but are included in the student’s cumulative grade-point average.

Are You an International Student? Find out what additional documents are required to apply.

Global Engagement Learn how our teaching and research benefit from a worldwide network of students, faculty, and industry partners.

Admissions Dates

Applicants must submit the online application and all required admission materials no later than the stated deadlines to be considered for admission. Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis.

Fall Term
International Students: May 6
Domestic students: August 1
Curriculum

Industry-aligned courses for in-demand careers.


For 100+ years, we’ve designed our programs with one thing in mind—your success. Explore the current program requirements and course descriptions, all designed to meet today’s industry needs and must-have skills.

 

Experiential Learning

Co-op makes the Northeastern graduate education richer and more meaningful. It provides master’s students with up to 12 months of professional experience that helps them develop the knowledge, awareness, perspective, and confidence to develop rich careers. In addition to the esteemed faculty, many students enroll in the master’s programs largely because of the successful co-op program.

Graduate students typically have an experiential work opportunity following their second semester. This could be a six- to eight-month co-op or a three- to four-month internship. Those who initially experience co-op may have the opportunity to seek an internship for the following summer, or vice versa.

Student participation in experiential education provides enhanced:

  • Learning, technical expertise, and occupational knowledge
  • Confidence, maturity, and self-knowledge
  • Job-seeking and job-success skills
  • Networking opportunities within your desired career path

Northeastern’s co-op program is based on a unique educational strategy that recognizes that classroom learning only provides some of the skills students will need to succeed in their professional lives. Our administration, faculty, and staff are dedicated to the university’s mission to “educate students for a life of fulfillment and accomplishment.” Co-op is closely integrated with our course curriculum and our advising system. The team of graduate co-op faculty within the Khoury College of Computer Sciences provides support for students in preparing for and succeeding in their co-ops.

These multiple connections make co-op at Northeastern an avenue to intellectual and personal growth: adding depth to classroom studies, providing exposure to career paths and opportunities, and developing in students a deeper understanding that leads to success in today’s world.

Faculty

Our Faculty

Northeastern University faculty represents a broad cross-section of professional practices and fields, including finance, education, biomedical science, management, and the U.S. military. They serve as mentors and advisors and collaborate alongside you to solve the most pressing global challenges facing established and emerging markets.

Students

By enrolling in Northeastern, you’ll gain access to students at 13 campus locations, 300,000+ alumni, and 3,000 employer partners worldwide. Our global university system provides students unique opportunities to think locally and act globally while serving as a platform for scaling ideas, talent, and solutions.

Below is a look at where our computing and IT alumni work, the positions they hold, and the skills they bring to their organization.

 

  • Where They Work

    • Dell EMC
    • IBM
    • Amazon
    • Oracle
    • Microsoft

  • What They Do

    • Engineering
    • Information Technology
    • Business Development
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Program and Project Management

  • What They're Skilled At

    • Java
    • SQL
    • Software Development
    • JavaScript
    • HTML

 

Learn more about Northeastern alumni on Linkedin.

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