Urban Informatics
The Master of Science in Urban Informatics is training a new generation of experts who can navigate the technical and socioeconomic landscape on which life in the city unfolds. With classes on campus and online, the program couples comprehensive data analytics skills with an understanding of the big questions faced by cities in the 21st century. Only a handful of U.S. universities currently offer degrees in urban informatics. Northeastern’s interdisciplinary curriculum, leading faculty, experiential opportunities, and its prime location at the heart of Boston set the university apart from other institutions.
Part-Time
Digital data and technology are rapidly transforming the modern city. Across the world, cities have embraced Big Data—statistical modeling and visualization, mapping and spatial analysis, and the implementation of apps and sensor systems to track, understand, and improve urban life. This shift, which has included policymakers, practitioners, and private corporations alike, calls for a new generation of experts—professionals who can navigate the technical and conceptual challenges presented by the city and future city planning.
This cutting-edge, STEM-eligible program is built upon a unique cross-college initiative. It offers comprehensive state-of-the-art training in the core skills of data analytics, including quantitative analysis, data mining, machine learning, and data visualization. Urban informatics students supplement training in these foundational skills with a specialized sequence of courses that address how data and technology are being used to tackle key social, infrastructural, and environmental challenges in cities and urban areas.
You’ll be a part of the next wave of urban professionals ready to lead in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Given the continuous growth in urban data and technology, you’ll be essential to shaping the future of urban areas around the globe.
Learn more about the Master of Science in Urban Informatics from the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, housed within the College of Social Sciences and Humanities.
Register for the next Welcome Day for prospective students here.
More Details
Unique Features
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Unrivaled research and experiential learning opportunities: Work with affiliated centers such as the Boston Research Area Initiative and the Dukakis Center. Boston becomes your classroom to observe and study real-world problems in conjunction with local agencies, companies, and nonprofits.
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Unique interdisciplinary approach: The program has an interdisciplinary integration of analytic skills with more than a century of in-depth knowledge on urban policy and theory.
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Leading faculty: Hear from Dan O’Brien, who has contributed to the tools and ideas that are at the foundation of urban informatics in the program overview below.
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Career-advancing degree: Apply skills learned in the program immediately to real-world social, infrastructural, and environmental challenges through cutting-edge research and capstone projects. Attract employers with an e-portfolio that showcases your accomplishments and professional capabilities in data analytics and informatics in the urban context.
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Connection with the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs: Be a part of Northeastern University’s School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, housed within the College of Social Sciences and Humanities. This hub for innovative, interdisciplinary research identifies and seeks solutions for issues of pressing concern to society at local, state, national, and international levels—from transportation, housing, and community development to social and environmental justice, resilience, and sustainability.
Testimonials
Ben Hoffman, Current Student
Antonio Vázquez Brust, 2017 Graduate
Kit Miller, 2017 Graduate
Dan O’Brien, Associate Professor
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Requirements
- Application
- Application fee – U.S. $75.00
- Personal statement
- Unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended
- English proficiency for international applicants
- Three letters of recommendation
- Resumé
- Standardized test scores such as the GRE are not required for master's degree applicants to the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs. However, such test scores may be helpful for applicants with little or no experience beyond undergraduate school.
Admissions Dates
| Final deadline for international applicants: | June 15 |
| Final deadline for domestic applicants: | August 15 |
| Deadline for Special Student applicants (non-international only): | August 25 |
| Deadline for international applicants: | October 1 |
| Deadline for domestic applicants: | December 15 |
| Deadline for Special Student applicants: | December 15 |
| Domestic applicants only: | April 15 |
Core Requirements
Data Science Courses
Complete one of the following courses:
Complete the following courses:
Methods and Applications
Optional Co-op Experience
Requires two consecutive semesters of Co-op Work Experience and Experiential Integration:
Concentrations
Choose one from the following:
Methods and Applications
Analysis
Complete 4 semester hours from the following
Practicum or Capstone
Choose one of the following two courses:
Portfolio
Methods and Applications
Complete 4 semester hours from the following:
Analysis
Complete 4 semester hours from the following:
CIVE 7000-level Special Topics in Engineering—Approved by program director
Practicum or Capstone
Complete topic-focused capstone or practicum approved by program director
Portfolio
Methods and Applications
Complete 4 semester hours from the following:
Analysis
Complete 4 semester hours from the following:
Practicum or Capstone
Complete topic-focused capstone or practicum approved by program director
Portfolio
Methods and Applications
Complete 4 semester hours from the following:
The specific topic for IE 7374 is:
- Sharing Economy Systems
Analysis
Complete 4 semester hours from the following:
CIVE 7000-level Special Topics in Engineering—Approved by program director.
Practicum or Capstone
Complete topic-focused capstone or practicum approved by program director
Portfolio
Please note: This curriculum is for marketing purposes only and is subject to change. Official curriculum can be found within the course catalog.
- Research: Students collaborate with faculty on groundbreaking, use-inspired research in class and in our research centers—The Kitty and Michael Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy, the The Social Impact Lab, and the Boston Area Research Initiative. See current faculty/student research projects.
- Capstone/Research Practicum: Students have the option to complete a research practicum, a semester-long individual or group project that pursues an original research question, or a Capstone project working in student teams, in partnership with local, state, or federal agencies or nonprofit institutions, to assess an urban or regional problem, produce a thorough policy analysis, and recommend solutions to the client.
- Portfolio: Students assemble and submit a professional portfolio of at least three projects completed within courses.
Our Faculty
Our faculty represents a wide cross-section of professional practices and fields ranging from finance to education to biomedical science to management to the U.S. military. They serve as mentors and advisors and collaborate alongside students to solve the most pressing global challenges facing established and emerging markets.
By enrolling in Northeastern, you gain access to a network of more than 275,000 alumni and 3,350+ employer partners, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and global nongovernmental organizations. Our current students and faculty across strategically located regional locations further foster a lifelong, global community of learning and mentoring.
Below is a look at jobs our urban informatics graduates are prepared to pursue, and the skills they bring to organizations.
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Where They Work
- City of Boston
- City of Buenos Aires
- Geographic Information Systems
- Courbanize
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What They Do
- Urban Data Scientist
- Spatial Analyst and Expert
- Developer
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What They're Skilled At
- Using Urban Data Sets to Inform Policy Decisions
- Analyzing Geographical Data
- Creating Maps and Visualizations
- Developing New Products and Technologies