CATEGORIES
MS in Data Science Admission Requirements: What Do Top US Universities Expect?
- Lovish Rawal
- April 27, 2023
- 9:57 am
According to the U.S. News and World Report, here are some primary reasons why college applications in the US get rejected:
- Fail to meet the academic requirements
- Incomplete application
- Choosing the wrong college/university
- Errors in the application form
If you’re interested in pursuing higher education, knowing how to apply for MS in Data Science in the US is crucial. Let’s show you how:
- Choose the college with a higher acceptance rate
- Complete the application process in the right way
As you read ahead, you will see our shortlisted top universities and admission criteria for MS in Data Science in the US universities.
Sl. No | Name of the University | Acceptance Rate |
1 | City University of New York (CUNY) | 94% |
2 | New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) | 69.1% |
3 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) | 60% |
4 | University of Maryland (UMD) | 52% |
5 | Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) | 14% |
The CUNY Graduate Center offers an M.S. in Data Science, a 30 credits hour program.
You can opt to do it either full-time or part-time. It’s intended to be completed within two years.
During the program, you’ll learn about Data Science Fundamentals, Data Analytics, and Data Applications.
CUNY MS in Data Science admission requirements:
GPA Requirements | Application Deadlines | Application Fees | Standardized Test Scores |
3.0 or higher | November 1st for spring enrollment | 75 USD | GRE – 80th percentile TOEFL iBT – 79 IELTS – 6.5 |
Application prerequisites for MS in Data Science in the US:
- Must have the minimum TOEFL or IELTS score.
- You must have a minimum 80th percentile GRE score or similar program qualification.
- You need a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in computer science from an accredited college or university.
- If you have a degree in STEM fields (mathematics, statistics, information science, information systems, or engineering), exceptional academic performance, required courses, programming prerequisites, and at least an 80th percentile quantitative score on the GRE, you will be eligible.
- If you are a non-STEM degree student, the university is partnering with NYU Tandon Bridge Program. Attending this will help you to gain the required knowledge and skills to be eligible to apply for M.S. in Data Science program.
- You must have completed at least one course each in linear algebra, probability and statistics, and algorithms.
- You should be fluent in Python, Java, or C++ programming.
- You must have a minimum B grade point average in undergraduate or graduate coursework, demonstrating an aptitude for graduate study.
Admission documents for MS in Data Science in the US:
- Submit two letters of recommendation from professional acquaintances.
- Submit a statement of purpose. It should explain your career objectives, interests, and academic and professional background relevant to the degree program.
- Submit the GRE score document if it is available. Or else prove your program qualification by submitting other relevant details.
- Submit TOEFL or IELTS score documents.
- Submit sample works (e.g., projects, websites, videos, programming code repositories, creative works) that showcase your professional knowledge related to the program(optional).
- Submit the transcripts from each college or university you attended.
To successfully complete the Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) program at NJIT, you will need to finish 30 credits.
You can choose any one of the options to complete this:
- Courses (30 credits)
- Courses (27 credits) + MS Project (3 credits)
- Courses (24 credits) + MS Thesis (6 credits)
NJIT MS in Data Science admission requirements:
GPA Requirements | Application Deadlines | Application Fees | Standardized Test Scores |
3.0 or higher | Before May 1st for fall enrollment. Before November 15th for spring enrollment. | 75 USD | GRE – Required (No specific cutoff mentioned). TOEFL – 79 IELTS – 6.5 Duolingo – 120 |
Application prerequisites for MS in Data Science in the US:
- You need a GPA score. If not, you must have graduated with a first-class.
- You must have a Bachelor’s degree in Data Science, Applied Statistics, Computer Science, or equivalent.
- If you lack a computing background, you can enroll in one of the three associated Data Science Certificates programs(Data Mining, Data Visualization, or Big Data). After successfully completing the Certificate, you will be eligible to apply for the M.S. in DS program.
- If you have an insufficient background in mathematics/statistics, you’ll be required to complete suitable bridge courses after the advisor’s review.
- You must have a GRE score.
- You also need to achieve a minimum score in TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo.
Admission documents for MS in Data Science in the US:
- You need to submit transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
- Submit your GPA score. If you do not have a GPA score, submit a transcript showing you graduated with a “first class” corresponding to a B average.
- Submit TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo scores.
- Submit one letter of recommendation.
If you’re interested in earning MS in Data Science from WPI, you’ll need to complete 30 credit hours. There are two options to complete the program.
First, you can do it as a three-credit Graduate Qualifying Project (GQP). It involves working on a team project with an industry partner for real-world experience. Or you can finish it as a nine-credit M.S. thesis.
WPI MS in Data Science admission requirements:
GPA Requirements | Application Deadlines | Application Fees | Standardized Test Scores |
3.5 or higher | Rolling.
Students who want funding must apply by October 1st for the spring batch. | 70 USD | GRE – Not required TOEFL iBT – 84 TOEFL Essentials – 8.5 IELTS – 7 (minimum sub-score of 6.5) Duolingo – 115 |
Application prerequisites for MS in Data Science in the US:
- You need to have minimum GPA requirements.
- You must have an eligible test score for TOEFL iBT, TOEFL Essentials, IELTS, or Duolingo.
- To apply for MS in data science, you need a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, computer science, business, quantitative sciences, and engineering.
- Your degree must have covered quantitative and computational topics such as data structures, programming, calculus, algorithms, linear algebra, and introductory statistics.
Admission documents for MS in Data Science in the US:
- Submit three letters of recommendation from authorities eligible to comment on your qualification for pursuing graduate studies.
- Submit transcripts of all the post-secondary colleges or universities.
- Statement of Purpose
- Submit official documents of TOEFL iBT, TOEFL Essentials, IELTS, or Duolingo scores.
You can get a Master of Professional Studies(MPS) in Data Science and Analytics from the University of Maryland’s College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences.
This 30-credit program is for working professionals and takes less than two years to complete. The program ends with research methods and study design, but no thesis is involved in its course curriculum.
UMD MS in Data Science admission requirements:
GPA Requirements | Application Deadlines | Application Fees | Standardized Test Scores |
3.0 or higher | March 10, 2023. *The deadline for Fall enrollment is over. | 75 USD | GRE – optional TOEFL iBT – 80 IELTS – 7 |
*Contact scienceacademy@umd.edu to know about the next enrollment.
Application prerequisites for MS in Data Science in the US:
- Your degree must be equivalent to a four-year U.S. institution degree.
- You must have proficiency in programming languages.
- You need a 3.0 GPA in undergraduate and graduate coursework.
- You must have a minimum score for TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE.
- Having a GRE score will be an add-on.
Admission documents for MS in Data Science in the US:
- You must submit official transcripts from all the colleges/universities you attended.
- You must submit a Statement of Purpose.
- You must provide TOEFL/IELTS/PTE score.
- If you have a GRE score, submit it.
- Submit your CV/Resume.
- Provide your research/work experience description.
- You need to submit previous coursework that proves your quantitative ability. This includes calculus II, linear algebra, statistics, etc.
- You must also prove your proficiency in programming languages. This can be shown through previous programming coursework or substantial software development experience.
5. Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)
CMU offers a Master of Computational Data Science program. All MCDS students must complete at least 144 units to graduate.
You can earn this degree in two ways:
- Professional Preparation takes 16 months with a minimum of 48 units per semester, and you graduate in December.
- Research Preparation takes 20 months with a minimum of 36 units per semester, and you graduate in May.
CMU MS in Data Science admission requirements:
GPA Requirements | Application Deadlines | Application Fees | Standardized Test Scores |
3.0 or higher | Early Deadline November 29, 2023. Final Deadline: December 13, 2023. | By the early deadline: 80 USD. By final deadline: 100 USD | GRE – Required (No specific cutoff mentioned). TOEFL – 100 IELTS – 7.5 Duolingo – 120 |
Application prerequisites for MS in Data Science in the US:
- The MCDS program is for students with a computer science, computer engineering, or related degree from a top-ranked university.
- You need to have a minimum TOEFL, IELTS, or DuoLingo test scores(TOEFL is preferred over the other two).
- It’s highly recommended to have GRE scores.
Admission documents for MS in Data Science in the US:
- You need to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo scores.
- It’s advised to provide GRE scores; if not, explain the reason briefly in your application.
- Submit transcripts from all attended universities.
- Submit your current resume outlining your research experience, education, work experience, and achievements like publications, scholarships, etc.
- Prepare a statement of purpose in one or two pages describing your research interests, related experiences, and goals in pursuing a graduate degree at CMU.
- Submit three letters of recommendation. At least two of the recommenders should be from your faculty/employers.