MS DS Program Overview
The Master of Science in Data Science (MS DS) Program provides students with the skills, perspective and expertise needed to succeed in today’s rapidly changing AI and data-driven economy. This program is ideal if you’re looking to enhance your current role with quantitative and computational expertise, or if you’re seeking a career change.
The MS DS Program is a dynamic, interdisciplinary program taught by world-class faculty who are leading researchers in data science, artificial intelligence and across the computer and information sciences.
At Drexel University, MS DS students gain a strong general foundation in data science as well as a choice of specialization in the discipline. Through the application of state-of-the-art methods, development of computational tools and algorithms, and management of data and information to solve data-centric problems, students learn to discover valuable insights and communicate them to diverse audiences.
Who is the MS in Data Science for?
In Computing & Informatics, Drexel’s MS DS Program is designed for students with or without a bachelor’s degree in data science. The flexible curriculum seamlessly accommodates tech professionals looking for advanced training as well as those in other areas who wish to enhance their professional roles with data science skills.
Graduates of the MS in Data Science Program collect, manage and analyze massive, “noisy,” and fast-growing datasets, leading to unique discoveries, insights, and value for a variety of industries, including healthcare, finance and business operations.
Master's in Data Science Curriculum
Our courses provide practical, rigorous and hands-on training in machine learning, natural language processing, large language models, data engineering on data pipelines, data streaming, large-scale data management, algorithmic and data ethics, data visualization, data governance and more. The MS DS Program likewise engages students to learn how to manage and leverage data assets for real-world decision making and problem solving, modeling and related activities.
Finally, a capstone project gives you the opportunity to gain practical, real-world industry experience within your area of interest and to use your new knowledge before graduation.
Please visit the course catalog to view a sample plan of study and course descriptions for all the data science courses we offer.
Meet Data Science Students
"Drexel’s data science coursework fit my interests and career path. Furthermore, Drexel University has outstanding faculty. These aspects significantly impacted my decision to choose Drexel to pursue my master’s degree."
– Khiem Nguyen, MS Data Science '22
Read More About Khiem's Experience
“In my co-op, I worked on data pipelines with Airflow, evaluated ML approaches on large cybersecurity datasets, and explored AI agents to help streamline existing processes. I also had the chance to connect with a lot of people at BlackRock, which was a really rewarding part of the experience. I’d encourage other students to be proactive and look for ways to apply what they’re learning at Drexel to make a practical impact. Also, network! Expressing interest and sharing how I could help opened the door for me to contribute across multiple teams.”
– Naren Garapati, Innovation Office Information Security Co-op at BlackRock
“I pursued my co-op as a Talent Analyst at URBN, the parent company for Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, and Nuuly. It was an incredible opportunity to work within a global corporation where I analyzed thousands of data points to deliver strategic reports to HR leadership. Drawing on my coursework from Applied Machine Learning and NLP with Deep Learning, I implemented a classification model to extract insights from large-scale, text-based data. Beyond the analytics, I collaborated with cross-functional teams to build interactive dashboards that drove real organizational impact. I especially appreciated the creative freedom my team provided, allowing me to advocate for a data science-focused direction and transform my co-op into a rewarding experience.”
– Shriya Rawal, Talent Analyst Co-op at URBN
“My co-op experience at CHOP helped me connect academic learning with real-world application while working at the intersection of data science, engineering, and healthcare research. I was part of a project focused on infant occupant safety in vehicle crashes, which allowed me to apply data science and machine learning in a meaningful healthcare research setting. Knowing that my work contributed to improving child safety made the experience especially motivating and rewarding.”
– Megha Thete, Co-op at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Fast Facts
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Hours
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Full-time (FT) or Part-time (PT)
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Time-to-Degree
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1.5 years (FT); 2.5 years (PT)
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Format
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On campus or online
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Term Starts
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Fall, Winter
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Hands-on Experience
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- Coursework emphasizes hands-on skills that employers are seeking, including projects and teamwork
- Program culminates in a hands-on, collaborative capstone project
- For further industry experience, graduate co-op is available for on-campus, full-time students
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Technical experience required?
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This degree program accommodates students with a technical background as well as those who do not. Please see the description above and the admissions requirements below.
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GRE required?
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No
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Meets F1 Visa STEM Requirements?
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Yes
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Data Science Career Outlook
Data Science, like all disciplines within the computer and information sciences, has a very healthy employment outlook. In the case of Data Science, it is predicted that employment will grow more than any other occupation. Read more about this field and the places you can go with this master’s degree here.
Where Our Data Science Graduates Work
- Lincoln Financial Group
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
- Penn Medicine (University of Pennsylvania)
- Comcast
- Merck
- Johnson & Johnson
- Deloitte
- Boomi
Graduate Co-op
Full-time, on-campus students who are accepted for fall and winter term admissions can also choose a Graduate Co-op option. Please visit the Steinbright Career Development Center to learn more about cooperative education and its benefits.
Admissions Requirements
Please visit our Graduate Admissions section for admissions requirements and application deadlines.
Finances
Tuition
Please visit Drexel’s official Graduate Tuition & Fees webpage. Note that this master’s degree requires 45 quarter credits.
Scholarships
There are a variety of sources of financial aid and scholarships to help you fund your master’s degree — explore them here.
Request More Information
Be in touch with us to get answers to all your questions! We can connect you with a Recruitment Specialist, one of our Graduate Dean’s Ambassadors, or a faculty member to help. Contact our graduate recruitment team at cciinfo@drexel.edu, or by filling out this form, and we’ll get back to you soon.
Schedule a Visit or Register for an Online Information Session
Learn more about the College of Computing & Informatics experience through an online information session or an in-person visit. Contact our recruitment team to schedule your visit today by contacting us at cciinfo@drexel.edu!