Master in Analytics
University of San Francisco - College of Arts & Sciences
Key Information
Campus location
San Francisco, USA
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
1 Year
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
USD 48,320 / per year
Application deadline
Request Info
Earliest start date
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Introduction
USF’s one-year Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) program delivers a rigorous curriculum focused on mathematical and computational techniques in the emerging field of data science. The curriculum emphasizes the careful formulation of business problems, selecting effective analytical techniques to address those problems, and communicating solutions in a clear and creative fashion.
Over 90 percent of all graduates since the program's inception in 2012 received an offer of employment within three months of graduation at companies including Amazon, Apple, Facebook, LinkedIn, Lyft, Zillow, Twitch, Tesla, Microsoft, Pinterest, and Visa.
A Technically Challenging Curriculum
The program's challenging curriculum features seven-week courses designed specifically for our students — they're not offered in other programs or departments. Students master subjects from computer science, statistics, and management such as regression, web scraping, SQL and NoSQL database management, natural language processing, business communications, machine learning, cluster analysis, application development, and interviewing skills. Students primarily use the Python programming language in their classes and learn how to effectively use distributed computing technology such as MapReduce, Hadoop, and Spark, and become intimately familiar with cloud technology such as Amazon Web Services. Students have access to the Data Institute's GPU computing cluster.
Faculty
Our faculty represent the fundamental multidisciplinary nature of the big data industry. They’re traditional academics and data scientists actively working in the field, using real industry experience to inspire their instruction. Their areas of expertise include deep learning, natural language processing, databases, statistical modeling, network analytics, algorithms, unsupervised learning, machine learning, optimization, health analytics, and signal processing.
Admissions
Curriculum
Program Overview
The Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) is a full-time, one-year program housed at USF’s downtown San Francisco campus. The 35 unit program begins in early July every year and features a modern, open-source-focused curriculum for students who seek the technical expertise required to become data scientists and analysts, and the business skills to apply this knowledge effectively and strategically.
Courses Include
- Application Development
- Machine Learning
- Statistical Modeling
- Natural Language Processing
- Business Strategy
- Design of Experiments
- Distributed Computing
- Deep Learning
- Data Visualization
- Business Communication
Data Science Boot Camp
The program begins with our boot camp, an intensive review of the foundational knowledge and skills required for success in the MSDS program. Students complete accelerated review courses in probability & statistics and computation for analytics and also must pass a linear algebra competency exam in order to move forward in the program. Additionally, all students take a course in exploratory data analysis & visualization for a total of three courses and one linear algebra exam in the introductory summer semester.
Nine-Month Internship (Practicum)
Internship projects allow students to work for 15 hours per week for nine months tackling data science problems at organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. All students are guaranteed internship placement.
Amazon Web Services Partnership
The Master of Science in Data Science is proud to have our students develop software and run analyses on Amazon Web Services. Through a new partnership with AWS Educate and USF's Data Institute, each student receives significant support in the form of credits to gain crucial familiarity and experience across their suite of technologies, including RedShift and EC2.
Class Schedule
Classes are held Monday through Friday during the day, with four classes running simultaneously each module (half a semester). Two days per week are devoted to internship work, which begins in mid-October. Students take classes together as a cohort and most classes are split into two sections to keep class sizes small.
Program Outcome
The mission of our program is to produce graduates who possess a theoretical and practical understanding of many classical and modern statistical modeling and machine learning techniques; who use contemporary programming languages to scrape, clean, organize, query, summarize, visualize, and model large volumes and varieties of data; and who use their knowledge and skills to successfully solve real-world data-driven business problems and to communicate those solutions effectively.
Program Learning Outcomes
Students will:
- Possess a theoretical understanding of classical statistical models (e.g., generalized linear models, linear time series models, etc.), as well as the ability to apply those models effectively
- Possess a theoretical understanding of machine learning techniques (e.g., random forests, neutral networks, naive Bayes, k-means, etc.), as well as the ability to apply those techniques effectively
- Effectively use modern programming languages (e.g., R, Python, SQL, etc.) and technologies (AWS, Hive, Spark, Hadoop, etc.) to scrape, clean, organize, query, summarize, visualize, and model large volumes and varieties of data
- Prepare for careers as data scientists by solving real-world, data-driven, business problems with other data scientists, and understand the social, ethical, legal, and policy issues that increasingly challenge and confront data scientists
- Develop professional communication skills (e.g., presentations, interviews, email etiquette, etc.), and begin integrating with the Bay Area data science community
Scholarships and Funding
Master of Science in Data Science Specific Financial Aid
Scholarships
The Master of Science in Data Science program awards a limited number of merit-based partial scholarships to incoming students. These scholarships do not require a separate application. All students admitted to the program are considered for these scholarships during the admission decision process. Applications completed by the early application date are given priority consideration for a program scholarship.
Internships
All students in the Master of Science in Data Science program participate in our nine-month internship. These projects may be paid or unpaid, depending on the placement, firm, and/or organization at which a student completes their internship project.
Funding for Undocumented Students
USF Magis Scholarship for undocumented/DACA graduate students. For more information, please contact Lori Prince, [email protected].
Outside Scholarships
Non-USF scholarship funding for women, US, and international students
Career Opportunities
Students graduating from the MSDS program are embedded in the world's largest concentration of technology companies. Equipped with the techniques and skills necessary for data-driven decision-making, our graduates are prepared for careers in a wide variety of fields with a rapidly growing demand for knowledgeable and well-educated data scientists, engineers, and analysts. Our students also benefit from a robust in-house career services program, tailored to the needs of students preparing for data science roles.
Employment Offers
Over 90% of all graduates since 2012 received a full-time offer of employment within three months of graduation.
Top Five Employers of MSDS Alumni
- Amazon
- Apple
- Walmart Labs
Most Common Job Titles of MSDS Alumni
- Data Scientist
- Senior Data Scientist
- Data Engineer
- Software Engineer
- Machine Learning Engineer
Salary Gains Compared with Previous Employment
Median $50,000 in gains post-MSDS.
Salaries
Class of 2020:
- $120,000 - Median Base Salary
- $160,000 - Maximum Base Salary
- $112,500 - Median Base Salary, International Students
- $120,000 - Median Base Salary, Women
- $110,000 - Median Base Salary, no prior work experience
- $122,825 - Median Base Salary, 2+ years work experience
- $14,000 - Median Bonus (signing, relocation, merit)
English Language Requirements
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