Program Overview

Certificate in Data Visualization

The Certificate in Data Visualization is designed to enable data analysts and business intelligence professionals to master the principles of visualization techniques for communicating insights from complex real-world data. This certificate program covers the gamut of the data science pipeline, including transforming different types of data, conceptualizing diverse comparison, analysis, and communication tasks, learning perceptual and cognitive principles of data visualization, and implementing high-dimensional data visualization design strategies.

Program Overview

The curriculum focuses on both the theory and technologies behind visualizing complex data, designing interactive visual interfaces, and optimizing the visual displays for focusing human attention on salient patterns in the data. Participants will learn how to transform large, complex data sets to interpretable visualizations and how to best reflect the analytical tasks for facilitating experts' decision-making. The program consists of 4 courses of 3 credits each, taught over 2 semesters of 15 weeks each. Instruction includes formal lectures as well as hands-on projects involving visualization design and development.

Required Courses

• IS 650/DS 650 | Data Visualization and Interpretation
• IS 657 | Spatio-Temporal Urban Analytics

Sample Electives

• IS 654 | Visual Informatics for Network and Flow
• IS 661 | User Experience Design
• IS 665 | Data Analytics for Information Systems
• IS 601 | Web Systems Development
• CS 634 | Data Mining
• Math 661 | Applied Statistics
• PTC 605 | Elements of Visual Design
• PTC 606 | Advanced Information Design

Program Outcomes

The Certificate in Data Visualization aims to equip students with the following skills:

• Acquire design skills for ideating, conceptualizing, and developing visualization solutions.
• Develop visualizations for supporting data science projects end-to-end, including task and requirements elicitation, identifying business stakeholders and their interactions with the visualization, and optimizing the resulting visual interfaces for reflecting their goals and desired actions.
• Learn to visually communicate and engage the audience to build trust in the data and resulting insights.

Tuition & Fees

Tuition, University Fee, and GSA Fee for ALL non-F1 students per consecutive semester, assuming two courses (6 credits) at rates:

• Out-of-State:
  • Summer 2025: $11,275.00
  • Fall 2024: $12,624.00
  • Spring 2025: $12,624.00
• In-State:
  • Summer 2025: $7,921.00
  • Fall 2024: $9,270.00
  • Spring 2025: $9,270.00

Total Tuition, University Fee, and GSA Fee for degree, assuming two courses (6 credits) per consecutive semester at rates:

• Out-of-State:
  • Summer Start: $23,899
  • Fall Start: $25,248
  • Spring Start: $23,899
• In-State:
  • Summer Start: $17,191
  • Fall Start: $18,540
  • Spring Start: $17,191

Credit Transfer

Credit earned in a Certificate program can be used later towards the MS in Data Science degree.