Program Overview

Data Science: Policy, Governance & Society (Online)

Brown University’s 16-month, online master's in data science focused on policy, governance and society explores how to design and execute policies to govern data and AI responsibly.

The acceleration of artificial intelligence, machine learning and advanced analytics is rapidly reshaping industries and societies across the globe. With this immense potential for transformation comes the need to develop robust governance frameworks that ensure data and AI systems are deployed responsibly, ethically and legally.

The online master’s in data science program prepares you to be a leader and steward of your organization's data assets and analytics capabilities. An interdisciplinary curriculum strengthens your technical expertise and pairs it with an ethical mindset so you can drive innovation through data while prioritizing the greater good.

This program offers the following degree:

• Master of science (Sc.M.): Coursework and an applied learning experience

The innovative curriculum leverages Brown’s commitment to interdisciplinary learning by drawing from the expertise from across the University, including Brown’s Data Science Institute. Through asynchronous, online learning modules and optional weekly synchronous sessions, you will gain the technical and non-technical skills needed to effectively build and implement responsible data policies. Courses will build upon one another and seamlessly pair strong technical data science capabilities and a deep understanding of AI ethics and governance.

Designed for professionals at all career levels and across industries, this program is intended equally for those with a deep technical background and those without.

Application Information

Upcoming Application Deadlines

Fall 2026

• Early Action Deadline: March 15, 2026
• Priority Deadline: May 15, 2026
• Final Deadline: June 15, 2026
• Semester Starts: September 3, 2026

Spring 2027

• Early Action Deadline: July 15, 2026
• Priority Deadline: September 15, 2026
• Final Deadline: October 15, 2026
• Semester Starts: January 27, 2027

Entering students are expected to meet the necessary admissions requirements, including:

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
• At least one semester of college-level statistics (required)
  • Additionally, at least one semester of college-level linear algebra and college-level calculus is preferred.
• Prior experience in programming languages is required
  • Python experience is preferred; other languages (SAS, STATA, R, Julia, etc) may be accepted.
• At least two years of full-time professional employment experience. This program is ideally suited for currently employed, working-professionals.

Application Requirements

GRE General

• Not Required

TOEFL/IELTS

• Required for any non-native English speaker who does not have a degree from an institution where English is the sole language of instruction or from a University in the following countries: Australia, Bahamas, Botswana, Cameroon, Canada (except Quebec), Ethiopia, Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, New Zealand, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Tanzania, Gambia, Uganda, United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales), West Indies, Zambia.
• The TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition and the IELTS Indicator exam are accepted.
• The data science program prefers scores above 620 (pBT) or 105 (iBT). The corresponding minimum IELTS score is 7.5.
• Students from mainland China may submit the TOEFL ITP Plus exam.

Official Transcripts

• Official Transcripts: All applicants may upload unofficial transcripts for application submission.
• An international transcript evaluation (WES, ECE, or SpanTran) is required for degrees from non-U.S. institutions for application submission.
• Official transcripts & evaluations are required for enrolling students prior to the start of their first semester classes.

Letters of Recommendations

• Three (3) recommendations required. At least one recommendation letter should be provided from a professional supervisor/manager.

Personal Statement

• The Admissions Committee is interested in learning about your motivation for pursuing this specific interdisciplinary master's degree.
• In lieu of a traditional personal statement, applicants are required to submit a pre-existing work artifact or a product from their professional experience illustrating professional engagement with technical data science skills, policy related to data science, governance issues related to data science, or societal issues impacted by data science.
• This submission must be accompanied by a written explanation detailing these connections between the professional artifact and topics in data science, policy, governance, and society.
• Work artifacts from undergraduate internships, research or coursework will not be considered.

Resume/CV

• Required.

Additional Materials

• $100 Application Fee.
• Apply by the Early Decision Deadline and we’ll waive your $100 application fee.
• Applicants who are missing one or more of the required prerequisites are strongly encouraged to upload an additional statement outlining their plan for completing the prerequisite(s) prior to starting the program and/or how their professional work experience supplements any missing prerequisite requirement.

Additional Requirements

• WORK ARTIFACT EXAMPLES
  • Example 1
  • Example 2
• INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS
  • Language Proficiency (TOEFL or IELTS if applicable)
  • Transcript Evaluation (if applicable)

Tuition and Funding

• Graduate Tuition & Fees: Please visit the Student Financial Services Office for up-to-date tuition rates.
• Scholarships: Scholarships up to 50% are available and awarded on merit. Select programs also offer a 20% Brown alumni scholarship. Scholarships cannot be combined. No additional application required.

Completion Requirements

• The program consists of eight courses or 32 academic credits.
• All courses are delivered online, and will have both required asynchronous and synchronous components to support student learning.
• The program can be completed in as little as 16 months (four consecutive semesters, including summer) on a full-time basis. Full-time status is considered enrollment in two courses per semester. Learn more about the standard course sequence and required courses here.

Contact and Location

Data Science Institute

Location Address

• 164 Angell Street, 3rd Floor
• Providence, RI

Mailing Address

• Box 1891
• Providence, RI 02912

Program Overview

The Data Science: Policy, Governance & Society (Online) program at Brown University is designed to equip professionals with the skills and knowledge necessary to design and execute policies that govern data and AI responsibly. The program is offered online and can be completed in 16 months. It is designed for professionals at all career levels and across industries, and it is intended equally for those with a deep technical background and those without. The program offers a Master of Science (Sc.M.) degree, which includes coursework and an applied learning experience. The curriculum is interdisciplinary, drawing from expertise across the University, including Brown’s Data Science Institute. The program covers topics such as data science, policy, governance, and society, and it includes courses on AI ethics and governance. The program requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, at least one semester of college-level statistics, prior experience in programming languages, and at least two years of full-time professional employment experience. The program also requires official transcripts, letters of recommendation, a personal statement, and a resume/CV. The tuition and fees for the program are available on the Student Financial Services Office website, and scholarships up to 50% are available and awarded on merit. The program can be completed in as little as 16 months, and it is delivered online with both asynchronous and synchronous components. The program is located at the Data Science Institute, 164 Angell Street, 3rd Floor, Providence, RI, and the mailing address is Box 1891, Providence, RI 02912.