Program Overview

Data Engineering Graduate Certificate

The Data Engineering Graduate Certificate is a 15-credit hour program designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills to design, build, and maintain systems for collecting, storing, and analyzing large datasets. This program combines theoretical insights with hands-on experience, providing students with practical, job-ready skills in areas such as database management, cloud system operations, and data pipeline construction.

Program Overview

The Data Engineering Certificate Program at UT San Antonio provides the essential knowledge and technical skills needed to excel in the field, with a focus on data ingestion, storage, transformation, and pipeline architecture. By pursuing this certificate, students can develop a rewarding career in data engineering, a field with increasing demand across industries like technology, finance, and healthcare.

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for the Data Engineering Graduate Certificate, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Required Degree: Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university in the United States or have proof of equivalent training at a foreign institution. Applicants can also be in their junior year of a B.S. degree in closely related fields in Engineering, Computer Science, Statistics, Cyber Security, Math, Information Systems, and Physics.
• Minimum GPA: 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale). Departments may consider GPA of last 60 semester credit hours.
• Transcripts: Required from all institutions attended; international transcripts must be recorded/translated to English.
• Credential Evaluation: Required if you have earned university-level credit from foreign institutions. Submit an evaluation of your transcripts from FCSA or any NACES-approved credential evaluation agency.
• English Language Proficiency: 550 TOEFL Paper / 79 TOEFL Internet / 6.5 IELTS / Duolingo 100.
• Resume: Required.
• Purpose Statement: Required.

Application Deadlines

Applicants are encouraged to have their admission file completed as early as possible. All applications, required documents, and letters of recommendation (if applicable) must be submitted by 5:00 PM U.S. Central Time on the day of the deadline. Deadlines are subject to change and are as follows:

• Spring 2026: October 1 (International), December 1 (Domestic).
• Summer 2026: March 1 (International), May 1 (Domestic).
• Fall 2026: June 1 (International), August 1 (Domestic).
• Spring 2027: October 1 (International), December 1 (Domestic).
• Summer 2027: March 1 (International), May 1 (Domestic).

Career Options

The Data Engineering Graduate Certificate prepares students for future careers that are in demand. Possible careers include positions in data engineering, with job postings increasing across industries like technology, finance, and healthcare. In Texas alone, demand for data engineers is projected to grow by over 16% between 2022 and 2027.

Coursework

Students pursuing the 15-hour graduate certificate in Data Engineering will complete the following courses:

• Database Management Systems or Principles of Database Management.
• Introduction to Data Engineering.
• Advanced Topics in Data Engineering. Students will also select two elective courses from the following:
  • Data Foundations.
  • Machine Learning and Data Analytics.
  • Special Problems.
  • Cloud Computing.
  • Introduction to Cloud Computing.
  • Machine Learning.
  • Data Mining and Machine Learning.
  • Data Organization and Visualization.

Certificate Advisor of Record

Anthony Rios, PhD.