Program Overview

Introduction to the Master of Data Science Program

Rice University's Master of Data Science program is a professional, non-thesis degree designed to support the needs of interdisciplinary professionals. The program offers students online or on-campus options, taught by world-class faculty.

Program Overview

The MDS degree will be offered with both an on-campus and an online option. Students must apply to either the online or on-campus program and will be explicitly admitted to one program or the other. The program is designed to support the needs of interdisciplinary professionals who want to apply data science knowledge, theory, and techniques to solve real-world problems.

Program Features

The program offers:

• Multidisciplinary, interdepartmental and intercollegiate instruction
• Customizable, specialized degrees comprised of 31 graduate credit hours
• Same online & in-person degrees

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completing the MDS degree, students will have proficiency in:

• Understanding the computational and statistical foundations of Data Science
• Knowing and understanding how to use the core methods of Data Science as applied to an area of specialization or across a breadth of areas
• Applying Data Science knowledge, theory, and techniques to solve difficult, real-world problems, beginning with raw data and ending with actionable insights
• Effectively communicating written and orally about Data Science methods and results to a lay audience

Curriculum Overview

The non-thesis curriculum requires the completion of a minimum of 31 credits. It is a rigorous blend of courses that deliver the skills needed to collect, evaluate, interpret and communicate data for effective decision-making across a variety of industries.

Core Courses

The curriculum includes core courses designed to help students gain an understanding of the computational and statistical foundations of data science.

Specialization

Students will gain deeper knowledge in data science by choosing a specialization in:

• Business analytics
• Machine learning
• Image processing (currently only offered for the on-campus program)

Electives

Students will further customize their program of study with an elective in:

• Ethics
• Cybersecurity
• Security and privacy

Capstone

To give students experience applying their knowledge to a real-world problem, they will participate in a capstone project that will help them demonstrate their skill, collaborative ability, and problem-solving acumen.

Program Options

The program is available in two formats:

• Online MDS: a part-time program that allows working professionals to get the same benefits and curriculum of a full-time, on-campus program in an online environment.
• On-Campus MDS: a full-time program at the Rice University campus in Houston, Texas, hosting a lively and invigorating community of scholars in the Department of Computer Science.