Data Science Master’s program at Rice University

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Master of Data Science Degree Rice University

data-science

Upon completing the MDS degree, students will be able to:.

Develop a graduate-level understanding of the computational and statistical foundations of Data Science.

Through in-depth study, obtain mastery of either one of the core methods of Data Science or one application area of Data Science.

Apply Data Science techniques to solve difficult, real world problems, beginning with raw and dirty data, and ending with actionable insights that are effectively communicated to a lay client.

The MDS degree is a non-thesis master degree. Students pursuing the MDS degree must complete:.

A minimum of 10-13 courses (31-35 credit hours), depending on course selection, to satisfy degree requirements.

A minimum of 24 graduate semester credit hours credit hours must be taken at Rice University.

A minimum of 24 graduate semester credit hours must be taken in standard or traditional courses (with a course type of lecture, seminar, laboratory, lecture laboratory).

A minimum residency enrollment of one fall or spring semester of part-time graduate study at Rice University.

A maximum of 2 courses (6 graduate semester credit hours) from transfer credit. For additional departmental guidelines regarding transfer credit, see the Policies tab.

The MDS degree program offers three areas of specialization:.

Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the department or program Official Certifier.

Total Credit Hours Required for the MDS Degree.

Students must complete a minimum of 3 courses (minimum of 9 credit hours) from one Area of Specialization.

Select a minimum of 3 courses (minimum of 9 credit hours) from the following:.

The course BUSI 711 can only be counted towards the Area of Specialization: Business Analytics if the course BUSI 712 is also counted towards the Area of Specialization: Business Analytics.

The course BUSI 721 can only be counted towards the Area of Specialization: Business Analytics if the course BUSI 722 is also counted towards the Area of Specialization: Business Analytics.

The course BUSI 731 can only be counted towards the Area of Specialization: Business Analytics if the course BUSI 732 is also counted towards the Area of Specialization: Business Analytics.

In order to fulfill the Professional Development requirement, students must select up to 1 course (up to 3 credit hours) from the following, or.

Select up to 1 course from the following:.

No financial aid is available from Rice University or the Computer Science Department for students in the MDS degree program.

Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit.

Students pursuing the MDS degree should be aware of the following departmental transfer credit guidelines:.

No than 2 courses (6 credit hours) of credit from another U.S. or international universities of similar standing as Rice may apply towards the degree. Transfer coursework must be comparable in content and depth to the corresponding course at Rice, and must not have counted toward another degree.

Must complete the requirements for a bachelor degree and the master degree independently of each other (i.e. no course may be counted toward the fulfillment of both degrees).

48 Months Duration
35 Credit hours
Yes GRE Required
No Scholarships Available

Composition of student population

40 Female Students
93 Internation Students
99 Graduate Students Enrolled

How does the Data Science Master’s degree program tuition at Rice University compared with other universities in Texas?

Tuition for Master’s in Data Science program at Rice University

$47,913 In-state Tuition & Fees
$47,913 Out-of-state Tuition & Fees
UniversityIn state Tuition / Year
Data Science Masters program at University of Houston-Clear Lake$9,568
Data Science Masters program at Southern Methodist University$47,478
Data Science Masters program at University of Houston$9,547
Data Science Masters program at University of St Thomas$21,634

Which other public university offers Master’s program in Data Science in Texas?

Here is the list of top 4 public universities offering Data Science Master’s program.

Program NameTuition / Year
Data Science at The University of Texas at Austin

In-state: $12,028

Out-state: $22,886

Data Science at University of Houston-Clear Lake

In-state: $9,568

Out-state: $19,216

Data Science at University of Houston

In-state: $9,547

Out-state: $18,689

Data Science at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

In-state: $7,789

Out-state: $15,151

Which other private university offers Master’s program in Data Science in Texas?

Here is the list of top 3 private universities offering Data Science Master’s program.

Program NameTuition / Year
Data Science at Southern Methodist University$47,478
Data Science at Baylor University$36,936
Data Science at University of St Thomas$21,634

Online Master of Data Science (MDS) Degree Program

  • Up to $10K merit scholarships are available for Online Master of Data Science (MDS) degree program students.
  • Rice Alumni admitted to the program will receive 10% off the cost of tuition for the Online Master of Data Science. 
  • Rice Engineering is also proud to provide financial aid and support to veterans and active military members.
  • Because the Master of Data Science (MDS) is a non-thesis (non-research) degree, Rice University does not offer tuition waivers, stipends, fellowships, or assistantships for this program. 

Jobs, Salaries and Career after Masters in Data Science

Employment of computer and information systems managers is projected to grow 11 percent from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations. About 42,400 openings for computer and information systems managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

The median annual wage for computer and information systems managers was $151,150 in May 2020. Number of Jobs in 2020 was 482,000.

Universities with similar Graduate Program

Program NameTuition / Year
Data Science Masters program at Converse College$9,021
Data Science Masters program at Northwestern University$56,567
Data Science Masters program at Fitchburg State University$6,012
Data Science Masters program at University of North Carolina at Greensboro$8,200

Are there Online Masters programs offered in Data Science?

Here is the list of top-ranked universities offering online masters program in Data Science

Program NameTuition
Data Science Online Masters programs at Harvard University$50,654
Data Science Online Masters programs at University of Chicago$61,548
Data Science Online Masters programs at University of Pennsylvania$41,760
Data Science Online Masters programs at Johns Hopkins University$59,425