Starting this semester, second semester juniors can apply to Saint Mary’s Master of Science in Data Science program.
Assistant Director of Marketing for the Graduate Programs Megan Eifler said, if admitted to the master’s program, a student may take up to two graduate-level courses during her senior year at Saint Mary’s, earning six credits toward her master’s degree.
Additional benefits of the early admission process include waiving the GRE requirement and application fee for the program.
The Master of Science in Data Science program was added in this year, along with two other graduate programs at Saint Mary’s — the Doctorate of Nursing Practice and Master of Science in Speech Pathology.
Eifler said applying early to the program will help students get a head start on their graduate degree. The program is a hybrid — mostly online, but students come to campus once a year for presentations, Eifler said.
“Our program offers a real-world practicum to develop data analysis tools and apply them to an unmet need,” Eifler said.
Saint Mary’s created the program because of the need for “actionable intelligence for business leaders,” Eifler said. According to Eifler, many programs have popped up in data science.
“Our students will learn how to generate data and report to make informed decisions but also not to look at [data] in a vacuum and to turn a critical eye,” she said.
The program has a strong mathematical base and requires a quantitative major or minor — not specifically math — as well as a few prerequisite classes for early admission.
“Students will learn how to interpret data, develop algorithms and application to regression analysis,” Eifler said.
Eifler said the Master of Science in Data Science program at Saint Mary’s differs from other programs because students will also learn communication skills and how to present data to clients.
A Research Methods course will look at trends in data and why the trends may be occurring, Eifler said.
Another hybrid graduate program is the Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, in which students come to campus once per semester throughout the four-year program.
Eifler said like the Master of Science in Data Science program, the DNP program offers a unique curriculum with courses in communication and leadership.
For more information on specific course requirements and application requirements, visit https://grad.saintmarys.edu/academic-programs/ms-data-science/application-requirements or contact Melissa Fruscione, Associate Director of Admission for Graduate Programs at mfruscione@saintmarys.edu.
