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Master Science in Data Science (MSDS)

Website: Master of Science in Data Science

About the Program

Data Science is integral to the needs and operations of almost every business sector and enables companies to leverage data to predict trends, inform decisions and make breakthroughs. Data Scientists are employed by hospitals, pharmaceutical manufacturers, financial and trading firms, sports teams, marketing agencies, and, of course, tech companies. In fact, Glassdoor ranked Data Scientist as the #1 job in America in 2019, with a median base salary of $108K/year, as well as the #1 Best Paying Job Out of College in 2019.

Recognizing the market need and high employment opportunities for professionals with data science skills, Ramapo College has created the Master of Science in Data Science degree program. The program will prepare Data Science graduates, to enter the job market with sought-after skills in programming, statistics, machine learning, and data visualization, providing opportunities to pursue high-paying, high-quality jobs at some of the most influential and prestigious companies in the country.

The Master of Science (MS) degree is a 30-credit program with a signature Fieldwork Experience component. Full-time students will complete their degree in two years; however, students may work towards the degree part-time as well. Courses are delivered as a combination of online, hybrid, and evening in-seat format.

Outcomes for the Data Science Program

Goal 1:  Data Acquisition and Management:  Students must understand the technical and ethical aspects of collecting data and storing data.

Goal 2:  Data Analysis:  Students must have the mathematics and computing skills to effectively analyze collected data.

Goal 3:  Data Presentation:  Students must be able to communicate their analysis and create effective visualizations of complex data sets to support their analysis.

Goal 4:  Data-Driven Decision Making:  Students must be able to use their analysis to drive domain-specific decisions.

Goal 5:  Effectively integrate all facets of Data Science to meet domain-specific project objectives:  Students will be able to integrate the skills described above in fieldwork/thesis projects.

Learning Outcomes

    • Outcome 1 Demonstrate advanced skills in data acquisition and management.
    • Outcome 2 Demonstrate advanced skills in data analysis techniques using mathematics and statistical principles.
    • Outcome 3 Demonstrate advanced skills in data presentation, communication, and visualization.
    • Outcome 4 Demonstrate the ability to integrate skills in a multi-faceted data science project.
    • Outcome 5 Demonstrate the ability to make data-driven decisions.
Requirements for MSDS
  1. The degree program consists of 30 credits from the following courses.
  2. To remain in good academic standing, students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 higher.
Data Science Program