Data Science (M.A.S.)
At Illinois Tech, data science isn’t just about data. Surprised? Data science is about applying the scientific method to data analysis in the real world—in other words, sensemaking.
Dive deeply into the underlying premises of given problems, learn to reformulate the questions, and determine if the results make sense in the Master of Data Science program. Accomplish this by exploring and improving the structure of the available data, creating and evaluating models, and by constructing and testing hypotheses. Learn how to analyze the data, visualize the results and equally important, how to articulate their discoveries.
By combining high-level mathematics, statistics, and computer science skills with the ability to communicate results, data scientists make a complicated and dynamic world more comprehensible.
Illinois Tech’s rigorous data science curriculum provides the knowledge, skills, and experience to expand your career opportunities. Whether in Chicago with its diverse economy and thriving tech community or across the globe, our data science alumni have bright futures in the data science profession.
This program has an online option starting in fall, when it is coursework only and there is no practicum. If Math 563 is needed, that course can be offered in a hybrid format.
Program Overview
At Illinois Tech, make sense of data using high-level mathematics, statistics, and computer science, and become skilled at communicating your insights and results. Learn to think about real problems, not just apply tools.
Career Opportunities
Wondering what your prospects are as a data scientist? According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment of computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow 12 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations.” Indeed.com lists more than 10,000 data science job openings while Glassdoor.com lists more than 25,000 jobs!
Still not convinced? Every industry, non-profit, start-up, government agency, branch of the military, research laboratory, financial institution, and manufacturing facility is acquiring massive quantities of data. As we increase our capacity to collect and store these data, so is the increased demand for data scientists. Whether you are in the business of sports analytics, predictive risk, operations optimization, marketing, manufacturing, food production, transportation, or healthcare, there is a job for you as a data scientist.
A bachelor's degree, although not necessarily in computer science, is required with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0/4.0.
Minimum GRE scores of 304 (quantitative + verbal) and 2.5 (analytic writing) must be submitted.
One letter of recommendation is required, but two are preferred.
Submittal of a professional statement of objectives.
Applicants whose bachelor's degree was earned at an institution where English is not the primary language of instruction must submit TOEFL/PTE/IELTS scores.
Applicants are evaluated on an individual basis, but are expected to have basic knowledge of discrete mathematics, linear algebra, probability, statistics, relational databases, and some programming such as Matlab, C++, Java, Python, or Ruby.
Every applicant who meets the admission deadline is automatically considered for a graduate scholarship. If you receive a funding award, you will be notified of the award in your official admission letter.
Applicants lacking prerequisite coursework but who are otherwise strong candidates (i.e., with relevant work experience) may be admitted, but these applicants would be required to make up any needed coursework. For more information about the prerequisite coursework, visit our prerequisite course page.
For more program information and answers to many of your questions, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Ask a Professor
What do climate change, finance, data science, sports analytics, engineering, and software development all have in common? They all have foundations in mathematics. Discover how a degree in applied mathematics can open doors to these careers, and many more, by speaking with Professor Igor Cialenco, director of graduate studies at Illinois Tech’s Department of Applied Mathematics. These virtual visits occur on Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. CST.
Additional Information
Featured Faculty
Yuhan Ding
Ioan Raicu
Shlomo Argamon
Lulu Kang
Mustafa Bilgic
Sonja Petrović
Gady Agam
Maggie Cheng
Matthew Dixon
Boris Glavic
Kai Shu
A data scientist's job is to make sense of a complex and changing world.
Megha Lokanadham says the Data Science program at Illinois Tech covers all the topics that students need to be ready for a career in the field
Megha Lokanadham (M.A.S. DATA SCIENCE '18)
Lessons learned through faculty mentoring impact Utkarsh Khanna’s approach to workplace projects.
Utkarsh Khanna (M.A.S. Data Science ’16)
Mamta Kanvinde still reviews the notes she took during class while earning her Master of Data Science degree at Illinois Tech.
Mamta Kanvinde (M.A.S. Data Science ’16)
Vinod Rao says the capstone practicum project in Illinois Tech’s Data Science program showed him how to apply data to solve a real-world problem.
Vinod Rao (M.A.S. DATA SCIENCE '18)
As an IT analyst, Ying Wu uses tools and technologies such as machine learning, statistics, and data visualization, all of which she studied in the data science program.
Ying Wu (M.A.S. DATA SCIENCE ’17)
Manoj Kumar Gaddam credits the techniques taught in Illinois Tech’s Data Science program prepared him for a professional setting
Manoj Kumar Gaddam (M.A.S. DATA SCIENCE '18)Data Science is the driving force to advance technology.
Not what you're looking for? View all of Illinois Tech's programs in artificial intelligence, machine learning, computation, and data science.