The data science market is growing at a rapid rate. Institutions ranging from healthcare to finance, government, and research are looking to hire data scientists. The Computational and Applied Data Science Master of Science program, offered by the School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, provides opportunities for focused study in Data Science. Students will learn foundational and advanced techniques for data capture and cleaning, data warehousing and staging, data modeling and analytics, and data visualization. The program features a multidisciplinary curriculum that builds on the foundations of computer science, statistics, and database management, with real-world "Big Data" applications in bio-, eco-, and health-informatics.
To receive a master's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses from one or more subject areas, consisting of at least 30 units of graduate-level courses. Many master's degree programs require more than 30 units.
You must additionally complete:
Individual degree programs may exceed the baseline University Policy for a master's degree. The program-specific requirements are provided on the Details tab below.
Read the full policy here.
In addition to University Requirements:
You may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your faculty mentor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 30 |
| Additional Admission Requirements | Additional admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are recommended. |
| Research | Individualized research may be required by chosen emphasis or offered as an option. |
| Some online/blended coursework | Required |
| Progression Plan Link | View Program of Study |
Purpose Statement
The Data Science market is growing rapidly, with data playing an ever-increasing role in our society, controlling our social media consumption, informing our individual healthcare decisions and nationwide healthcare policies, helping set prices and financial policies, and much more. The Data Science discipline helps properly collect, store, manage, and analyze the petabytes of data collected by our modern world. It is at the root of most decisions U.S. companies, both large and small, make. At the same time, there is a shortage of workers with the skills to conduct data modeling, analytics, and visualization. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for Data Scientists is projected to grow by 36 percent (much faster than average) within the next decade.
The School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems' new academic program will address this critical need in training Data Scientists and Data Analysts. The Master of Science in Computational and Applied Data Science is designed to educate data science analysts, engineers, and leaders. This program is designed for students with a STEM undergraduate degree or demonstrated strong preparation in STEM-related disciplines. This degree program teaches students to collect, manage, analyze, and visualize data to make informed decisions. Students will learn data science theory, work with real-world "Big Data", and use the latest tools to interpret and visualize their findings. The program features a multidisciplinary curriculum that builds on the foundation of computer science, statistics, and database management, with applications in bio-, eco-, and health-informatics.
Student Learning Outcomes
The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies.
Admission requirements include the following:
Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.
Ready to apply? Begin your application now.
International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.
Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
*See the application for details.
This Master's degree requires 30 units.
Take the following 30 units:
The following courses have additional prerequisites:
Some courses may have prerequisites. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.
Program fees are established by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR). A program fee has been approved for this program. See program fee details. Program fees are subject to change and updated July 1 for the next academic year.