The University of Oklahoma is proud to offer a Graduate Certificate in Data Science and Analytics, a Master of Science in Data Science and Analytics and a PhD in Data Science and Analytics. Current OU students can complete an Accelerated Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree, add an Undergraduate Certificate, complete dual masters degrees or add our Graduate Certificate.
Our program was established in the Fall of 2014, with course offerings from a collaboration between the Schools of Computer Science and Industrial and Systems Engineering. All options can be completed online, on campus or as a combination.
For tuition and fees please visit the Bursar page for more information and helpful tuition and fees calculator. The Graduate College also have financing information for students and advice for funding your education.
Departmental financial support is not guaranteed to all admitted students.
This certificate is made possible by a generous donation from ConocoPhillips.
The Data Science and Analytics Undergraduate Certificate will provide students with data science concepts and knowledge in a stand-alone certificate format. The core courses for this program are developed specifically for this 15-credit hour certificate, while elective courses are selected from our graduate catalog of data science designed courses.
Students must be enrolled as undergraduates in the Gallogly College of Engineering or the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy for the duration of the certificate. All courses counted toward the certificate must be completed with a C or better.
Students must be enrolled as undergraduates in the Gallogly College of Engineering or the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy for the duration of the certificate. The minimum admission requirement is:
CS 1213 or CS 1313 or CS 1323 or CS 1324
Submit your completed application form to the Academic Programs Coordinator in CEC 409, or email to datascience@ou.edu. You can view the Checksheet.
CS 1213 or CS 1313 or CS 1323 or CS 1324
Fall - DSA 3013 Machine Learning for Data Science
Spring - DSA 3023 Big Data Engineering
Summer - DSA 4003 Applied Data Science
Choice of 3 hours of approved DSA electives, for example:
The Gallogly College of Engineering offers three accelerated degree tracks (B.S/M.S) with the M.S. Data Science and Analytics degree to qualified undergraduate students. The program allows students to complete an undergraduate and graduate degree in five years.
Juniors with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 may apply. The application is due by June 1st prior to your senior year.
Students admitted into this program can share up to 15 percent of the total coursework required for the stand-alone bachelor’s and master’s degrees. The approved shared courses are:
BS in Industrial and Systems Engineering / MS in Data Science and Analytics (A531/F267)
BS in Industrial and Systems Engineering Analytics Option / MS in Data Science and Analytics (A532/F267)
BS in Meteorology / MS in Data Science and Analytics (A686/F267)
To be completed by June 1st prior to your senior year
Submit completed application form and following documents to the Academic Programs Coordinator in CEC 409 or emailed to datascience@ou.edu.
Accelerated Degree Graduate Coursework Plan forms are all located on the Graduate College page.
The program of study forms are located on the Graduate College Forms page. Please note the separate Meteorology, Industrial and Systems Engineering Standard, and Industrial and Systems Engineering Analytics forms.
The Graduate Certificate classes are offered on-campus, online, or a combination to best suit your needs. Students can begin the program in Summer (May), Spring (January) or Fall (August). A student who is admitted to a graduate degree program is not automatically granted admission to associated graduate certificate programs (including embedded certificates).
Students admitted solely to graduate certificate programs:
Current OU students looking to ADD the DSA Certificate please note:
The Graduate Certificate has the following prerequisites for admission, which must be completed before applying:
Once you have completed the prerequisites you can complete the Graduate Admission application. This requires:
Please note that International students have an application deadline and may require English Proficiency documentation, please visit the International Student page for details.
The Graduate Certificate requires 15 credit hours, with 6-8 credit hours of core course work, and 7-9 credit hours of elective courses from DSA, ISE or CS. For more information about certificate programs visit the Graduate College website.
Below is the certificate structure:
6-8 credit hours from the following courses.
7-9 Approved elective credit hours.
The Master of Science degree classes are offered on-campus, online or a combination to best suit your needs through our OU Norman campus. Students can begin the program in Summer (May), Spring (January) or Fall (August). The program can be completed in as little as 14 months if you are attending full-time (with a summer start). We do have part-time options available.
The Master of Science program has the following prerequisites for admission, which must be completed before applying:
Non-thesis students complete 33 credit hours, while thesis students complete 30 credit hours. All students complete the core courses for 20 credit hours.
Below is the degree structure:
6-8 credit hours from the following courses.
Or
Once you have completed the prerequisites, you can complete the Graduate Admission application. This requires:
Please note that International students have an application deadline and may require English Proficiency documentation. Please visit the International Student page for details.
A student who is currently enrolled in the Graduate College and wishes to change the major area of interest or degree program must apply by completing the online Addition or Change of Program application through the Office of Graduate Admissions website.
International students must be aware they cannot change their program in the first semester.
Here are some examples of your pathway (pdf) through the program to graduation.
The online Master of Science in Data Science and Analytics program is structured to develop the advanced skills to design and build tools to extract, assimilate and analyze data, and gain an understanding of the systems to predict and enhance future performance for enterprises across all domains of the private and public sectors. The Gallogly College of Engineering developed this program in collaboration with the Schools of Computer Science and Industrial and Systems Engineering, to provide you with a diverse set of in-demand technical and analytical data skills.
The University of Oklahoma online Master of Science in Data Science and Analytics program is tailored to help you enter and advance in the rapidly growing field of data science and analytics in as little as 24 months.
With an M.S. in Data Science and Analytics, you can:
The most sought-after jobs in data science and analytics require advanced education. With an online Master of Science in Data Science and Analytics degree from OU, you will likely have access to higher paying jobs and career advancement opportunities.
As a data scientist or a data analyst, you have a wide range of opportunities in diverse fields that include IT, human resources, banking, health care, education, with organizations of all sizes. Whichever career path you choose, as a data scientist or analyst, you will play an integral part of the business decision-making process.
Between 2018-2028, data scientist and data analyst positions are projected to grow much faster than average. In this program, you will gain the data science and analytics expertise that is in high demand now and into the future.
The OU Data Science and Analytics Institute offers various training opportunities and collaboration with industry partners in the data science field. You will get a head start in transitioning from the classroom to the real-world.
The online M.S. in Data Science and Analytics program is 33 credit hours and can be completed in 24 months. The program curriculum includes 24 credit hours of core courses and 9 credit hours of electives. A sample course sequence is below:
| Semester | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| Semester 1 | |
| Computing Structures | 5 |
| Semester 2 | |
| Algorithm Analysis | 3 |
| Advanced Analytics and Metaheuristics | 3 |
| Semester 3 | |
| Fundamentals of Engineering Statistical Analysis | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Semester 4 | |
| Database Management Systems | 3 |
| Intelligent Data Analytics | 3 |
| Semester 5 | |
| Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 1 |
| Elective | 1 |
| Semester 6 | |
| Professional Practice | 4 |
| Elective | 1 |
| Total Credits | 33 |
Admissions to the University of Oklahoma’s M.S. in Data Science and Analytics program is selective. The Data Science and Analytics Institute in the Gallogly College of Engineering has the following requirements for admission:
The online M.S. in Data Science and Analytics admissions committee operates under a rolling admission process, the committee strives to respond to all applicants within two weeks from the time a completed application is submitted.
The University of Oklahoma’s Financial Aid office can assist you by providing information about scholarship and financial aid opportunities available at the University of Oklahoma. Please email onlineaid@ou.edu or call 405-325-2929 learn more.
*Tuition and fees are subject to change at the discretion of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
Please note that International students have an application deadline and may require English Proficiency documentation. Visit the International Student page for details.
Dual degree programs allow students to pursue degrees simultaneously in two fields of study. To obtain a dual degree, the student must satisfy the admission, course, and examination requirements of BOTH programs.
Current OU students can now add a dual degree late in their program with the approval of both departments. However, the student still must graduate with both degrees in the same semester. If they add a dual degree towards the end of their first program, they will have to push the graduation date of that program until they are able to finish the second.
A student who is currently enrolled in the Graduate College and wishes to change the major area of interest or degree program must apply by completing the online Addition or Change of Program application through the Office of Graduate Admissions website.
International students must be aware they cannot change their program in their first semester.
For more information about Dual Degree options please visit the Graduate College website.
For admission to the Data Science and Analytics degree students must have completed the following prerequisites:
The graduates of the DSA PhD program will be prepared to engage in creative research and development in academia or industry. This program will allow students to examine more deeply the fundamentals, theory, and application of Algorithmic, Systems, and Statistical thinking to extract knowledge from data that arises in various application domains.
The goals of the Ph.D. program in Data Science and Analytics are:
Specific requirements for the PhD degree are set by the student's doctoral committee in conformance with the current rules of the Graduate College. The doctoral degree requires at least 90 post-baccalaureate hours and culminates with the submission and successful defense of original dissertation research. The DSA PhD is comprised of 20 core hours, 25 approved elective hours, and 45 dissertation hours.
All students who intend to pursue a doctoral degree must apply to the program through the Office of Graduate Admissions. We accept applications for spring, summer and fall semesters. The application requires:
The following prerequisites are for admission, which must be completed by all applicants:
Please note that International students have an application deadline and may require English Proficiency documentation. Please visit the International Student page for details.
Tuition and Fees can be calculated on the Bursar page. The Graduate College have information on funding your graduate education. Departmental financial support is not guaranteed to all admitted students.
The purpose of the advisory conference is to aid the student in developing an overall plan for attaining a doctoral degree. It is recommended that the student schedule the Advisory Conference in consultation with the chair of the Doctoral Committee (or else the Graduate Liaison) within the second semester of enrollment.
The committee should be made up of a Chair (DSA faculty) and minimum 3 members, the majority should DSA faculty. One of the committee being the Graduate Faculty Representative (cannot be associated with DSA and should not have a conflict of interest). A committee member with Special Membership cannot be counted towards the DSA faculty majority, nor be the Graduate Faculty Representative.
The Advisory Conference Report is due no later than the term before the general examination. It is important to allow sufficient time for your Graduate College counselor to thoroughly review your ACR prior to your exam. ACR review will take longer during peak times, such as the final month of the term when many defenses and exams are typically held. If your ACR has errors or does not meet degree requirements or policies, you will need additional time to make corrections, consult with your academic unit, and re-submit the ACR. Therefore, follow the suggested ACR submission deadlines below to ensure your general exam schedule stays on track:
If there are any changes to your approved ACR or committee membership, you will need to make updates before you apply for the general examination. For ACR changes, complete a new ACR document and request approval via the online Doctoral Advisory Conference Report (ACR) Submission form. Your ACR must be up to date before the Graduate College can authorize your general examination. For committee changes, submit the online Request for Change in Committee form. Changes in committee membership are not permitted within the 30 calendar days before the general examination.
When you are enrolled in or have completed the final semester of coursework, you should prepare for the general examination. No later than the end of the second week of the semester in which you will take the exam, submit the online General Exam Application for the Doctoral Degree to the Graduate College. After your application is approved, the Graduate College will email the Authority Report Form for the General Examination to you, your committee and your graduate liaison. You may not begin work for the exam until you receive the Authority Report Form.
No later than 72 hours after the exam, submit the completed Authority Report Form, including original signatures from all committee members, to the Graduate College. You will be admitted to doctoral candidacy after satisfactorily completing the general examination.
Once you begin enrolling in Research for Doctoral Dissertation (DSA 6980), you must enroll in a minimum of two credit hours of DSA 6980 each fall and spring until all degree requirements are completed. (Summer enrollment is also required if you are working on the dissertation during summer; see the “Enrollment Requirements for Dissertation Research” section of the Graduate College Bulletin).
Before you begin writing the dissertation, review the Thesis/Dissertation Instruction Packet. This packet contains important information about research-related issues and copyright, and explains the Graduate College formatting requirements for doctoral dissertations. If your dissertation research may involve human subjects research, vertebrate animal research, information that is protected from dissemination by applicable law or by contract, or intellectual property that may potentially be patentable, you should discuss this with your committee chair as early as possible in the research process.
At the beginning of the semester you plan to graduate, apply for graduation online according to the deadlines indicated on the Academic Calendar. Contact the Graduation Office for information about attending college convocation ceremonies and May Commencement.
If there are any changes to your approved ACR or committee membership, you will need to make updates before you defend the dissertation.
For ACR changes, complete a new ACR document and request approval via the online Doctoral Advisory Conference Report (ACR) Submission form. Your ACR must be up to date before the Graduate College can authorize your defense.
For committee changes, submit the online Request for Change in Committee form. Changes in committee membership are not permitted within the 30 calendar days before the dissertation defense.
Before scheduling your dissertation defense, provide each member of your committee with a complete draft of your dissertation (see the “Dissertation Draft” section of the Graduate College Bulletin). Your committee will determine how far in advance you should provide the draft. The committee should have sufficient time to review the draft and approve any major revisions required before you submit the online Request for Authority to Defend form to the Graduate College. After your committee has approved the draft, arrange the date, time and location for your defense.
At least four weeks before your defense, submit the online Request for Degree Check to the Graduate College. Include any required attachments (if applicable) from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). The Graduate College will notify you of the result of the degree check via OU email.
At least ten (10) working days before your defense, submit the online Request for Authority to Defend and upload any required attachments (if applicable) from the IRB or IACUC. After your request for authority is approved, the Graduate College will email the Authority Report Form for the Dissertation Defense to you, your committee and your graduate liaison. You are not authorized to defend until you receive the Authority Report Form.
No later than 72 hours after your defense, submit the completed Authority Report Form, including original signatures from all committee members, to the Graduate College.
If your dissertation involves human subjects research, contact the IRB office to obtain documentation confirming that your involvement as a graduate student in the research project is officially terminated. You will need to submit this additional documentation to the Graduate College before you submit the dissertation to SHAREOK.
Complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates.
After your committee has approved your final dissertation, submit the online Approval for Thesis/Dissertation Submission to SHAREOK form to the Graduate College.
Submit your dissertation to the SHAREOK institutional repository, according to the instructions you received in the Graduate College email authorizing your defense. Your submission is due no later than 60 calendar days after your defense. If you plan to graduate in a particular semester, you must meet the semester submission deadline given on the Academic Calendar, usually the last day of the final examination period.
| Degree Granted | Fall 2019 | Fall 2020 | Fall 2021 | Fall 2022 | Fall 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data Science and Analytics MS Standard | 87 | 76 | 86 | 93 | 93 |
| Data Science and Analytics MS Online | 35 | 37 | 44 | 33 | 18 |
| Data Science and Analytics PhD Standard | 0 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 18 |
| Data Science and Analytics PhD Online | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Degree Granted | *AY 2018 | AY 2019 | AY 2020 | AY 2021 | AY 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data Science and Analytics MS | 40 | 52 | 48 | 39 | 64 |
| DSA Graduate Certificate | 4 | 7 | 5 |
AY 2018 = academic year 2018 (summer and fall 2018; spring 2019)
