Ermelinda DeLaVina, PhD, MSDA Director
N723, 713-226-5241
The Master of Science (MS) in Data Analytics is a theory and application-based program that will provide students with a broad education in advanced statistics, digital data acquisition, digital data management, data analysis, and data presentation. The MS in Data Analytics is designed to meet the increasing need for highly skilled data analysts who can analyze the growing amount of data confronting in a variety of disciplines, and transform it into usable information for use in decision making. The program is a university-wide collaboration that delivers rigorous training in statistical analysis and computational techniques, and provides mastery of data analysis tied to interdisciplinary applications. Students in the program study 30 hours of foundation courses with topics in regression analysis, multivariate analysis, nonparametric analysis, statistical modeling, data mining, information visualization, simulation, mathematical theory for data analysis, and statistical computing. Students also take 2 courses of interdisciplinary application courses in business management, science, criminal justice, education, communication, and social sciences. In the final 3 hours students will have the opportunity to engage in research or real-world applications with faculty members at UHD and other collaborators of UHD faculty and/or internships with partnering businesses, industry, and government agencies.
Program Outcomes
Students who complete the program will be able to:
- Organize, manipulate, and summarize data in various formats.
- Convert a data analytic problem and related information into proper mathematical representation and select appropriate methodologies for analysis based on attributes of the available data sets.
- Implement security measures and ethical practices for collection and storage of data.
- Transfer (and transform) data from different platforms into usable contexts.
- Communicate and summarize results of data analysis in written, oral and visual form.
- Select the appropriate methods and tools for data analysis in specific organizational contexts.
Admission Requirements
Admission requirements for the MS in data analytics are designed to identify applicants who have the ability, interest, and qualities necessary to complete the program.
Admission is competitive and selective. Applicants must demonstrate that they possess the abilities, interests, and qualities necessary to successfully complete the program.
Applicants seeking admission will provide the following application materials for review by the Graduate Curriculum Committee:
- A completed Apply Texas application form which will include a 1000-word essay that addresses why you want to study data analytics
- Baccalaureate degree conferred by a regionally-accredited institution.
- Official University transcript(s) from which the applicant earned Bachelor’s degree and any advanced degree (if applicable). Official transcripts must reflect
- the last 60 semester credit hours of course work and
- evidence of Bachelor’s degree awarded and the cumulative GPA.
- As admission to the degree program is competitive, candidates with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher will be preferred.
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores for applicants with a GPA below 3.0 in their last 60 hours of undergraduate coursework.
- Resume documenting any work experience that emphasizes personal and professional accomplishments.
- Two letters of recommendation with accompanying recommendation forms from individuals well-acquainted with your work and who are able to address your academic potential, for example, work supervisors and professors.
- For graduates of universities in a country where English is not the native language: minimum IBT TOEFL scores of 81 or an IELTS score of 6.5 or higher.
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score, if you are a graduate of a university where English is not the primary language of instruction (preferred TOEFL scores are: an internet-based score of 81, a paper-based score of 553 or an IELTS score of 6.5 or higher.
Admission Process
The Graduate Advisory Committee will evaluate applications using a holistic matrix based on GPA, GRE score, relevant course work or experience, recommendations, and other written materials in the applicant’s file. The Graduate Advisory Committee will use the results of this evaluation to determine if an applicant is admitted. The Graduate Director will notify students, in writing, of the committee’s decision.
