Program Structure & Degree Requirements

The MSDS program at the University of Chicago is a rigorous, research-oriented program that combines foundational theory with practical applications. Students are required to complete a set of coursework and meet specific academic standards, and to complete a research requirement to earn the degree.

1 Program Duration

The program is typically completed in one to two academic years (three quarters: Autumn, Winter, and Spring). The first year is required to be full-time.

2 Curriculum Overview

Students must complete a total of 9 core and elective courses, plus 3 foundational courses as follows:

• Foundational Courses (3 courses): These cover essential concepts and practices in (1) programming, (2) mathematics, and (3) statistical knowledge that is central to data science and provide the groundwork for advanced coursework. Students can qualify or be placed out of these courses. If needed to take these (online, free) courses, they should be completed in the summer before they begin with the MSDS program in the Autumn, or during the beginning of the Autumn quarter if the course is not offered in the summer.
  
• Core Courses (5 courses): These delve into key data science techniques, methodologies, and tools.
  • DATA 30100 Introduction to Data Science
  • DATA 31500 Data Interaction
  • DATA 34100 Introduction to Data Systems and Data Design OR
    DATA 34200 Data Engineering & Scalable Computing
  • DATA 35900 Responsible Use of Data and Algorithms
  • DATA 37000 Introduction to ML and Neural Networks OR
    DATA 37711 Foundations of Machine Learning and AI - Part I
    
• Elective Courses (4 courses): Students choose from a wide array of electives to tailor their learning to specific interests or career goals. Most graduate level courses (300xx) in the DATA, STAT, and CMSC programs taken with a letter grade (not pass/fail nor audit) are eligible as electives. Reading/Research courses do not count. Graduate courses from other departments/programs that are related to data science could be counted as well. Contact the director for approval with such course elections.
  • There is a special PSD policy exception regarding taking Booth School of Business’s courses during your last quarter before graduation: “PSD graduate students may not register for a Booth course in their expected graduation quarter if they need to receive a grade in the Booth course to complete their degree requirements.”

More information about the core and elective courses can be found in this spreadsheet.

3 Course Selection Guidelines

Students are encouraged to:

• Balance theoretical and applied courses.
• Consider prerequisites when selecting electives.
• Seek guidance from research mentors or academic advisors on sequencing and relevance to career objectives.

4 Degree Completion Requirements

To graduate, students must:

• Successfully complete all 9 required courses (core plus electives), with each course receiving a ‘C’ or better grade.
• Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3 for the nine core plus elective courses.
• Fulfill the research project requirement. (See Research Project Requirement)

5 Enrollment Status

• Full-Time Status: Students must enroll in at least 3 courses per quarter.
• Part-Time Option: In some uncommon situations, after completing one full year of the MSDS program, students may petition to enroll part-time to complete their MSDS requirements in their second year.
• Minimum Enrollment: At least one course per quarter is required to maintain active enrollment, unless a formal leave of absence is granted.