Lindsey Wilson College

Master of Science in Data Science

MS - Program Requirements

Helen MacLennan, Ph.D., Dean, School of Graduate Business & Technology

Center for Entrepreneurship

(270) 384-7415          maclennanh@lindsey.edu

Mission Statement

The mission of the Master of Science in data science (M.S.D.S.) program is to prepare students for employment in various data science and data management related areas and/or the pursuit of advanced degrees in data science fields by educating them in the knowledge and application of data science concepts and methods.

Curriculum

The School of Graduate Business & Technology’s Master of Science in data science is an application-based program which requires 30 credit hours of core coursework in statistics, data science, and machine learning and a minimum of three hours of internship.  The courses are all offered in a flexible online or blended format.

A.        Core Curriculum:  30 credit hours

  • Information in Infrastructure (MSTM 5033) – 3 credit hours
  • Probability & Inference for Data Science (MSDS 5103) – 3 credit hours
  • Introduction to Statistical Modeling (MSDS 5113) – 3 credit hours
  • Fundamentals of Data Science (MSDS 5123) – 3 credit hours
  • Data Systems & Algorithms (MSDS 6203) – 3 credit hours
  • Programming for Data Science (MSDS 6213) – 3 credit hours
  • Data & Database Management with SQL (MSDS 6403) – 3 credit hours
  • Production & Visualization of Data (MSDS 6413) – 3 credit hours
  • Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence (MSDS 6503) – 3 credit hours
  • Applied Capstone Project (MSDS 6903) – 3 credit hours

B.        Internship:  3 credit hours

  • Internship (MSTM 5900) – 0.5 credit hours*

 

*Students must earn a minimum of 3 credit hours and be continually enrolled in the course during the program.

TOTAL HOURS:  33 credit hours

Admission

Program Application Procedure

Applicants to the M.S.D.S. program will need to:

  1. Complete the Graduate School Application for Admission form, which must be submitted online with non-refundable fees of USD 35.00; and
  2. Submit either:
  1. Official undergraduate transcripts documenting the completion of a U.S. undergraduate degree from an institution with U.S. Department of Education recognized institutional accreditation or its equivalent from a governmentally recognized or similar authority as a postsecondary, academic degree-granting institution of higher learning with the equivalent of a 2.5 GPA; or 
  2. Official graduate transcripts documenting completion of a graduate degree from an institution with U.S. Department of Education recognized institutional accreditation. Official graduate transcripts from a nationally accredited institution or its equivalent from governmentally recognized or similar authority as a postsecondary, academic degree-granting institution of higher learning will be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis.  

International Student Application Procedures

An international student’s success will rest on the ability to understand, read, write, and speak English as all classes in the program are delivered in English. Thus, in addition to the application materials required of students from the United States, international students applying to a graduate program must provide proof of English proficiency based on:

  • TOEFL minimum score:
  • Internet-based (iBT): 79 composite,
  • Paper-based: 550, or
  • Revised paper delivered:  21 writing and 19 reading;
  • IELTS minimum composite score of 6.5 (score of 6.0 may be considered);
  • Duolingo 100;
  • English is the student’s native language; or
  • Student completed undergraduate or graduate program at an accredited U.S. institution or equivalent English-speaking institution.

Students who fail to demonstrate English proficiency may still be considered for admission but will be required to successfully complete a provisional ESL (English as a Second Language) course before being officially accepted into the program and enrolling in classes.

The English proficiency standards apply to domestic students who have not received an undergraduate degree from an English-speaking institution.

Transfer of Credit

The program will accept up to six credit hours in transfer for equivalent courses from institutions of higher education with U.S. Department of Education recognized institutional accreditation.

All master’s students who wish to transfer graduate credit from other institutions to be applied to Lindsey Wilson College’s M.S.D.S. degree should be aware of the following criteria:

  • Transfer credit must carry a grade of B- or higher and must be earned at the graduate level; and
  • Transfer credit must be consistent with the program’s curriculum.

Graduate Credit without the Bachelor’s Degree

The following criteria apply to those students who wish to enroll in master’s coursework but who have not earned a bachelor’s degree:

  • Undergraduates must have senior status;
  • They must have a cumulative quality point average of at least 3.0; and
  • They must have the permission of the director.

No coursework applied toward undergraduate graduation requirements may be counted toward requirements for a graduate degree. A maximum of nine graduate credit hours may be taken by an undergraduate.