Boston University · Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences

Online Master of Science in Data Science (Online MSDS)

Awarded degree: Master of Science in Data Science

Master'sMSData science degree Fully online

Overview

A 30-unit online MS in Data Science delivered in 11 sequential modules over 16 continuous months, with a launch orientation and bootcamp, live Zoom sessions and a capstone project. The page states there are no in-person requirements; total tuition is $25,000.

Official program name: Online Master of Science in Data Science (Online MSDS)
Awarded degree: Master of Science in Data Science
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Degree level: Master's
Program classification: Dedicated data science degreeThe awarded degree or official program title is data science itself.
School: Boston University — Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Location: Boston, MAWhere the university is located. Study is online; this is not a residency requirement and does not decide whether you may enroll from your state.
Required credits: 30 units across 11 modules
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Duration: 16 continuous months, including a required summer term (16-24 months stated on the program page)
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Start terms: Spring, Fall
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Teaching language: English (not separately stated)

A residential MS in Data Science is offered separately (separate record).

Why this program is listed

The awarded degree is a Master of Science in Data Science, delivered online (marketed as Online MS in Data Science & AI).

Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

We list data science bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees — dedicated, joint, and (separately labelled) related degrees with an officially named data science concentration. Eligibility rules

Format and attendance

Delivery, required in-person attendance, class schedule and study intensity are shown separately, each only as the university states it. “Fully online” appears only when official wording supports it.

Academic delivery: Fully onlineAll coursework is online and the university states no required in-person attendance for this program.
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
In-person attendance: No required campus visits (stated)
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Class schedule: Not verified
Study intensity: Part-time
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Curriculum

Capstone

Each module ends with a mini-project and the program concludes with a capstone project.
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Other

Live sessions are synchronous Zoom sessions of about one to two hours.
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Launch orientation and bootcamp completed before the official start of the semester (the program states it has no in-person requirements).
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Admissions

Required, optional, waived and not-required items are shown exactly as the university states them. Anything not listed is not verified — not “not required”.

Prior degree: RequiredFour-year bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. institution or international equivalent
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Work experience: Not requiredNo minimum work experience; admitted students typically have two years of full-time experience
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Statement / essay: RequiredPersonal statement of approximately 200 words
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Recommendation letters: Optional1 letters — One optional letter of recommendation
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Résumé / CV: RequiredCV/Resume
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Transcripts: RequiredUnofficial transcripts for application; official if admitted
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Tests

GRE General Test: OptionalGRE/GMAT not required; may be submitted.
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
GMAT: OptionalGRE/GMAT not required; may be submitted.
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
TOEFL iBT: Recommended — minimum 90Minimum of 90 iBT recommended; waivers for English-medium degrees or two years of U.S. full-time work.
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
IELTS Academic: Recommended — minimum 6.5Competitive applicants typically score 6.5 on each band.
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Duolingo English Test: Recommended — minimum 110
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate admission chances.

Start dates and deadlines

Dates are shown with the term the university printed. A past date is marked passed and is never carried into a new cycle.

Application deadlines: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

Tuition and fees

Each amount keeps its student category, academic year and basis. Per-credit, per-term and whole-program figures are not comparable with each other, and tuition is not the full cost of attendance.

Category	Amount	Basis and year
Online students — Total Cost of OMDS Program (10 modules at $2,500 each)	$25,000	entire programSource: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Estimated total tuition: $25,000 (published program total)

Comparison basis: Online students — Total Cost of OMDS Program (10 modules at $2,500 each), academic year not stated. Excludes mandatory fees, books, living costs and any rate changes during the program. How we calculate

Funding

Funding policy and awards exactly as the university publishes them. Available assistantships do not establish guaranteed funding; loans must be repaid and are not scholarships. Understanding funding

Funding classification: Funding not verified

We have not verified an official funding policy for this program. That does not mean funding is unavailable.

Employer-Based Tuition Reimbursement Employer assistance
Source: bu.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Accreditation and enrollment restrictions

Two separate questions: is the university institutionally accredited, and does it publish restrictions on who can enroll (for online programs, usually by state of residence)?

Institutional accreditation

New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) — accreditedSource: ope.ed.gov · verified October 10, 2026

Programmatic accreditation

No programmatic accreditation verified for this program. Institutional accreditation does not imply it.

Published enrollment restrictions (state authorization)

Not verified — check the university's state authorization page before applying from outside Massachusetts.

International applicants

Not verified for this program.

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages below. Last verified October 11, 2026.

DAPIP — NECHE institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-10) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 10, 2026
bu.edu/academics/cds/programs/ms-in-data-science-online/ — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
bu.edu/cds-faculty/programs-admissions/online-msds/application/ — Official admissions page, verified October 11, 2026
bu.edu/cds-faculty/programs-admissions/online-msds/faq/ — Official admissions page, verified October 11, 2026
bu.edu/cds-faculty/programs-admissions/online-msds/tuition-financial-aid/ — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 11, 2026
bu.edu/cds-faculty/programs-admissions/phd-degree/funding/ — Official admissions page, verified October 11, 2026

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Data Science Degrees is independent and not affiliated with Boston University. Information is collected from official pages and can change; confirm requirements, costs and deadlines with the university.