Northwestern University · School of Professional Studies

Online Master's in Data Science (MSDS), part-time

Awarded degree: Master of Science in Data Science

Master'sMSData science degree Fully online

Overview

A part-time online Master of Science in Data Science from the School of Professional Studies requiring 12 courses, with five specializations or a general data science track and a capstone or thesis. Students can begin in any quarter.

Official program name: Online Master's in Data Science (MSDS), part-time
Awarded degree: Master of Science in Data Science
Source: sps.northwestern.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: Northwestern University — School of Professional Studies
Source: sps.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Location: Evanston, ILWhere the university is located. Study is online; this is not a residency requirement and does not decide whether you may enroll from your state.
Specializations: Analytics and Modeling · Analytics Management · Artificial Intelligence · Data Engineering · Technology Entrepreneurship
Source: catalogs.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Required credits: 12 courses
Source: catalogs.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Duration: two to three years of uninterrupted part-time study; five years allowed (part-time, one to two classes per quarter)
Source: sps.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Start terms: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer
Source: sps.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Teaching language: English (not separately stated)

The same MS in Data Science is also offered as a one-year accelerated full-time option with on-campus courses in Chicago (separate record).

Why this program is listed

Awarded degree is a Master of Science in Data Science.

Source: sps.northwestern.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: sps.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
In-person attendance: In-person requirements: not published
Class schedule: Asynchronous
Source: sps.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Study intensity: Part-time
Source: sps.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026

The pages we checked do not say whether any orientation, residency, exam or presentation must be attended in person. Ask the university before you apply — missing information is not “no requirement”.

Curriculum

Seven core courses, two specialization courses, two electives and a capstone project or thesis.
Source: catalogs.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Capstone

MSDS 498 Capstone can be taken in any term; MSDS 590 Thesis is an alternative.
Source: sps.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Specializations, concentrations and tracks

Analytics and Modeling
Source: catalogs.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Analytics Management
Source: catalogs.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Artificial Intelligence
Source: catalogs.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Data Engineering
Source: catalogs.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Technology Entrepreneurship
Source: catalogs.northwestern.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: RequiredBachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution or foreign equivalent
Source: sps.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Work experience: RecommendedWork or research experience desirable but not necessarily required
Source: sps.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Statement / essay: Required300-word statement of purpose
Source: sps.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Recommendation letters: Required2 letters — Two letters of recommendation
Source: sps.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Résumé / CV: RequiredCurrent résumé or CV
Source: sps.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Application fee: Required$75 — $75 nonrefundable application fee
Source: sps.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Tests

GRE General Test: Not requiredGRE scores and/or new course work are recommended for applicants whose previous academic performance was below a B average.
Source: sps.northwestern.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 deadline
July 15 · for Fall
The university does not print a year with this date.
Source: sps.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Year not printed
Application deadline
October 15 · for Winter
The university does not print a year with this date.
Source: sps.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Year not printed
Application deadline
January 15 · for Spring
The university does not print a year with this date.
Source: sps.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Year not printed
Application deadline
April 15 · for Summer
The university does not print a year with this date.
Source: sps.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Year not printed

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
All students	$5,098	per course · 2026-2027Source: sps.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026
All students — Estimated tuition and technology fees for entire program (12 courses)	$62,796	entire program · 2026-2027Includes feesSource: sps.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Estimated total tuition: $62,796 (published program total)

Comparison basis: All students — Estimated tuition and technology fees for entire program (12 courses), 2026-2027. Excludes mandatory fees, books, living costs and any rate changes during the program. How we calculate

Other published fees

Technology fee: $135 per courseMandatory
Source: sps.northwestern.edu · verified October 11, 2026

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.

Scholarships, fellowships or assistantships for this program: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

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

Higher Learning Commission (HLC) — 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 Illinois.

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.

catalogs.northwestern.edu/sps/graduate/data-science/ — Official catalog / bulletin, verified October 11, 2026
DAPIP — HLC institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-10) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 10, 2026
sps.northwestern.edu/masters/data-science/ — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
sps.northwestern.edu/masters/data-science/admission.html — Official admissions page, verified October 11, 2026
sps.northwestern.edu/masters/data-science/compare.html — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
sps.northwestern.edu/masters/data-science/thesis-capstone.html — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
sps.northwestern.edu/masters/data-science/tuition-costs.html — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 11, 2026
sps.northwestern.edu/masters/healthcare-data-science/ — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
sps.northwestern.edu/masters/important-dates.html — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026

Something out of date? Request a correction · Represent this school? Claim the profile

Key facts

Degree
MS · Master'sData science degree
Delivery
Fully online · Asynchronous
Attendance
Fully online per the university; no in-person requirement found
Study intensity
Part-time
Length
two to three years of uninterrupted part-time study; five years allowed (part-time, one to two classes per quarter) · 12 courses
Tuition
$5,098 per courseAll students, 2026-2027
Next deadline
No upcoming verified date
Location
Evanston, IL

Official program page How to apply

Also at Northwestern University

Similar programs at other schools

Same degree level and format family, programs in Illinois first. Listed for discovery, not ranked.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Master of Science in CyberGIS and Geospatial Data Science

CyberGIS and Geospatial Data Science, MS (online)

Master'sMS Fully online

Champaign, ILUniversity location, not a residency requirement

Fully onlineFully online per the university; no in-person requirement found · Study intensity not published

less than two years · 32 credits

$798 per credit · All students · 2026-2027Est. total tuition $25,536 (32 credits × $798 per credit; fees excluded)

Rolling admission (as published)

View Program

DePaul University

Master of Science in Data Science

Data Science (MS) Online

Master'sMS Fully online

Chicago, ILUniversity location, not a residency requirement

Fully onlineFully online per the university; no in-person requirement found · Full-time or part-time

18–24 months of full-time study; part-time students typically finish in 2–3 years (full-time study) · 48 credits

Tuition not published / not verified

No upcoming verified deadline

View Program

Lewis University

Master of Science in Data Science

Data Science, M.S.

Master'sMS Fully online

Romeoville, ILUniversity location, not a residency requirement

Fully onlineFully online per the university; no in-person requirement found · Full-time or part-time

Length not published · 33 credits

Tuition not published / not verified

No upcoming verified deadline

View Program

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