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Data ScienceDegrees
University of Wisconsin-Madison logo

University of Wisconsin-Madison · Department of Statistics

Data Science, MS

Awarded degree: Master of Science in Data Science

Master'sMSData science degree

Overview

A 30-credit, face-to-face professional MS in Data Science run jointly by the Statistics and Computer Sciences departments, typically completed in 3 to 4 semesters, with an accelerated pathway for UW-Madison graduates. Tuition is a special rate of $1,600 per credit plus fees; fall admission only and no GRE required.

Official program name
Data Science, MS
Awarded degree
Master of Science in Data Science
Source: guide.wisc.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
Source: guide.wisc.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Location
Madison, WI
Required credits
30 credits minimum
Source: guide.wisc.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Duration
1.5 to two years (3 to 4 semesters) (depending on preferred pace)
Source: stat.wisc.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Start terms
Fall
Source: stat.wisc.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Teaching language
English (not separately stated)

Part-time study requires permission from the program chair.

Why this program is listed

Awarded degree is an MS in Data Science (professional program of Statistics and Computer Sciences).

Source: guide.wisc.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
On campusClasses meet in person on campus.Classes meet in person on campus.
Source: guide.wisc.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Class schedule
Not verified
Study intensity
Not published

Curriculum

Accelerated options

  • Accelerated pathway for UW-Madison bachelor's graduates: 3 semesters or one calendar year, up to 7 transferred credits.
    Source: stat.wisc.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Curriculum

  • Statistics core (STAT 611, 612, 613), computer sciences core, machine learning core and electives.
    Source: guide.wisc.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”.
Mathematics prerequisites
RequiredCalculus (MATH 221, 222) and linear algebra (MATH 340 or 345) equivalents
Source: guide.wisc.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Programming prerequisites
RequiredOne programming foundation course (COMP SCI 220, 300 or 320 equivalent)
Source: guide.wisc.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Statement / essay
RequiredStatement of purpose, up to 2 single-spaced pages, plus a supplemental essay under 1 page
Source: guide.wisc.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Recommendation letters
Required2 letters — Two letters of recommendation
Source: guide.wisc.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Résumé / CV
RequiredResume or CV
Source: guide.wisc.edu · verified October 11, 2026
Transcripts
RequiredUnofficial transcripts from all previous postsecondary studies
Source: guide.wisc.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Tests

GRE General Test
Not required
Source: guide.wisc.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

    February 15 · for Fall

    The university does not print a year with this date.

    Source: stat.wisc.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.
CategoryAmountBasis and year
All students — MS Data Science special tuition rate$1,600per creditEstimated tuition$48,000 = 30 credits × $1,600 per credit. Excludes mandatory fees, books, travel for any required in-person sessions, transfer credit reductions and rate changes. Not the full cost of attendance.Source: stat.wisc.edu · verified October 11, 2026

Estimated total tuition: $48,000 (30 credits × $1,600 per credit)

Comparison basis: All students — MS Data Science special tuition rate, 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.

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)

None recorded for this program.

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.
  1. guide.wisc.edu/graduate/statistics/data-science-ms/ — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
  2. guide.wisc.edu/graduate/statistics/statistics-ms/statistics-statistics-data-science-ms/ — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
  3. DAPIP — HLC institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-10) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 10, 2026
  4. stat.wisc.edu/graduate-admissions/ms-datascience/ — Official admissions page, verified October 11, 2026

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Similar programs at other schools

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

Northwestern University logo

Northwestern University

Master of Science in Data Science

Accelerated Master's in Data Science

Master'sMS
Location: Evanston, IL
Delivery: HybridA substantial part of the coursework meets in person and part is online.Part in person, part online · Full-time
Duration: one year (full-time, three courses per quarter) · 12 credits
Tuition: $16,215 per term · All students · 2026-2027
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
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Syracuse University logo

Syracuse University

Master of Science in Applied Data Science

Applied Data Science Master's Degree (on campus)

Master'sMS
Location: Syracuse, NY
Delivery: On campusClasses meet in person on campus.On-campus classes · Study intensity not published
Duration: as little as one year (through summer and Winterlude coursework, depending on course availability) · 31 credits
Tuition: $2,086 per credit · All students · year not statedEst. total tuition $64,666 (31 credits × $2,086 per credit; fees excluded)
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View Program
Location: Chicago, IL
Delivery: On campusClasses meet in person on campus.On-campus classes · Full-time or part-time
Duration: 18–24 months of full-time study; part-time students typically finish in 2–3 years (full-time study) · 48 credits
Tuition: $1,003 per credit · All students — Graduate, Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media, per credit hour · 2026-2027Est. total tuition $48,144 (48 credits × $1,003 per credit; fees excluded)
Next deadline: No upcoming verified deadline
View Program

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