Admission Requirements
- Online Application
Begin assembling your required application materials as electronic documents before completing the online graduate application. Do not mail any documents. Applicants must submit all materials directly to the University Office of Graduate and Professional Education using the online admission process before admission can be considered. Admission applications are available here. The applicant shall specify a specialty at the time of application (CIS, AES or DMS). Please submit a completed application by November 15 to be considered for spring admission or April 15 for fall admission. Application review begins six weeks before the application deadline.
- Application Fee
A $75 application fee is due when you submit your online application.
- Bachelor’s Degree
A four-year U.S. Bachelor’s degree in any academic field from an accredited college or university is required. If you have a three-year non-U.S. degree, you may request a review for determination as to equivalency by emailing msds-info@udel.edu after you have uploaded your transcripts, recommendations, personal statement, as well as TOEFL/IELTS scores to the application.
The ideal applicant has a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Prerequisite requirements
A major in mathematics, applied mathematics, statistics, computer science or a field of engineering is a good background for this program.
A minimal background outside of these majors should include at least one semester of
- multivariable calculus,
- linear algebra,
- statistics and/or probability,
and at least two semesters of
- computer programming (data structures or CISC220 equivalent desirable).
Additional desirable courses include
- ordinary differential equations,
- a first numerical analysis or methods course,
- an algorithms course,
- a logic and programming course,
- and both probability and statistics courses.
- Transcripts
Unofficial transcripts for all institutions attended are required with your application. You should visit the Registrar’s page of your home institution (post-high school institutions only) to print an unofficial copy to create your scan. If your home institution does not provide this service, ask for a student copy to create your scan. Do not mail official transcripts during the applicant stage.
Please visit http://grad.udel.edu/apply/transcripts/ for more detailed information.
- GRE
*THE GRE HAS BEEN WAIVED AT THIS TIME*
- Personal Statement / Essay
Applicants must submit a personal statement describing how their academic, professional and personal background has prepared them to be successful in the Master of Science in Data Science program and explaining how the completion of the degree will contribute to their professional goals.
- Three Letters of Recommendation
Three letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the candidate’s academic and/or professional background and capabilities are required. Please provide names and email addresses for your recommenders, and recommendation forms are emailed directly to them from the online application. Instructions are included as to how to return the completed forms electronically.
- International Student Requirements and Programs
International applicants must submit one of the following:
- proof of having earned a degree in either the United States or a country where the primary language is English;
- TOEFL score of 100 or higher and a minimum speaking score of 18; or
- IELTS score of 6.5 or higher
The Graduate & Professional Education office provides more detailed TOEFL information.
Applications are evaluated based on a combination of record of academic achievement, recommendations, and the applicant’s statement of professional goals and values. The Executive Committee will make admission decisions and assign accepted students to faculty advisors upon matriculation.
For more information see the Program Policy Statement