Online Data Science Master's Degree | University of West Florida

Program Details

Next Start Date: January 8

Credit Hours: 30

Course Length: 8-16 weeks

Estimated Program Length: 24 months

UWF's Data Science M.S. is the first fully online master's in data science in Florida. This program prepares graduates with the knowledge, skills and attitude needed to manipulate, manage and interpret data.

Why Study Data Science at UWF?

The University of West Florida’s fully online Master of Science in Data Science provides you with the tools to bridge data science with disciplines such as information technology, computer science, environmental science, business and healthcare. With their experience, graduates can pursue lucrative and fast-growing careers.

Our program offers synchronous coursework and one-on-one communication with expert faculty. You will also collaborate with graduate students from other disciplines as you tailor your curriculum to suit your career goals.

Throughout the data science degree program, develop sought-after techniques including statistical analysis, mathematical processes, regression modeling, multivariate methods, machine learning, database management and mining, and big data analytics. These skills will enable you to produce reports, presentations and graphics that positively influence business decisions and trends.

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What You Will Learn

The program offers three tracks to prepare learners for in-demand data science careers.

Analytics and Modeling

In this track, students will learn to design data modeling processes and create algorithms and predictive models to solve complex problems. They’ll develop fluency in computational skills and proficiency in mathematics and statistics. With a focus on machine learning, software development, data storage and analysis and more, this track prepares learners for careers as statisticians, data engineers and project managers, among other careers that demand a mastery of statistics, programming and data structures.

Analytics of Business Decisions

Students who choose this track will master how to use data to make business decisions, solve problems and improve efficiency. The coursework equips students with knowledge of statistical tools and programming, mathematical and statistical algorithms and operation management. Students will be ready to implement changes, communicate results and work with various departments to make data-driven decisions.

Health Analytics

In the health analytics track, students gain proficiency in the statistical skills needed in the healthcare industry. Learners will be trained to manage and analyze health data to address public health issues. Coursework in this track prepares students to interpret complicated data sets, use statistical and computing tools and visualize data to communicate findings. Graduates can become clinical informatics analysts, project managers in the healthcare field and more.

By completing this certificate, you will be able to:

Leverage data and information to help businesses make better strategic choices
Communicate and interpret complex data to varied audiences
Develop data-driven solutions for a business or organization

Courses

Courses & Requirements

Once prerequisite requirements are satisfied, the master’s in data science includes 21 core credit hours plus 9 elective credit hours. You can use elective courses to tailor your curriculum to industries including computer science, business, earth and environmental sciences, biology and health information.

STA 2023 - Elements of Statistics
MAC 2311 - Calculus I
One programming course (such as Python)

Analytics and Modeling (21 credit hours)
Choose four courses from the following. Selection is based on Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering advisor approval.

COP 5725 - Database Systems
MAP 6114 - Machine Learning
IDC 6210 - Machine Learning for Data Science
CAP 6789 - Advanced Big Data Analytics
IDC 6145 - Big Data Analytics for Data Science
CAP 6771 - Data Mining
STA 6707 - Multivariate Methods
MAD 6306 - Complex Networks
STA 6856 - Time Series Analysis
STA 6349 - Applied Bayesian Analysis
IDC 6146 - Deep Learning for Data Science

Students may choose 9 credit hours of any combination of 5000/6000-level technical electives approved by the Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering advisor.

Analytics of Business Decisions (21 credit hours)
Choose four courses from the following:

MAN 6511 - Operations Management Problems
ISM 6405 - Advanced Business Intelligence Applications
ISM 6136 - Big Data Mining: A Managerial Perspective
GEB 5872 - MBA Foundations: Financial Management I**
GEB 5875 - MBA Foundations: Management Skills and Applications*
ACG 6309 - Accounting for Decision Making

Students may choose 9 credit hours of any combination of 5000/6000-level technical electives approved by the Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering advisor.

* GEB 5872 and GEB 5875 are 1.5 SCH; must take both courses. ** GEB 5872 must be taken before ACG 6309.

Health Analytics (21 credit hours)
Choose four courses from the following:

BSC 5459 - Bioinformatics and Data Science
PHC 6000 - Epidemiology for Public Health Professionals
PHC 6251 - Disease Surveillance and Monitoring
HSA 6197 - Health Informatics
HSA 6752 - Quantitative Foundations and Data Analysis for Health Admin
HSA 6385 - Quality Improvement Processes in Health Organizations
PHC 6194 - GIS Applications in Public Health

Students may choose 9 credit hours of any combination of 5000/6000-level technical electives approved by the Usha Kundu, MD College of Health advisor.

Required Core Courses (9 credit hours)

STA 5176 - Statistical Modeling
STA 6235 - Modeling in Regression
STA 6257 - Advanced Statistical Modeling

To be considered for admission into the University of West Florida’s online master’s in data science program, you must have an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution. Other criteria for successful admission include:

An earned Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
A minimum of 3.0 GPA (B or better average) on undergraduate credits

If an applicant does not meet the above requirements, they may be considered for conditional admission. Please contact the department for more information.

An applicant may be fully admitted if the student has all required undergraduate proficiency courses.
An applicant may be provisionally admitted subject to completing the required undergraduate proficiency courses.

How to Apply

To apply for admission to this program, you first need to submit an application for graduate admission (plus a $30 application fee) and be accepted for admission into the University of West Florida. Review application deadlines. In addition, you must:

Submit official transcripts confirming a bachelor’s degree from an institution whose accrediting agency is included on the list of UWF approved accrediting agencies

Have questions about this program or the admissions process? Contact our graduate admissions team at gradadmissions@uwf.edu.

Full Course Descriptions Registration Requirements

Careers & Outcomes

Using your M.S. in Data Science, you could work in institutions and industries including government, businesses, finance, healthcare, public or private scientific research and education.

Job Titles

Statistician
Data Engineers
Data Scientists

Career Outlook

Employment of data scientists is projected to grow 35% from 2022 to 2032 (much faster than average)
The median annual wage for data scientists was $103,500 in May 2022

Source: BLS, 2024

Tuition Rate Per Credit Hour

Data Science, M.S. Online Graduate Tuition
Component	Cost	Total*
In-state Tuition	$384.60 per credit hour	$11,538.00
Full Out-of-state Tuition	$1,044.24 per credit hour	$31,327.20
90% Out-of-state Tuition	$478.83 per credit hour	$14,364.90

Tuition waivers cover up to 90% of the non-resident portion of your tuition and are available to non-Florida residents (including international students) admitted to online campus programs and registered for online courses in active pursuit of that degree or certificate. You must pay all other assessed tuition and fees. The renewal of Online Campus Out-of-State Tuition Waivers is not automatic. Waiver requests must be submitted every semester and are not retroactive for previous semesters. Review Tuition Waiver Information to learn more.

Time to completion varies by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred, if applicable. Fees are charged per semester unless otherwise noted.

Refer to UWF Cost of Attendance Estimates and Financial Literacy for more information on UWF costs and financial aid.

* Tuition and fees are subject to change.

Alabama, Military & Financial Aid

Alabama Differential Out-of-State Tuition

Residents of Alabama are eligible for Alabama Differential Tuition, a reduced out-of-state tuition rate. To verify residency status for tuition purposes, new undergraduate students should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and new graduate students should contact the Graduate School. Current enrolled students should contact the Office of the Registrar. See more about Tuition Waivers.

Military & Veterans

The UWF Military & Veterans Resource Center (MVRC) serves as the campus advocate for military, dependents and veteran students. Contact the MVRC to learn more about the various military and veteran education assistance or tuition waiver opportunities and eligibility requirements.

UWF Financial Assistance

The University of West Florida offers various financial aid options for our online students, including loans, scholarships and grants for degree-seeking students. We provide eligible students with an alternative to paying the full amount of tuition at the beginning of each term in the form of an installment payment plan or a short-term loan. See more about Financial Aid and Education Funding Opportunities.