Masters in Data Science, A Joint Program with Spelman College.
Spelman College students graduating in May 2023 with a degree in STEM (science, technology, engineering or mathematics) are invited to apply to Michigan State University to earn a Master’s degree in Data Science as part of a collaborative, fully-paid program funded by the National Science Foundation and the Arthur P. Sloan Foundation.
Students will come to MSU in June 2023 for a nine week Welcome Program, where they will live and learn in community as they prepare to start graduate classes in Fall 2023. Students will receive a living stipend and free tuition throughout this two-year program, which includes hands on learning experiences in data science, faculty-mentored research, professional development, and community building activities. Students will graduate in May 2025 with a Master’s degree in Data Science, and can leverage MSU’s excellent career services network to find a job in science, engineering, business, or one of the many other fields where data scientists are in high demand!
Learn more about Data Science, job opportunities, and the application process for this unique graduate program:
- What is Data Science?
- What will I Learn?
- Where Will I Live
- Will I Get Paid?
- How Do I Apply
- Other Opportunities Data Science
What is Data Science?
Data science is a growing field that involves gathering, analyzing, modeling and using data to understand our world.
Data science skills are in high-demand throughout STEM (science, technology, engineering, math), business, healthcare, law, social sciences, and beyond. More than 2.7 million job openings for data scientists were expected by 2020 (ref), and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projections show a 15% increase in demand for data scientists by 2029 (ref).
Slideshow summarizing the program (presented to Spelman students in December, 2021)
Additional References
- https://www.northeastern.edu/graduate/blog/data-science-careers-shaping-our-future/
- https://www.discoverdatascience.org/career-information/
- https://datasciencedegree.wisconsin.edu/data-science/data-science-careers/
- https://www.calu.edu/academics/undergraduate/bachelors/data-science/jobs-career-salaries.aspx
What will I Learn?
This unique program combines graduate coursework with hands-on experiences in research labs that give students the opportunity to learn and apply data science methods to solve problems in different disciplines. During this two year program, students will engage in a variety of learning and professional development experiences, including:
Summer 2023: students will live and learn together at MSU, building community and getting to know their new campus while building foundational skills for success in data science.
- June 1 - June 30: students take two short courses together (Introduction to Multidimensional Calculus for Data Science, and Introduction to Data Structures and Algorithms)
- July 1-9: mid-summer break!
- July 10 - August 11: students take one short course together (Introduction to Applied Linear Algebra)
- August 11- 20: end of summer break!
- August 21: beginning of welcome and graduate school orientation activities
- August 28: Start of Fall 2023 Classes at MSU
Fall 2023 through Spring 2025: students will take graduate classes and spend time working with faculty and other students in a variety of research labs as part of a data science practicum experience. A typical schedule will include:
- Fall 2023: one grad class (STT 810), Practicum Rotation
- Spring 2024: one grad class (STT 811), Practicum Project
- Summer 2024: Practicum Project (full-time research, no classes)
- Fall 2024: two grad classes (CMSE 830, CSE 482), Practicum Project
- Spring 2025: two grad classes (CMSE 831, CSE 881), Capstone
Students will complete 18 credits in core data science graduate classes that are designed to help Master’s students to build a strong foundation across statistics, mathematics, and computation:
- STT 810 is a course on probability and mathematical statistics for data scientists
- STT 811 is a course on applied statistical methodology for data scientists
- CSE 482 is a course on big data analysis, which includes collecting, storing, preprocessing and analyzing large amounts of data
- CSE 881 is a course on data mining
- CMSE 830 is a course on algorithms and methods in data science
- CMSE 831 is a course on applied and computational optimization for data scientists, including implementation
The Practicum Rotation allows students to spend one month each in three different research groups during Fall 2023. We will help students identify research groups that match their interests, and at the end of the semester students will choose one of the three groups to join for their Practicum Project. Students will earn 3 graduate credits through the Practicum Rotation.
The Practicum Project is a three-semester experience (part-time in Spring 2024 and Fall 2024, full-time in Summer 2024) where students will apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to complete a data science project in the research group they selected after the rotation. Students will earn 3 graduate credits through the Practicum Rotation.
The Capstone is a graduate course taken in students’ final semester that allows them to synthesize everything they have learned and prepares them for success after graduation, whether they choose to pursue a career or continue their education in a PhD program.
Where will I Live?
Students will live on campus at MSU (free housing and meals!) during June and July 2023, while exploring the area and deciding where they would like to live in the fall (there are many on- and off-campus options). Once they’ve picked a local place to call home, we will help students settle in during August.
Will I get Paid?
Yes! Students will earn a stipend (paycheck) and have health insurance coverage throughout this two year program. In addition, they will enjoy free housing and meals on campus during June and July 2023, and a tuition waiver that will cover the costs for all of their classes, practicums, and capstone.
How Do I Apply? (applications are due March 15, 2023)
If you have questions about the program or application process, please contact Dirk Colbry, (colbrydi@msu.edu) and/or Monica Cooley, Chair of Mathematics at Spelman (mstephens@spelman.edu)
- Complete the online application for graduate studies (http://grad.msu.edu/apply/online.aspx)
- Choose graduate program application code 7167 for the "Data Science - Master of Science"
- DO NOT pay the application fee
- The GRE is NOT required!
- In order to submit the online application, you will need:
- A two-page letter of motivation (this single document can be uploaded as both the personal statement and academic statement within the online application)
- A detailed resume including all relevant industry experiences, if applicable
- Contact information for at least 3 individuals who have agreed to provide recommendations for you (they will receive email from MSU with instructions on how to submit their recommendation)
- After adding these materials to the online application, you will be able to “submit”
your application; at this point, the system will ask you to pay the application fee
- DO NOT pay the application fee!
- Instead, email Dirk Colbry at MSU (colbrydi@msu.edu) and let him know that you have submitted an application for the MS in Data Science program for Spelman College students; be sure to provide your full name and email address, as you listed them on the application
- MSU will apply a fee waiver to your application
- Once MSU has added the application fee waiver, you will be able to log in to the application system and submit official transcripts from your previous institutions (undergraduate and/or graduate)
- If applicable, submit evidence of English language (e.g., TOEFL scores); for more information please see https://grad.msu.edu/english-language-competency
Other Opportunities in Data Science Opportunities
MSU offers a number of opportunities for rising sophomores, juniors and seniors to explore data science through paid summer research experience. Students from all STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) majors are encouraged to apply for one or more of the following programs:
Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP)
This paid research internship pairs students with faculty mentors in their area of interest and includes a variety of professional development and community building activities. Highlights include:
- Full-time, 10 week program (May 23 through July 29, 2023)
- Free housing and meals on campus, within a living-learning community of peers
- Paid travel to and from MSU, and a stipend for the summer
- Professional development opportunities including a statistics camp, research seminars and workshops, Social and Networking Activities. Participants present their work at a conference in late July, the Mid-Michigan Symposium for Undergraduate Research Experiences (Mid-SURE)
SROP applications are due February 7, 2023; please see the program website for more details and to submit your application: https://grad.msu.edu/srop
NSF-REU Advanced Computational Research Experience (ACRES)
This paid research internship is funded by the National Science Foundation and pairs students with faculty mentors to work on a project involving data science in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) application area. Highlights include:
- Full-time, 10 week program (mid May through late July, 2023)
- Free housing and meals on campus, within a Living-learning community of peers
- $6,000 stipend, plus up to $600 in support for travel to and from MSU
- Professional development activities including workshops on large scale computing
- Networking activities and introductions to MSU and the greater Lansing area
- Multiple opportunities to present work, including at the Mid-Michigan Symposium for Undergraduate Research Experiences (Mid-SURE) in late July
ACRES applications are due February 4, 2023; please see the program website for more details and to submit your application (https://icer-acres.msu.edu/) or contact Professor Brian O’Shea (oshea@msu.edu) if you have questions.
Engineering Summer Undergraduate Research Program
This paid research internship pairs students with faculty mentors working in an engineering discipline (which may or may not include a focus on data science). Highlights include:
- Full-time, 10 week program (May 23 through July 29, 2023) working on campus at MSU
- Bi-weekly paycheck (minimum $16 per hour)
- Weekly professional development seminars including small group learning activities and opportunities to network with faculty, researchers, and students across campus
- Robust support for developing successful graduate school applications, including individual feedback on students’ application statements and academic resumes
- Participants present their work Presentation at a conference in late July, the Mid-Michigan Symposium for Undergraduate Research Experiences (Mid-SURE)
EnSURE applications are due February 15, 2023; please see the program website for more details and to submit your application: https://egr.msu.edu/ensure
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Thank you to NSF and The Arthur P. Sloan foundation for their support of this partnership between MSU and Spelman which enables this training program.