Fortune Ranks U of A Master’s in Data Science Program Top 10 in the Nation

  
The Master of Science in Data Science (MSDS) program offered by the University of Arizona’s College of Information Science has been named the #9 in-person data science graduate program in the country by Fortune.

Demand for the highly interdisciplinary U of A MSDS, which is available both on campus and online, has been high since the program launched in fall 2021. Data science is one of the fastest growing fields—job openings have increased 480% since 2016, according to Glassdoor—and the College of Information Science is uniquely positioned to offer the degree given its rich history in information science.

“It’s no secret that the need for data experts is growing due to the exponential amount of data being generated every day,” says Fortune in announcing the rankings. “One of the best ways to gain the in-demand skills to be able to harness, analyze and create value from data is pursuing a master’s degree.”

In the College of Information Science’s STEM-designated data science master’s program, which can be completed in as few as 18 months, students take core courses in data mining and discovery, data analysis and visualization, and data ethics while choosing from a number of dynamic electives, including neural networks, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, machine learning, cyberinfrastructure, data warehousing, database development, data science and public interests, and advanced computational linguistics. With U of A’s MSDS, students graduate with the in-demand skills they need to transform data into actionable insights while building a transformative career.

“The College of Information Science is thrilled to have our data science graduate program recognized among the nation’s top data science programs, which include such other esteemed research universities as Harvard, New York University, University of Michigan, and Carnegie Mellon,” says Zack Lischer-Katz, assistant professor and director of graduate studies. “Our faculty, staff and students have been working diligently to make this one of the top programs in the field, and we look forward to continuing to grow and welcome the next cohort of future data science professionals in the coming year.”

The Fortune rankings methodology was made up of a combination of selectivity (45%), success (40%), and demand (15%) factors.

This is the second top-10 ranking for an College of Information Science program in the last year. The U of A Master of Arts in Library and Information Science was included in the university’s #10 ranking of library and information science programs worldwide by ShanghaiRankings in fall 2023.
  

Learn more about the University of Arizona’s top-ranked Master of Science in Data Science.