Online Master’s in Data ScienceOnline Master’s in Data ScienceOnline Master’s in Data Science

Earn Your Master’s in Data Science Online

The No.2-ranked1 Master of Information and Data Science (MIDS) program, delivered online from the UC Berkeley School of Information (I School), prepares data science professionals to be leaders in the field. By blending a multidisciplinary curriculum, experienced faculty from top data-driven companies, an accomplished network of peers, and the flexibility of online learning, the WASC-accredited datascience@berkeley program brings UC Berkeley to students, wherever they are. Learn more about data science.

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Complete a Rigorous, Holistic Curriculum

The multidisciplinary online data science master’s curriculum draws upon computer science, social sciences, statistics, management, and law. Students use the latest tools and analytical methods to work with data at scale, derive insights from complex and unstructured data, and solve real-world problems.

Flexible Program Paths

The 27-unit, online program is designed for the working professional’s schedule and can be completed on one of three paths: accelerated, standard, or decelerated. Students who wish to take the program on an accelerated or decelerated basis must receive approval from UC Berkeley.

The accelerated path gives students the opportunity to take three courses per semester to complete the program in as few as 12 months.

The standard path is designed for working professionals and can be completed in 20 months, with two courses per semester.

The decelerated path allows students to drop down to one course per semester after the first term and complete the program in no more than 32 months.

Essential and Specialized Skills

The core curriculum focuses on the following key skills:

Research Design

Data Cleansing

Data Engineering

Data Mining and Exploring

Data Visualization

Information Ethics and Privacy

Statistical Analysis

Machine Learning

The MIDS curriculum features a wide range of courses that provide students with a comprehensive understanding of how data science can be used to inform decision making in their organizations. Students will complete programming-focused courses, like the featured courses below, in concurrence with courses that focus on the ethical impact of data science and how to effectively communicate results.

Applied Machine Learning

Students will learn how to apply crucial machine learning techniques to solve problems, run evaluations and interpret results, and understand scaling up from thousands of data points to billions.

Behind the Data: Humans and Values

This course examines the legal, policy, and ethical issues that arise throughout the full life cycle of data science. Case studies will be used to explore these issues across various domains such as criminal justice, national security, health, marketing, politics, education, and employment.

Natural Language Processing with Deep Learning

This course is a broad introduction to linguistic phenomena and our attempts to analyze them with machine learning. We cover a wide range of concepts, with a focus on practical applications such as information extraction, machine translation, sentiment analysis, and summarization.

Capstone

MIDS students complete a capstone by executing a culminating project that integrates the core skills and concepts learned throughout the program. The capstone combines the technical, analytical, interpretive, and social dimensions required to design and execute a full data science project. Students learn integral skills that prepare them for long-term professional success in the field.

Explore our full multidisciplinary curriculum.

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Our Data Science Perspective

The online master’s in data science takes a comprehensive approach to data analysis. While other information and data degree programs are adapting to the emergence of big data, the MIDS program is designed from the ground up to focus on the latest tools and approaches to working with data.

As a result, the data science master’s program differs from other analytic degree programs
through its:

  • Focus on working with complex, unstructured, user-generated data sets (i.e., big, messy data)
  • Comprehensive, multidisciplinary curriculum drawn from the social sciences, computer science, statistics, management, and law
  • Coherent integration of the full life cycle of data — from identifying the right questions to retrieving, cleaning, and modeling the data and communicating results
  • Emphasis on the legal and ethical implications of data privacy and security

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The Online Learning Experience

The online master’s in data science combines advanced technology and in-person experiences to ensure you benefit from the full I School experience.

All of the online tools you need to succeed are hosted in one place: the virtual campus.

Access your weekly Zoom classes, where you will engage in meaningful discussions.

Complete coding work through seamless GitHub integration in the virtual campus.

View upcoming course work and deadlines with one click on your dashboard.

Attend class or complete course work from anywhere using the mobile app.

In-Person Immersion

Further your connections with your classmates and professors at an in-person immersion experience. Here, you will participate in workshops, network with industry leaders, and learn about emerging trends in the information field. 

Learn more about the full student experience.

Valuable Relationships with MIDS Alumni

MIDS graduates are working around the world to solve social, economic, and health problems and applying their skills at top companies such as Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, and Google. Students and alumni can connect with the I School community through the I School Slack workspace, the official I School professional networking platform.

Graduates employed at these companies excel in roles such as:

  • Business data analyst
  • Data analyst
  • Data architect
  • Data engineer
  • Data scientist
  • Solutions architect
  • Systems engineer

“Visiting Uber was an amazing experience. After a 40-minute presentation, we spent over an hour asking questions to Kevin Novak (leader of the data science division) on everything from data science at Uber, to data science at small startups, to the evolving place of data science in the world.”

– Christopher Llop, MIDS graduate

“I rely heavily on the knowledge and confidence that I gained from the MIDS curriculum as I approach open-ended data science problems. My professors at UC Berkeley provided me with a strong basis in structured problem solving and critical thinking as a data scientist.”

– Erin Boehmer, data scientist at Fenix International

Learn more about how MIDS graduates have used these career connections to reach their career goals.

Choose a Program That Transforms Students into Data Science Leaders

Earn a master’s in data science online from UC Berkeley.

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Admissions

The master’s in data science program is seeking applicants who can make a positive impact on the I School community and beyond. A complete application must include the following:

  • Online application
  • Transcripts from all educational institutions attended
  • Statement of Purpose and additional admissions statements
  • Two professional letters of recommendation
  • Current resume
  • Application fee
  • Optional: GRE or GMAT scores
  • TOEFL scores (if applicable)

Learn more about admissions requirements.

Application Deadlines

There are three program start dates throughout the year, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. The final deadline for the September 2024 cohort is  May 22, 2024.

Review Application Deadlines

Upcoming Events

Learn more about the MIDS program and meet I School faculty and students during our online and in-person events.

Attend an Upcoming Event

Develop the Skills Needed to Become a Data Science Leader at Top Organizations

Earn a Master of Information and Data Science online from UC Berkeley.

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