New Master’s Degree in Applied Data Analytics

Master of science in applied science

This fall, BU MET introduces the Master of Science in Applied Data Analytics. The newest addition to MET’s robust portfolio of analytics programs, the degree will help students develop key skills that will qualify them for the role of data scientist. “Managers need to know how to handle the explosion of information extracted from very large data sets,” says Department of Computer Science Chair Anatoly Temkin. Through a curriculum that emphasizes the practical use of modeling and machine learning to make smarter organizational decisions, the program is to be offered online or evenings on campus and can be completed in as few as 16 months.

Press Release

Boston University’s Metropolitan College Announces
New Master’s Degree in Applied Data Analytics

August 2019, Boston—The Boston University Metropolitan College (MET) Department of Computer Science announces its new Master of Science in Applied Data Analytics (MSADA) program. Launching in fall of 2019, the eight-course (32 credits) degree program will position graduates to meet the growing need for professional analytics talent across industry. “Managers need to know how to handle the explosion of information extracted from very large data sets,” says Dr. Anatoly Temkin, chair of Computer Science. Through a curriculum that develops a substantive foundation in the field of data analytics and emphasizes the practical use of modeling and machine learning to make smarter organizational decisions, the program is to be available online or evenings on campus and can be finished in as few as 16 months.

The new master’s degree is a hands-on program designed for professionals with computer science or engineering backgrounds, or similar experience, who wish to gain an in-depth understanding of Python, R, and the application of concepts and techniques for organizing, cleaning, analyzing, and visualizing large amounts of data. With an emphasis on the computer science elements of data analysis and focus on developing applied knowledge and ability, degree students will gain a working understanding of the latest industry tools and approaches to databases.

Project-driven course work across the program will give students the chance to graduate with a significant portfolio of analytics-based output, priming them to be worthy candidates to enter the field of data science—a realm expected to have nearly 364,000 new job postings nationally by 2020, for a total of more than 2,700,000, according to The Quant Crunch, a report from IBM, the Business-Higher Education Forum, and Burning Glass.

MSADA students will gain extensive exposure to database systems including Oracle, SQL Server, and PostgreSQL; data mining tools like Weka; data visualization tools and packages that include Tableau, ggplot2, Ploty, Matplotlib, and Seaborn; Python packages; R packages; and cloud services such as Amazon AWS, Google Cloud, and Mass Open Cloud. In addition to the program’s six core courses, students may tailor their studies through two relevant electives, which can include advanced databases, data warehouse design and implementation, and big data analytics.

Established by Dr. Suresh Kalathur, director of analytics programs, and Dr. Temkin, the MSADA is the latest addition to MET’s extensive portfolio of analytics-focused programs, which include data analytics concentrations in both the MS in Computer Science and the MS in Computer Information Systems, as well as the MS in Applied Business Analytics offered through the Department of Administrative Sciences. “The MSADA aligns with BU MET’s strategic objective to integrate robust analytics curricula throughout our programs and departments,” says Dean Tanya Zlateva, “and compliments Boston University’s over-arching Data Science Initiative.” The first of its kind at BU, the MET Computer Science department has taken a leadership role in innovation in the field for the more than three decades since its inception.

MSADA students are eligible for financial assistance options that include merit scholarships, graduate assistantships, veterans’ benefits, and employer tuition reimbursement. To learn more about the MSADA program, contact MET’s graduate admissions team at 617-353-6004 or CSAdmissions@bu.edu.

About Boston University

Founded in 1839, Boston University today is internationally recognized as a top institution of higher learning and research. With more than 33,000 students, it is the fourth-largest independent university in the United States. BU consists of 17 schools and colleges, along with a number of multidisciplinary centers and institutes integral to the University’s research and teaching mission. Collectively, the BU network has more than 370,000 alumni, worldwide.

About Metropolitan College

As one of Boston University’s 17-granting degree bodies, Metropolitan College (MET) has helped broaden the reach of BU for more than half a century, providing a flexible learning environment that supports the academic, professional, and intellectual needs of working adults. Along with convenient evening classes, Metropolitan College also offers a variety of high-quality online and blended format programs. Today, the College hosts more than 70 undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs, along with hundreds of individual courses. Community interaction, whether on the local or global level, has always been integral to BU’s mission, and MET upholds that principle by making the University’s resources—intellectual, academic, and physical—accessible to a broad audience of students of all ages, backgrounds, and nationalities. For more information visit bu.edu/met.

About the Department of Computer Science

Established in 1979, the MET Department of Computer Science at Metropolitan College is the longest-running computer science department at Boston University, and has been dedicated to meeting and anticipating the evolving needs of the technology industry with cutting-edge programs since its inception. Driven by exceptional faculty whose scholarly accomplishments and unique industry experience place them among the top of their field, the department is committed to teaching the latest technologies within the framework of ideas, concepts, and methods that drive innovation.