The MADS program is a unique degree geared toward building practical experience and creating a portfolio of work geared for professional development. This new program comes from the same #1 ranked Information Science program as the on-campus degrees, and is taught by regular University of Michigan School of Information faculty. ‎

The MADS degree is offered only in online format, but the degree diploma and transcript are identical in form to the other graduate programs from the fully-accredited University of Michigan School of Information and do not differentiate between residential and online. ‎

No, there isn’t an equivalent on-campus program.‎

This program is specifically designed to be feasible for working adults to complete. The time needed will vary based on your previous experience, the particular course you’re taking, and how many courses you choose to take at one time.‎

The school year is broken up into three terms of approximately four months each. Courses are typically one month in length and award one credit, with three capstone courses that award 2-3 credits and may last longer than one month. Starting with the Fall 2020 cohort, students will be able to take a full time load, which is equivalent to 16 credits. Students will complete 34 credits to graduate from the program.‎

Depending on how many courses you take concurrently, you may finish the program in 12, 20, or 24 months. You may choose to take longer.‎

Graduates of this program will be prepared to become data scientists in the fields of their choice. Graduates from the on-campus Master of Science in Information program have a 98%+ job placement rate and go on to become Data Scientists at top companies such as Google, Facebook, and Amazon.‎

No. The program has been designed so that you can move quickly through courses where you already have previous experience.‎

Yes, students get direct access to faculty and TAs through live office hours and email conversations.‎

Yes, through the courses you will work alongside and on projects with students from around the world. There will be synchronous sessions weekly where you will have the opportunity to attend a virtual classroom and be online with classmates, and our experience suggests that strong bonds and study groups will often arise during your classes. ‎

Yes, your instructors are the same ones that teach on campus in Michigan.‎

To increase global access to this high-quality degree program, learners will be able to pursue their MADS degree through a 100% online format. Course information is viewed via a web browser.‎

At this point, no. If you’re in the degree program, there will be a brief add/drop period at the beginning of each course where you can see upcoming material.‎

Email us anytime for information at umsi.mads@umich.edu.‎

You can explore the MADS curriculum here. The rigorous curriculum prepares students to be leaders in the field by combining core data science courses (machine learning, natural language processing) with courses on persuasive communication, privacy, and data ethics. Students will work with real-world data sets from top companies. ‎

No. There are themes and varied applications within the curriculum, where students will be able to use data sets that are relevant to their interests.‎

Starting with the Fall 2020 cohort, students may take a full time load. A total of 34 credits will be needed to complete the program, with multiple credits included in three capstone course series.‎

There will be several asynchronous sessions per week, designed to accommodate a variety of student schedules in different time zones.‎

Internships are not a required part of the program, but students will have opportunities and support for internships during the degree.‎

Applicants for the degree program must have:

• An undergraduate degree
• Foundational Python programming language and introductory statistics. (Applicants will take one assessment.)
  • Students who need a refresher on statistics are encouraged to take the Statistics with Python Specialization
  • If applicants have already completed the entire Python 3 Programming Specialization that is offered on Coursera by the time of application, applicants will only be tested on introductory statistics. If applicants have not completed the Python 3 Programming Specialization (or don’t need to) they will take an assessment that tests both Python and statistics.
• TOEFL exam for non-native speakers of English (exemptions in place if the applicant(s) completed a degree entirely in English).
• No Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or other exams required.

Read more about the application process here.‎

Applicants are not required to have an advanced technical background — all you need is basic statistics and Python proficiency. These skills can be learned through Statistics for Python and Python Fluency, which are available now on Coursera. All applicants will take one assessment in foundational Python programming language and introductory statistics before being fully admitted. ‎

A bachelor's degree is required. There is no minimum GPA requirement, but the university encourages 3.0 and above. No GRE is required. Work experience in a technical field is not required.‎

We are interested in students with a passion for self-directed learning and a commitment to lifelong learning in all forms. If you lack certain requirements, taking and succeeding in online courses such as those offered on Coursera can help make your application stand out. ‎

Our application process is holistic, which is to say that we consider all aspects of your experience prior to applying, including both scholastic and career achievement. Specific work experience is not required, but it will be considered in your favor if included in the application. Basic statistics and Python proficiency are required, but you may learn these through traditional or online classes, rather than through employment.‎

The application fee for the MADS degree is the same for other University of Michigan School of Information master’s degrees. This year, those fees are $75 for U.S. residents and $90 for international applicants. Fee waivers are available for eligible applicants.‎

Visit our application. For more detailed information about application requirements, see visit the admissions criteria website. ‎

Yes, the University of Michigan School of Information is committed to providing education to highly qualified students regardless of financial status. Learn more.‎

For the 2020-2021 academic year* tuition is $950 per credit for State of Michigan residents and $1,267 per credit for non-residents. There are also additional fees (approximately $165 a semester).

The total cost of the 34-credit degree is about $31,688 for in-state students and $42,262 for out-of-state students. While courses are typically one month in duration, tuition is billed on a traditional semester basis including all courses that you would take during those four months, and billed roughly three times a year.

* Please note: All final tuition rates (including annual increases) are approved by the University of Michigan Board of Regents every June, so these figures are solely for estimating purposes.‎

Students will have access to the 540k strong alumni network, as well as resume assistance and job boards. Students will also have access to corporate partnerships that the program has built with top companies.‎

All students will have school email addresses, as well as access to support from UMSI. All students will be invited to graduate alongside other students on-campus when they complete the program.‎

Students will be invited to formal activities such as UMSI Convocation and Commencement. MADS students may join UMSI student clubs and activities.‎

Non-native English speakers will need to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and submit scores to the school. A score of at least 100 on the Internet-based Test (IBT) is required for admission. For information, see the admissions critera. ‎

We require one scanned or electronic transcript uploaded to the online application or mailed directly to us for all undergraduate and/or graduate programs from which you have degree(s). We will accept unofficial transcripts for application review, and will require official transcripts if offered admission.

If you have not yet completed your baccalaureate degree, you may submit a current (in-progress) transcript now, and a final transcript showing degree conferral upon graduation.‎