Admission Requirements
For admission to the Master of Science program in Data Science, applicants must possess (at the time of enrollment):
- Educational Background: A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in a quantitative field including but not limited to computer science, data science, other computing disciplines, statistics, mathematics, engineering, physics, economics or relevant field is preferred. Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree from disciplines other than stated above shall be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Cumulative G.P.A.: 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in an earned Bachelor’s degree. Applicants with a GPA between 2.5 and 3.0 will be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis and must provide GRE scores.
- GRE Requirements: Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree in computer science, data science, other computing disciplines, statistics, mathematics, engineering, physics, or economics from an accredited institution in the US or Canada with a GPA of at least 3.0 are not required to provide general GRE scores. The waiver of general GRE scores will be considered on a case-by-case basis for applicants form disciplines other than stated above from an accredited institution in the US or Canada. Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree from an institution outside the US or Canada must provide general GRE scores.
- Requirements for Classified Status: To attain fully classified graduate status in the program, students must complete any required prerequisite undergraduate material and have a 3.0 GPA for all work completed as a conditionally classified student. Information about the prerequisite material can be obtained from the [graduate coordinator].
Prerequisites
- Two courses calculus
- One course Linear Algebra
- One course Probability and Statistics
- One course Algorithms and Programming or equivalent work experience (object oriented language such as JAVA or C++ preferred)
- One course Data Structures and Program Design or the equivalent
- One course Advanced Data Structures OR Algorithm Design and Analysis or the equivalent (including experience with hashing, graph data structure, or fundamental graph algorithms)
International applicants
International applicants are only eligible for this fully online program if they reside in their home country or are in the U.S. but do not require an F-1 student visa to be issued. For those students, the English proficiency requirements are listed below:
English Proficiency Requirements
For Non-U.S. Degree and International Students Only
The English language tests and minimum scores listed in the table below are accepted by CSUN for graduate applicants for Master of Science in Data Science.
| Test Name and Website | Minimum Score Required for Graduate Students | Send Score Directly To CSUN |
|---|---|---|
| Cambridge C1 Advanced English (formerly CAE) | 180 | Email “Confirmation of Entry” page to intladm@csun.edu. |
| DET – Duolingo English Test | 105 | Online through your Duolingo Account. See Sending Your Results. |
| EIKEN CSE – Common Scale for English | 2630 (1) | Contact EIKEN online; they will send the score directly to us. |
| GTEC CBT – Global Test of English Communication Computer-Based Test | 1200 | Have GTEC send a copy of your "Official Score Certificate" to CSUN. |
| IELTS - International English Language Test System | 6.5 | Have IELTS send a copy of your "Test Report Form" to CSUN. |
| iTEP Academic - International Test of English Proficiency | 4.0 | Have iTEP send your score to CSUN. |
| PTE Academic - Pearson’s Test of English | 58 | Online through your PTE Academic Account |
| TOEFL - Test of English as a Foreign Language | — Internet Based score: 80 We do not accept TOEFL ITP. | Use CSUN School Code 4707. |
Exception: If a graduate applicant has earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution in the U.S., the TOEFL or other English language proficiency exam is not required.
If a graduate applicant has earned a bachelor's or master's degree from a college or university outside the U.S. where English is the principal language of instruction, the TOEFL or other English language proficiency exam is not required. Please note:
- CSUN interprets "where English is the principal language of instruction" to mean that a school is located in a country where English is the daily medium of communication for the majority of residents, and that students receive academic instruction in English at all levels of education.
- Countries currently meeting the above requirement are: Australia, Belize, Canada, England, Ireland, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, plus a few nations in the Commonwealth Caribbean (Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, and Trinidad and Tobago).
Admission to the University
Students must submit an online application to the program and be admitted prior to taking the first class in the program. Students are required to provide official transcripts from the required institutions of higher education.
Before submitting your application, please ensure you meet all University admission requirements, including a minimum GPA of 2.5.
