Admissions Requirements for the Online Master of Data Science

Application Materials

Required Materials

Resume or CV

A current resume or CV is required for all applications. Please be as thorough as possible in representing your work and academic history.

Official Transcripts

Either official and unofficial transcripts should be submitted with your application. Upon acceptance into the program, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to course registration.

Statement of Purpose (SOP)

A Statement of Purpose is required for all applicants to the Online Master of Data Science (MDS) program. This statement should clearly and succinctly summarize your past academic and professional experience and achievements, discuss your motivation for seeking the Rice MDS degree, explain your interest in data science, business and data analytics, and/or machine learning and lay out how you plan to apply your training to meet real-world challenges and advance your career. You should also briefly discuss any other factors you would like the admission committee to consider while reviewing your application, such as personal background, work experience, special projects and/or leadership roles.

For resources on how to write a Statement of Purpose, check our resources below:

• Grad school 101: Writing the Personal Statement
• Writing a killer Statement of Purpose

Two Letters of Recommendation

The letters should be from direct supervisors or people in similar roles, professors, research advisors, or others who are familiar with your relevant educational, professional experiences, and interest in data science and analytics. Please do not submit letters from friends or family members. You may submit more than 2, but no less than 2 must be submitted with your application.

$85 Application Fee

You're almost ready for admission! Make sure to include your application fee of $85.00 upon submission.

Optional Materials

GRE

For applicants with a 3.0+ GPA, taking the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required for admission to the Master of Data Science program, but is recommended for all applicants. The GRE is required for applicants with a <2.9 GPA, unless an exception is granted by the Rice Admissions committee.

If you are submitting a GRE ID, you must have taken the GRE within five years of applying.

If GREs are absent from an application, the Admissions committee will consider relevant work experience instead. Although exceptions can be made, applicants who do not have GRE scores are expected to have some full-time work experience in the areas of math, analysis, research, computer science, and/or engineering.

TOEFL/IELTS

TOEFL/IELTS scores are required for any student whose native language is not English. The code to send the electronic scores is: 6609. For the TOEFL score, the minimum is 90 on the iBT and 600 on the paper-based TOEFL.

For students who choose to take the IELTS in lieu of the TOEFL, the minimum score is 7. Students with a degree from a university where English is the official language are exempt from submitting TOEFL/IELTS scores.