Earning a Data Science Degree Through Colorado State University-Global Campus
Colorado State University-Global Campus appears in our ranking of the Top 30 Most Affordable Online Certificates in Business Analytics.
Students interested in earning a data science degree through online only learning can find options at Colorado State University-Global Campus. Also known as CSU Global, the university focuses on providing accredited degrees to students through virtual means.
Students can look for degrees that are closely related to data science through the CSU Global campus. Undergraduates might be interested in information technology, computer science, management information systems or interdisciplinary studies. While pursuing one of these degrees, students can choose to specialize in specific areas that enhance the course of study they have chosen. Some options for specialization may include data management and analysis, cybersecurity, information technology operations or virtualization and cloud computing.
In addition to undergraduate degrees, CSU Global offers certificate programs in a number of fields that may help with a career in data science. These certificates include data management and analysis, cybersecurity, computer programming or information technology operations.
A student who already has an undergraduate degree can choose to pursue a master’s degree through CSU Global. Master’s degrees are offered in data analytics and information technology management. Graduate certificates are available as well.
Students attending CSU Global are expected to have previously completed some college coursework. Each program is a degree completion program, meaning that core education classes can be taken through any accredited university and transferred for credit, up to 90 hours. If a student does not have previous higher education experience, they can take 31 hours of gtPathways classes that provide the educational foundation that is needed. Some of these gtPathways classes include:
- Introduction to Literature
- Mathematical Explorations
- Social and Behavioral Sciences
- Environmental Conservation
- Critical Reasoning
Students may earn credits that can be applied to degrees by using alternative methods. Some students may be able to display existing knowledge through exams, prior learning assessments or self-study assessments. This is particularly true of students who already work in the data science field and may have hands-on knowledge of some of the information covered over the course of degree completion.
About Colorado State University-Global Campus
Colorado State University-Global Campus is an online-only higher education institution. The campus, which is part of the Colorado State University system, was founded in 2007. It was created specifically to address the needs of adult learners hoping to complete degrees or receive graduate degrees or certificates around a busy schedule.
The headquarters of CSU Global are located in Aurora, Colorado, but all learning is done online. Undergraduate classes are mostly taught by instructors rather than professors. These instructors are not required to have terminal degrees. Likewise, they do not have to have degrees in the specific field they are teaching. However, instructors must have at least a master’s degree in a field that is related to the subject they oversee. Conversely, all graduate classes are taught by instructors with terminal degrees in the field they cover.
The school has an enrollment of about 19,000 students. These range from non-degree seeking students to those at the graduate level. Many of the students who attend CSU Global are part of an affiliate program that allows employees of certain agencies to receive discounted tuition. The school partners with over 2,000 corporate and federal agencies to offer this discount. Some of the affiliates include AARP, Boeing, DirecTV and Eli Lilly, among many others.
Colorado State University-Global Campus Accreditation Details
CSU Global is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. This accreditation covers all undergraduate and graduate degrees. It also covers any certificate programs offered by the university.
Colorado State University Application Requirements
Students interested in CSU Global must apply online. Students are considered for admission to the school if they have a high school diploma or GED. Transcripts detailing secondary school graduation are required.
CSU Global places its focus on adult learners. All applicants are expected to have a minimum of two years of employment experience. This must be detailed on a resume that is submitted along with the application. Some students with only one year of work experience may be admitted, but they must obtain a second year of work experience before they begin their second year of studies through CSU Global.
Students, except those who are transferring from other institutions, must be at least 23 years old or out of high school for at least five years.
Non-degree seeking students do not have to meet all of these requirements, but they must have proof of high school graduation or GED.
Tuition and Financial Aid
CSU Global charges tuition based on credit hours. Undergraduate courses are $350 per credit hour. Because most courses are three hours each, the typical cost for taking a class through CSU Global is $1,050. The average annual tuition is $8,400 based on a full-time schedule of 24 credits per year.
Graduate students are charged $500 per credit hour. Most graduate students complete 18 credit hours per year, which is a cost of $9,000.
CSU Global does not charge additional fees to students. Likewise, when a student enrolls, they are tuition locked for the duration of their education.
Students may apply scholarships and/or grants to the cost of their tuition. Students may complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, in order to learn if they qualify for need-based grants and scholarships. The FAFSA is also used to calculate many student loans, including the federal Stafford loan. CSU Global also offers an institutional loan for any student that has completed at least 90 credit hours and does not qualify for federal loans.
CSU Global offers some scholarships to students. These scholarships vary in amounts, but all must be applied to tuition. No institutional scholarships at CSU Global have cash value. Most scholarships are only offered to students who have already completed a specific number of hours with CSU Global. They cannot be applied until all previous bills have been paid.
Students can learn more about data science-related degrees at Colorado State University-Global Campus by visiting the school website.
Related Resources:
- Are Data Science Degrees Expensive?
- How Do I Know if Data Science is a Good Degree Path for Me?
- How Useful is a Data Science Degree?
- 5 Signs of an Innovative Data Science Degree Program
- 20 Best Data Science Bachelor’s Degree Programs
- 30 Best Master’s in Data Science Online Degree Programs