St. Mary's College - Data Science Degree Programs Guide

Graduate Degrees in Data Science at St. Mary’s College

See our ranking of the 30 Best Master’s in Data Science Online Degree Programs.

The Data Science program at St. Mary’s College begins with a strong foundation in mathematics. With that improved skill set, the website says, students are prepared to work in more fields than in many other programs. The Master of Science in Data Science degree program allows students to apply during the second semester of their junior year. Undergraduate students can take up to two graduate-level courses as a senior that will help them complete any prerequisites they lack for admission to the program.

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The degree is earned completely online taking two courses a semester for two years. In addition, there are two summer terms. The program includes 30 semester hours plus three hours of practicum. Four credits can be taken as electives or in more practicum, and the degree requires a practicum presentation. There are two campus visits required during the program.

St. Mary’s also has a Four-Plus-One-Degree program in Data Science that allows a student to earn their bachelor’s degree and their graduate degree in five years by taking accelerated courses. The Data Science program builds on basic knowledge and skills developed through the undergraduate portion of the degree and adds graduate-level courses the fourth and fifth years. To participate in online learning at St. Mary’s College, students need a high-speed Internet connection, a webcam and microphone and Microsoft Office. The Data Science Certificate is another choice in this discipline. It can be earned taking two courses per term and includes one mandatory campus visit. Some of the courses in this program are Data Mining, Data Visualization, Statistics and Project Management and Communication.

About St. Mary’s College

St Mary’s College is a private women’s school in Notre Dame, Indiana. It ranks as #101 in the US News and World Report listing of National Liberal Arts Colleges. The school began in 1844 as a pre-college academy. In 1855, it became St. Mary’s Academy and then St. Mary’s College. St. Mary’s prides itself on a long history of adhering to its core values of learning, community, faith, spirituality, and justice. Eighty-seven percent of the instructors hold Ph.D. degrees or the terminal degree in their fields. Most classes have less than twenty students and the student-to-faculty ratio is 10:1. St. Mary’s has an impressive 71 percent four-year graduation rate. The school awards five bachelor’s degrees in 30 majors, two graduate degrees and a doctorate. Although this is a women’s school, all the graduate programs are co-educational. Including students, faculty, and staff, St. Mary’s is a community of about 1600 people.

St. Mary’s College Accreditation Details

St. Mary’s is nationally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Although its Data Science degree does not have special accreditation, it is approved by the Professional Science Master’s program national office.

St. Mary’s College Application Requirements

First-year students applying to St. Mary’s must submit their official high school transcript, their secondary school report, a personal goal essay, their official scores on the SAT or ACT tests and a letter of recommendation. Students applying to the graduate program must have a bachelor’s degree or graduate degree from an accredited institution of higher learning. They should submit their scores from the GMAT or GRE if they do not already have another graduate degree. In addition, they must have education or experience to demonstrate their competency in the field, official transcripts from all post-secondary schools they attended, a resume, a personal statement and a letter of recommendation.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Undergraduate tuition at St. Mary’s College is $38,080. This does not include applicable fees. In addition, the combined room and board is $11, 720. Students will also have expenses related to buying textbooks, materials, and supplies as well as personal expenses. Graduate tuition at the school is $832 per credit hour. There are also fees for individual classes and a $475 annual graduate fee. Books and supplies for graduate programs are estimated at $1,400. You must have a personal computer and pay for an Internet connection. Personal expenses are estimated at $1,100 per year and the lodging for the required campus visit is $250.

Earning an advanced degree is expensive. Students who need help paying for their degree programs should begin by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Assistance. (FAFSA) form. Most students will qualify for a maximum of $20,500 in unsubsidized student loans. There are also subsidized loans for those who qualify by income. The rest of the debt may be covered through federal direct student loans which carry lower interest rates than commercial private loans and allow students to defer repayment until after graduation. There are also special loans for graduate students called Direct Graduate PLUS loans. These are loans that may be offered to parents to assist students in paying their graduate degree debts. Although these loans have the option of deferred repayment as well, borrowers should be aware that the interest on the loans accrues from the date the loans originate and not from the deferred date.

There are also scholarships and grants that cover part or all of student expenses. St. Mary’s offers the AfterCollege Business Scholarship which awards $500 to recipients. The school also has the Lilly Endowment that awards up to $5,000. Generally, most scholarships available through the college will apply to first-year undergraduates. An Internet search should yield information on graduate degree awards through private sources. Sometimes corporations offer scholarships to graduates in pertinent fields or even cover the expenses of employees who earn advanced degrees, on exchange for a student agreement to work for the business.

Loans can be secured from private or commercial lending institutions such as banks, but these generally carry higher interest rates and may not allow deferred repayment. Using a credit card to pay student debt is not advised. The high interest rate and firm repayment schedule may cause students to default and ruin their credit.

Students interested in more information on the Data Science program at this school should visit the St. Mary’s College Website.

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