Utica College, or UC, was established as a four-year institution by Syracuse University in 1946 and became a legally and financially independent institution in 1995. Located in Utica, New York, the school began to offer its own undergraduate and graduate degrees in 2011 and 1999, respectively. More than 20,000 students have graduated from Utica, and in 2016, Utica enrolled more than 4,400 students. The school offers 21 graduate programs, 29 undergraduate minors, and 40 undergraduate majors.
Utica College Accreditation Details
Utica College is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
Utica College Application Requirements
Graduate students must submit a completed application, a personal statement, and a $50 application fee. In order to be admitted into the online master’s degree in data science, applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree and maintained a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. The school does not require a GRE or GMAT score for entry. However, students are required to send an official transcript from all previously attended academic institutions. Students may be eligible to transfer up to six graduate credits graded B or higher from an accredited institution.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Utica College stipulates that a full-time student is one who enrolls in at least six credits per semester. An online graduate student who enrolls in at least three credits per semester is considered half-time. Those pursuing the online M.S. in Data Science degree will pay $830 per credit hour. In addition to tuition, students are charged a $70 distance learning fee per online course. Other fees include an $80 graduation fee and a $300 tuition deposit fee. There are two main forms of financial aid available to graduate students attending Utica College: grants and loans, including the Direct Graduate PLUS loan and the Federal Direct Stafford Unsubsidized and Subsidized loans. Utica College is also a Yellow Ribbon participant, offers a 10 percent tuition discount for online students and spouses of military members, ensures financial and academic flexibility for veterans, and provides a full-time, on-campus veterans support staff.
Online Master’s in Data Science Degree Available
The online Master of Science in Data Science from Utica College shows students how to analyze and leverage data in order to gain valuable insights that can lead to innovative solutions and ideas in a variety of fields. Although many other colleges offer data science programs, the M.S. in Data Science from Utica offers a distinct focus on social data, and students are encouraged to understand the impact of their analyses within a societal and organizational context. In addition, students may choose their own specialization track to ensure that they are pursuing an education that best meets their current interests and future career goals.
The online program addresses the increasing need for professionals with strong expertise in research methods and solid analytical skills who can help organizations analyze data and apply the results for positive, meaningful change. These analysis can significantly affect how government agencies, educational institutions, healthcare organizations, and businesses approach policy-making and strategy development.
The online master’s degree in data science curriculums offers specializations in financial crime, business analytics, cybersecurity, social science analytics, and a general option so that students may tailor their degree to match their career goals. For instance, the business analytics specialization focuses on applying data in more commercial contexts, while the social science analytics specialization prepares students for a career path in which policymaking is a focus such as education and healthcare. Similarly, the financial crime and cybersecurity specializations adapt data science theory, research, and techniques for application in those fields. The general track allows students to build their own specialization by choosing any four three-credit graduate-level courses so long as they have approval from the Program Director.
The financial crime specialization is designed for students looking to apply their data science skills and knowledge to advance their ability to manage advanced technological and corporate resources devoted to combating economic crime. Students pursuing this specialization are able to take classes in the M.S. in Financial Crime and Compliance Management program.
Students in the business analytics specialization explore how data science is applied to decision-making and business management. They will learn how to use census information, demographic trends, and other databases to manage risk and predict workforce and market developments.
The cybersecurity track is designed for students looking to apply their knowledge and skills in data science in computer forensic practices and state-of-the-art cybersecurity practices with coursework on planning and leadership specifically adapted to the realm of cyberspace. Students are able to take classes in the M.S. in Cybersecurity program.
The social science analytics specialization is devoted to applying data science to social science policy development and research. Students will develop an understanding of research design, complex organizations and bureaucracy, voter information and poll data, and social trends.
In order to earn the 30-credit-hour degree, students must complete 15 credit hours in data science core courses before completing the program with 12 credit hours in the specialization of their choosing. Core courses emphasize implementing solutions based on data, the social process of making decisions, critical evaluation of data using theoretical models, and research design. Students will cover topics such as data visualization, machine learning, data mining, statistical methods, and an introduction to data science. The program culminates in a three-credit master’s capstone project. Students may complete the program in two years, or five continuous semesters of study.
The M.S. in Data Science was developed to meet the needs of employers, which is why it was designed in collaboration with the regional Data Analytics Consortium. The Consortium is represented by some of the largest employers in New York, including Excellus Blue Cross and Blue Shield, BNY Mellon, and Utica National Insurance. After graduating, students are prepared to work in a wide variety of fields, including healthcare, education, finance, and business. However, any organization that is looking to use information regarding demographics, consumer behavior, and market trends will seek out professionals who have the data science knowledge necessary to interpret such information. Graduates from Utica College with a Master of Science in Data Science degree may seek positions as data visualization scientists, data analytics managers, managers of credit analytics, directors of risk adjustment, vice presidents of analytics, management consultants, market research analysts, survey researchers, operations research analysts, and data scientists.
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