The Urban Informatics at Northeastern University is a Master program designed for students who want to build the knowledge and skills required for careers in this field. Delivered hybrid across its Boston and Online campuses in United States of America, the program is taught in English and takes 2 years to complete. Students study in a Full Time environment while preparing for future professional opportunities. The next intake starts on January 1, 2027.

About Master of Urban Informatics

Digital data and technology are rapidly transforming the modern city. Across the world, cities have embraced Big Data—statistical modeling and visualization, mapping and spatial analysis, and the implementation of apps and sensor systems to track, understand, and improve urban life. This shift, which has included policymakers, practitioners, and private corporations alike, calls for a new generation of experts—professionals who can navigate the technical and conceptual challenges presented by the city and future city planning.

This cutting-edge, STEM-eligible program is built upon a unique cross-college initiative. It offers comprehensive state-of-the-art training in the core skills of data analytics, including quantitative analysis, data mining, machine learning, and data visualization. Urban informatics students supplement training in these foundational skills with a specialized sequence of courses that address how data and technology are being used to tackle key social, infrastructural, and environmental challenges in cities and urban areas.

You’ll be a part of the next wave of urban professionals ready to lead in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Given the continuous growth in urban data and technology, you’ll be essential to shaping the future of urban areas around the globe.

Learn more about the Master of Science in Urban Informatics from the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, housed within the College of Social Sciences and Humanities.

Register for the next Welcome Day for prospective students here.

More Details

Unique Features

Unrivaled research and experiential learning opportunities: Work with affiliated centers such as the Boston Research Area Initiative and the Dukakis Center. Boston becomes your classroom to observe and study real-world problems in conjunction with local agencies, companies, and nonprofits.
Unique interdisciplinary approach: The program has an interdisciplinary integration of analytic skills with more than a century of in-depth knowledge on urban policy and theory.
Leading faculty: Hear from Dan O’Brien, who has contributed to the tools and ideas that are at the foundation of urban informatics in the program overview below.
Career-advancing degree: Apply skills learned in the program immediately to real-world social, infrastructural, and environmental challenges through cutting-edge research and capstone projects. Attract employers with an e-portfolio that showcases your accomplishments and professional capabilities in data analytics and informatics in the urban context.
Connection with the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs: Be a part of Northeastern University’s School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, housed within the College of Social Sciences and Humanities. This hub for innovative, interdisciplinary research identifies and seeks solutions for issues of pressing concern to society at local, state, national, and international levels—from transportation, housing, and community development to social and environmental justice, resilience, and sustainability.

The Master of Science in Urban Informatics is training a new generation of experts who can navigate the technical and socioeconomic landscape on which life in the city unfolds. With classes on campus and online, the program couples comprehensive data analytics skills with an understanding of the big questions faced by cities in the 21st century. Only a handful of U.S. universities currently offer degrees in urban informatics. Northeastern’s interdisciplinary curriculum, leading faculty, experiential opportunities, and its prime location at the heart of Boston set the university apart from other institutions.

Unrivaled research and experiential learning opportunities: Work with affiliated centers such as the Boston Research Area Initiative and the Dukakis Center. Boston becomes your classroom to observe and study real-world problems in conjunction with local agencies, companies, and nonprofits.
Unique interdisciplinary approach: The program has an interdisciplinary integration of analytic skills with more than a century of in-depth knowledge on urban policy and theory.
Leading faculty: Hear from Dan O’Brien, who has contributed to the tools and ideas that are at the foundation of urban informatics in the program overview below.
Career-advancing degree: Apply skills learned in the program immediately to real-world social, infrastructural, and environmental challenges through cutting-edge research and capstone projects. Attract employers with an e-portfolio that showcases your accomplishments and professional capabilities in data analytics and informatics in the urban context.
Connection with the School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs: Be a part of Northeastern University’s School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs, housed within the College of Social Sciences and Humanities. This hub for innovative, interdisciplinary research identifies and seeks solutions for issues of pressing concern to society at local, state, national, and international levels—from transportation, housing, and community development to social and environmental justice, resilience, and sustainability.

Requirements and Admission Criteria for Master of Urban Informatics at Northeastern University

Entry Requirements

Admissions Dates

Fall Term

Spring Term

Summer 1 Term


Final deadline for international applicants:	June 15
Final deadline for domestic applicants:	August 15
Deadline for Special Student applicants (non-international only):	August 25


Deadline for international applicants:	October 1
Deadline for domestic applicants:	December 15
Deadline for Special Student applicants:	December 15


Domestic applicants only:	April 15

English Requirements

PTEMin 76
IELTSMin 8
TOEFLMin 108

English Program Requirements

Northeastern students will be exposed to not only a rigorous academic environment but also a fast-paced experiential one. In order to be successful in both, all first-year and transfer applicants, regardless of citizenship, must demonstrate proficiency in English to be considered for admission to Northeastern.

Once your application is submitted, received, and processed, you will be able to access your Application Status Check. If you are required to provide further information regarding your proficiency in English, you will be able to complete the requirement in several ways, depending on your familiarity with English, and the frequency with which you use English each and every day:

Non-native English-speaking applicants will be required to submit official and valid results from one of the following English Language Tests:
- C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency (Cambridge English)
- Duolingo English Test (DET)
- IELTS Academic
- PTE Academic
- TOEFL Internt-based Test (CEEB Code: 3667) Northeastern will accept either the in-person version completed in a test center, or the TOEFL iBT Home Edition
However, based on your academic environment and the primary instructional language in either your high school or university, you may be eligible for a waiver. All waivers must be submitted through your Application Status Check. For additional information and to determine whether or not you are eligible for a waiver, please read the section below on waiving the English proficiency requirement.

Please note: Northeastern’s Admissions Committee reserves the right to request proof of English language proficiency from any applicant, regardless of citizenship or first language, at any time during the evaluation process.

Tuition and Fee Information for Master of Urban Informatics at Northeastern University

Application Fee 75

How to Apply for Master of Urban Informatics at Northeastern University

1.Create your application
Submit your application through The Common Application or the Coalition Application (both are accepted). Once you have created your application, please select Northeastern University to directly submit your application to us. Application fee of $75 or need-based fee waiver* *Northeastern accepts need-based fee waivers from the Common Application, the Coalition Application, as well as organizations such as the College Board and ACT, or in a written request from a school official.
2.Submit all required materials
Double check to make sure that you have submitted all required materials. Even if your application has been submitted, we cannot begin reviewing your file until all of your required materials have been received. For applicants applying for the 2022-2023 academic year, Northeastern University is test-optional and does not require standardized testing to complete an application for admission.
3.Check your application status
Within seven days of applying, you should receive a confirmation email containing your Northeastern University ID number and instructions for setting up your Application Status Check account. To ensure all of the necessary documents have been submitted, and for updates or information about your application, visit your application status check.