About

The Data Science and Engineering programs offered at the University of Maine are intended to meet the growing demand for graduates with core skills in managing and analyzing complex data and analytics challenges. The graduate programs provide a pathway for students from diverse fields to transition to multiple data science and engineering career paths by providing them with core graduate-level courses across the entire spectrum of the data lifecycle.

In support of the interdisciplinary spirit of data science and engineering, the program is designed to accommodate students from a wide range of undergraduate degrees or other graduate degree backgrounds with options for specialization in different domains. A collection of courses with a variety of in-class and online options support students in residence as well as meet the needs of people currently in the workforce or who are otherwise place-bound and need training or retraining in the area of Data Science and Engineering.

Program Highlights

The programs draw upon faculty and courses from throughout the University and other University of Maine System campuses
Students may focus solely on the Data Science and Engineering core or tailor the degree to emphasize one or more domain specializations
- Theme areas
  - Data collection technologies
  - Data representation and management
  - Data analytics
  - Data visualization and human-centered computing
  - Data security, preservation, and reuse
- Domain specializations
  - Spatial informatics
  - Bioinformatics/biomedicine
  - Business information
  - Social and behavioral data science
  - Engineering analytics

Master of Science in Data Science and Engineering

The 30 credit Master of Science (MS) can be completed online or on-campus and will train students in the management, analysis, and visualization of large and complex data sets. The thesis option consists of 24 credits of course work with 6 thesis credits. The non-thesis option consists of 30 credits of course work, 3 of which will be a project or internship course.

Students with undergraduate degrees in any field may apply, however, those with two semesters of calculus (e.g., MAT 126, 127), a semester of statistics (e.g., STS 232 or ECE 316 or CHB 350), and proficiency in programming will have more options for classes they may pursue. Students without these background prerequisites will be required to take foundation courses that will count toward the degree.

Graduate Certificate in Data Science and Engineering

The 15 credit graduate certificate can be completed online or on-campus and is an option for those unsure about committing to a master's degree. Courses taken in the certificate can be used toward the master's degree.

NOTE: If you are an international student who is interested in pursuing any of our graduate certificate programs, please contact Katy Blackmer BEFORE applying.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

A bachelor's degree is required for non-degree, certificate, C.A.S, Ed.S, and doctoral program.

English Program Requirements

An English language proficiency exam is not needed if your undergraduate (or master’s) degree was taught in English or if English is an official language of your home country. The Graduate School accepts TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo and PTE test scores. Some departments may have specific English proficiency requirements, make sure to check with the graduate coordinator.

Fee Information

Application Fee 50

How to Apply

Prepare your essay, resume, recommendation letters, transcripts, test scores, and any additional application materials that may be required.
Create an account for the online application portal by entering your name and email address.
Pay the application fee or receive a fee waiver. Refer to the frequently asked questions section to see if you qualify for a fee waiver.
Submit your application!