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UBC Master of Data Science Programs

Are you a creative problem solver with a love for data? UBC’s Master of Data Science (MDS) was designed for you. Developed to give students a fast track to a great career, the program is helping to meet a growing need by producing skilled professionals who can turn data into knowledge.

Utilizing descriptive and prescriptive techniques, students extract and analyze data from both unstructured and structured forms, uncover insights, and learn to effectively communicate their results with stakeholders.

87% of our alumni are working full-time as a data scientist 6-months after graduation. They are highly trained, qualified data scientists who can help businesses and organizations, across all domains, improve strategy, products, services, health, safety, and so much more by translating their findings into solutions that enable and inform action.

Who

Students with ANY undergraduate degree, from the Sciences, to the Arts, and Business, who are inquisitive and have a passion for learning

What

10-month, full-time, in-person, accelerated data science masters program

Where

The University of British Columbia, Vancouver or Okanagan campuses

When

Begins each September.

How

An intensive schedule of 24 one-credit courses clustered into four-week segments to provide focus and cover topics in-depth

Why

To translate data into knowledge, communicate its stories, and help decision-makers take action

Which Master of Data Science program is right for you?

Trying to determine which UBC Master of Data Science program is right for you? Here’s a quick breakdown of the similarities and differences between our Vancouver, Okanagan and Computational Linguistics offerings:

  Vancouver Okanagan Computational Linguistics
10-month, full-time, accelerated program Yes Yes Yes
Fundamental data science skills, techniques, and tools   Yes Yes Yes
Curriculum specializing in techniques for processing language data   No No Yes
Real-world data sets from a range of domains integrated into all courses   Yes Yes Yes
8-week capstone project Yes Yes Yes
Industry events and partnerships Yes Yes Yes
Cohort size ~160 students ~60 students ~40 students
Instructors Faculty from Computer Science and Statistics Faculty from Computer Science and Statistics Faculty from Computer Science, Statistics, and Linguistics
Vancouver campus—a bustling, multicultural campus in one of Canada’s top tech expansion destinations Yes No Yes
Kelowna campus—an intimate learning environment in a growing technology centre No Yes No
Vancouver Okanagan Computational Linguistics
yes yes yes
Vancouver Okanagan Computational Linguistics
yes yes yes
Vancouver Okanagan Computational Linguistics
no no yes
Vancouver Okanagan Computational Linguistics
yes yes yes
Vancouver Okanagan Computational Linguistics
yes yes yes
Vancouver Okanagan Computational Linguistics
yes yes yes
Vancouver Okanagan Computational Linguistics
~95 students 40 students max. ~40 students
Vancouver Okanagan Computational Linguistics
Faculty from Computer Science and Statistics. Faculty from Computer Science and Statistics. Faculty from Computer Science, Statistics, and Linguistics.
Vancouver Okanagan Computational Linguistics
no yes no

Learn more about each program

Are You Data Curious?

Are you a naturally inquisitive, creative problem-solver with a love for data? UBC’s Master of Data Science (MDS) was designed for you. An accelerated, 10-month, full-time program gets you into a career faster.

Meet a Graduate

Master of Data Science Okanagan Ricky Heinrich

Ricky Heinrich, MDS Okanagan, Class of 2023

"I appreciated the fact that the UBC MDS program did not require a statistics or computer science undergrad, but rather accepted interdisciplinary backgrounds. This meant not only I could apply, but my peers were sure to come from varied and interesting backgrounds."

Meet More Students & Alumni