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Data Analytics – M.S.

MASTER OF SCIENCE Data Analytics

Where others see chaos, you see connections. You turn raw data into mission-critical information. Make your career potential as boundless as your dataset. Make your career potential as boundless as your dataset.

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Named a "Best Value School" by University Research & Review for four consecutive years.

Best Value School according to University Research and Review

Overview
Earn your IT data analytics master’s degree and industry-recognized certifications online.
Data is big business, and the demand for candidates to fill leadership roles is far greater than the number of qualified analysts available. With your M.S. Data Analytics degree, you’ll be a data mining, management, mapping, and munging expert, allowing you to increase your earning potential and maximize opportunities for career advancement.

In addition to earning your master's degree, as you complete the coursework for this program you will earn the following certifications—exam costs covered by your low, flat tuition and fees:

SAS Certified Statistical Business Analyst Using SAS 9

SAS Certified Base Programmer for SAS 9

Earning these certs on the way to your master's gives your résumé an immediate boost as soon as you've earned them, even before you complete your degree.
87% of graduates finish in

6–18 mos.

WGU lets you move more quickly through material you already know and advance as soon as you're ready. The result: You may finish faster.
See how it works

Tuition per 6-month term is

$3,540

Tuition charged per term—rather than per credit—helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees. Finish faster, pay less!
See how time is money

Certifications that may transfer:

3

Your Oracle SQL Expert, SAS Certified Base Programmer for SAS 9, or SAS Certified Statistical Business Analyst Using SAS 9 certs may waive course requirements.
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Tuition as of January 1, 2019.
The need for data analytics experts will only increase.

When properly analyzed, every transaction—commercial, medical, social, or academic—can help lead to better business decisions and outcomes in your industry. And as the amount of data rapidly increases, so does the need for qualified data analysts. Students who earn a master’s degree in data analytics will be prepared to maximize leadership opportunities in careers including:
Data analyst

Data administrator

Business analyst

Data engineer

Business intelligence analyst

Information research scientist

Advanced analytics expert
Learn about our grads' careers
What you’ll learn: relevant, up-to-date curriculum developed by data experts.

At the core of WGU’s M.S. Data Analytics degree program is a set of competencies—core concepts you need to master in order to be a successful leader in data analytics.

Download Program Guide

The WGU M.S. Data Analytics degree program was designed, and is regularly updated, with input from the experts on our Information Technology Program Council. This ensures that you learn best practices for the latest developments in data analytics.
Key Subject Areas

Your program consists of courses focused on making the most of data, including:

Fundamentals of Data Analytics

Statistics for Data Analysis

Data Mining and Analytics I

Data Mining and Analytics II

Programming in Python

R for Data Analysts

Advanced Data Visualization

SAS Programming I: Fundamentals

SAS Programming II: Business Analysis Applications

Data Analytics Graduate Capstone

SQL for Data Analysis

See all courses
Certs Included in Coursework

You will study for and complete these exams at no extra cost:

SAS Certified Base Programmer for SAS 9 Credential

SAS Certified Statistical Business Analyst Using SAS 9

Explore the curriculum
The WGU Difference

We reimagined the path to a degree. How it works for you:

It’s doable.
Efficient, flexible, individualized, and supportive, WGU puts you in the driver’s seat—allowing you to advance as quickly as you're able.

It’s surprisingly affordable.
Low, flat-rate tuition and the opportunity to speed up your program allow you to control the cost of your education.

It’s worth it.
Employers love WGU graduates. And grads report greater satisfaction, career advancement, and income growth after earning a WGU degree.

See how we do it
A supported, personalized experience.

WGU is unlike any university you’ve experienced before—in the best possible way! Take a look at what we mean:

Faculty Learning Assessment Capstone Alumni Support

Faculty

SUPPORTING YOU: Faculty focused on students.

An entire team of faculty members has one goal in mind: your success. Your Program Mentor is your individually assigned faculty member, providing regular program guidance and instruction from the day you start, to the day you graduate. In addition, Course Instructors provide regular, subject-matter instruction and support, typically one-on-one, throughout each course you take.

Learning

YOUR ROADMAP: A personalized learning plan.

Your program is made up of a series of courses, each a personalized journey toward subject mastery. A preassessment provides insight into what you already know. You’ll then learn what you still need to learn, using online learning resources—available 24/7—along with one-on-one or cohort-based faculty instruction.

Assessment

PROVE IT: Show you know your stuff.

WGU measures learning, not time, so each course culminates in an assessment—a test, paper, project, or certification that allows you to prove what you know. As soon as you’re ready, take the assessment—including the ability to take proctored exams from the comfort of your own home— via webcam, any time of day!

Capstone

APPLY IT: Solve a problem.

Throughout your program, you will focus on acquiring and proving specific competencies. At program’s end, you’ll complete a final capstone project that allows you to show off everything you’ve learned by proposing a solution to an relevant issue in your industry. Your mentor can help you select your capstone topic.

Alumni Support

ALWAYS a Night Owl.

Continued support after you graduate includes many opportunities for professional development and enrichment, career support, and networking. Night Owls may be independent learners, but they also become highly engaged in our active alumni community through apps, groups, and events.

The accreditation you need, plus industry respect and recognition.

Accredited

Western Governors University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), which provides the accreditation of many other major institutions, such as the University of Washington, University of Oregon, Gonzaga University, University of Utah, University of Idaho, and Brigham Young University, to name just a few.

Respected

Recognized

“I’m impressed by the results in places like Western Governors University. Its low-cost online programs rely on competency-based progression, not class time or credit hours. It uses external assessments to evaluate student proficiency.”
Bill Gates
“Why American Colleges Have to Change”

Accredited

Respected

Recognized

Our programs check all the boxes. If this degree is your goal, get started toward becoming a student today—programs start the first of each month.

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Cost & Time
When we say affordable, we mean it.

$3,540

Tuition per 6-month term

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+$295

Resource and Program Fees, per term

=

=$3,835

TOTAL PER TERM

+$65

One-time application fee

Apply FREE this week

$295 per-term fees include Resource Fee of $145 (covers all e-books and learning resources, saving you hundreds per term) and Program Fee of $150 (covers additional costs specific to this program).
Control the cost of your program: Our tuition links cost to time.

By charging per term rather than per credit, WGU empowers students to get the most for their education dollars. You can accelerate through material you already know or are able to learn quickly, allowing you to control how much your degree will ultimately cost.
Flat-rate tuition of $3,835 per term links cost to time.

By charging per 6-month term rather than per credit hour—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or can learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their degrees.

Adjust the time and see your costs change

Your time

2 yrs

Your cost

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1 yr
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There's help if you need it.

Financial aid is available.

WGU is approved for federal financial aid and U.S. veterans benefits.

View more about financial aid.

WGU students borrow less than half the national average.

Our goal: You graduate with little or no debt.

The average student loan debt of WGU graduates in 2016 (among those who borrowed) was less than half the national average. WGU’s three-pronged approach to keeping your debt low and your return on investment quick: One, provide useful information and advice on responsible borrowing before enrollment. Two, keep tuition low while you're enrolled. And three, offer degree programs that lead to better-paying jobs after graduation.

Read about our Responsible Borrowing Initiative.

Degree Cost Comparison*

For-Profit Online University

Other Nonprofit Online University

WGU

A master’s degree in data analytics for about half what you’d pay elsewhere.

Low tuition and the ability to accelerate make WGU more affordable than most other schools. When you compare us with other programs, WGU’s Master of Science Data Analytics degree program offers rigorous curriculum with competitive post-graduation results for about half what you'd pay at another university—or even less.

*Estimates based on July 2017 WGU and comparable universities' tuition data. Learn more about WGU's tuition and how it compares.

Transparent fees and no hidden costs.

The cost of attending college often includes much more than tuition and fees. WGU is designed to be a different kind of university, and that translates to cost savings everywhere from books to babysitting.

Other universities bury you in unexpected costs. Not WGU.

Click to explore the extra costs:

Tuition Books

Parking Gas

Library / resource fees Babysitter every week for
nighttime classes

WGU

Other online college

Traditional
4 year school

This demonstration shows how various costs—including official fees and incidental costs of attending school—can add up in different learning environments. It's meant as an illustration only.

Scholarships make our already-low tuition even more affordable.

Many scholarship opportunities are available. Here are a few you may be eligible to apply for:

$2,000

Superhero within Scholarship

$2,000

Women in Leadership Scholarship

$2,000

WGU Alumni Master's Scholarship

The affordable, flexible programs offered at WGU put high-quality education within your reach. Start working toward your future.

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Courses & Competencies

Curriculum that ensures you’ve mastered the things employers want you to know.

Program consists of:
11 Courses
Total courses in program
Download Program Guide

At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to ensure your degree is proof you really know your stuff.

Every course focuses on a set of clearly defined competencies that you must prove you’ve learned—through tests, papers, projects, or other assessments. Demonstrating mastery is how you pass a course, so learning what it takes to be outstanding in your career is at the heart of WGU’s M.S. Data Analytics curriculum.

That means what you learn is often directly applicable the next day at work—and it means what you’re doing at work frequently informs the work you’re doing in your courses. It’s all about real-world applicability so every moment spent studying is time well spent.

Courses in this degree program.

This information technology degree program is composed of the following courses. You will typically complete them one at a time as you make your way through your program, working with your Program Mentor each term to build your personalized Degree Plan. You’ll work through each course as quickly as you can study and learn the material. As soon as you’re ready, you’ll pass the assessment, complete the course, and move on. This means you can finish as many courses as you're able in a term at no additional cost.

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Fundamentals

Fundamentals of Data Analytics

This course provides an introduction to a variety of tools and techniques used in the field of data analytics. Students will summarize data, review statistical models, explore data mining techniques, and contemplate ethical considerations associated with the field of data analytics. This course presents a survey of concepts which will be explored more in depth in subsequent courses in the MS Data Analytics program.

Statistics for Data Analysis

This course covers a broad range of statistical techniques and methods applied in real-world settings. Topics presented include inferential, parametric and non-parametric statistics, as well as regression analysis and analysis of variance.

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Data Analytics

Data Mining and Analytics I

This course is an introduction to data mining and exploratory data analysis, including text and web mining. Topics include the use of data exploration methods to prepare data; familiarization with commercial data types commonly used for data mining; the use of statistical and data mining software, including R, SAS and SPSS; and the comparison and classification of data mining methods.

Data Mining and Analytics II

This course examines the application of descriptive and predictive data mining techniques to reveal information within a mass of data. Techniques include factor analysis, cluster analysis, classification methods, and neural networks to limit human subjectivity in decision-making processes.

Programming in Python

Programming in Python provides an overview of the Python programming language to graduate students in the Master of Science in Data Analytics program. This course presents the basics of programming with Python as well as the use of powerful libraries to perform common tasks with ease. In addition, students will learn how to perform screen scraping, a useful way to gather data from the world wide web. There are no prerequisites for this course.

R for Data Analysts

R for Data Analysts presents the R language, which provides a wide range of statistical functions. The course covers the basics needed to manipulate data sets as well as statistical and graphical functions needed for data analysis. Programming in Python is a prerequisite to this course.

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Communication

Advanced Data Visualization

The focus of this course is visualizing and telling stories with data. This course begins with a description of the growth of data and visualization in industry, news, and government. Actual human stories will be reviewed from a data-statistical perspective. This course will examine how the creation of graphs, displays, and geospatial data presentations communicates information that supporting decision-making while implementing best practices for effective storytelling.

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Programming

SAS Programming I: Fundamentals

This course prepares the student for the Base Programmer for SAS 9.4 Certification (A00-231). Students will achieve competencies in SAS programming that will allow them to import and export raw data files, manipulate and transform data, combine SAS data sets, identify and correct syntax errors, and write SAS code on the SAS platform.

SAS Programming II: Business Analysis Applications

This course prepares the student for the SAS Statistical Business Analyst for SAS 9 Certification (A00-240). Students will gain competency to conduct, interpret, and present complex statistical data analysis in the SAS platform.

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Capstone

Data Analytics Graduate Capstone

The Data Analytics Graduate Capstone course allows the student to demonstrate their application of the academic and professional abilities developed as a graduate student. The capstone challenges students to integrate skills and knowledge from several program domains into one project.

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Data Manipulation

SQL for Data Analysis

SQL for Data Analysis provides students the knowledge and tools necessary to master the SQL language. With a focus on data analysis, this course will allow students to restrict and sort data; create schema objects; control user access; manage data, objects, and tables; and perform data analysis. This course has no prerequisites.

Plan to work hard: Program requirements and expectations.

The M.S. Data Analytics degree program is an all-online program that you will complete through independent study with the support of WGU faculty. You will be expected to complete at least 8 competency units (WGU's equivalent of the credit hour) each 6-month term. (Each course is typically 3 or 4 units).

The first person you speak with at WGU will be your Enrollment Counselor, who can explain requirements and expectations in more detail. You can also read more about each course in the Program Guide.

Request info from an Enrollment Counselor.

Download the Program Guide.

Special requirements for this program:

Capstone project: At the end of your degree program, you will complete a capstone project that represents the culmination of all your hard work—a project that allows you to take what you’ve learned and apply it to a real-world situation, proposing a solution to an actual issue you face in your place of business

Give your résumé the boost it needs!

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Quality you can trust: Curriculum developed with guidance from IT leaders and experts.

Program councils—teams of industry and academic experts—drive the creation of our degree programs, providing input on the competencies a successful graduate needs to have mastered.
How You'll Learn

Competency-based education puts working IT professionals in the driver’s seat of their education.

One of the things that makes WGU a different kind of university is competency-based learning. Competency-based degree programs allow you to speed up your progress—no waiting for other class members, no waiting for a new semester to start.

Already familiar with a subject? Review the material, take the assessment, and move on. Taking a course in a subject that’s new for you? Maximize all available resources and ensure you’re comfortable with the material when you take the assessment.

“WGU’s advantage is its flexibility. The education itself is top-notch, and the flexibility allows busy people to get through school. I recommend WGU to everybody, particularly in IT fields. The certifications you get at WGU are fantastic—some of the best in the industry.” Ken Krauss
M.S. Information Security and Assurance, 2015

Designed for working professionals.

At WGU, you’re not committed to attend class at a set time, complete homework on a professor’s schedule, or log “attendance” hours. You’ll earn your degree by proving what you know. Whether you’re a quick-study, have extra time to dedicate to your program, or can draw on your years of data experience, you can put these advantages to good use: graduating faster.

When you’re comfortable with a course’s material, you’ll prove your competency through tests, papers, projects, or other assessments, earning respected credentials and certifications designed to prepare you prepare for increased success and career advancement.

Competency-Based Education (CBE)

How it helps you

Efficient

Save time and money by focusing your efforts where they matter the most.

Because all of WGU’s M.S. Data Analytics courses are online with no set meeting times, you can study whenever and wherever works best for you. Early in the morning, on weekends, or even at your child’s soccer practice. Earning a degree will take hard work, but you can fit your study around your existing commitments, not the other way around.

Flexible

Learn on your own terms.

Some people do their best studying in the early mornings, before going in to work; others are most energized when they come home in the evenings. Sometimes work gets crazy; and sometimes, it gets really crazy—deadlines loom, you hit the busy season, and then you enjoy the relative quiet of “down time.” While you will be required to maintain a base level of consistent progress through your program, WGU is designed to empower you to maximize your personal schedule by allowing you to build a study plan that fits into your life—not one that requires you to rearrange it.

Results

Know you’re learning real-world skills.

You will frequently find that what you learn in your courses can be directly applied to what you are doing at work, which can improve your effectiveness as well as expand your education.

Finish courses by proving what you know, as soon as you’re ready.

With competency-based education at WGU, success is measured by actual learning, not class time. You advance by demonstrating that you've mastered the course subject matter—whether you learned it through your study at WGU or picked up that knowledge through years of work experience.

Your progress through a course is driven by you.

How quickly you learn

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The time you devote to studying

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How much previous knowledge you bring

Your experience pays at WGU.

Why start from square one when you could already be well on your way to a degree?

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Career Outlook
Set goals. Get results. Data leadership careers start with a master’s degree in data analytics.

Our economy runs on data, and the amount of data we use is growing at an unprecedented rate. Every industry from advertising to zoology is going digital, and almost all organizations need experts who can maximize that data. When you have completed your data analytics degree program online, your skills will already be in high demand. The knowledge, techniques, and certifications you’ll earn as you complete your degree will provide you with all the tools necessary for a for a successful career.

Become an expert in data analytics.

Get salary info, job and industry outlook, work environment description, and more.

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WGU is a university committed to producing successful grads.

The ultimate test of your degree's value is whether it helps you become an outstanding employee and advance your career. Our happy grads—and their happy employers—confirm that WGU is the path to that kind of degree.
Happy employers

Happy grads

They're Prepared.

Employers said that WGU graduates were prepared for their jobs.

They Perform.

Employers rated WGU graduates' job performance as very good or excellent.

They Wow.

Employers said their WGU graduates have exceeded their expectations.

They're Confident.

Graduates said the majority of their coursework was related to their jobs.

They're Working.

Graduates are working full-time.

They're Satisfied.

Graduates said their degrees were worth the cost of their education.

Source: 2016 Harris Poll survey of 301 employers; 2016 Harris Poll Online survey of 1,403 new college graduates nationwide compared with survey of 1,207 WGU graduates; WGU--Gallup 2016 Report
"WGU gives students the ability to really assemble the complete package, from the subject matter to the specific skills to the certification that gives employers confidence when they're making a hiring decision." Brad Smith
President and Chief Legal Officer, Microsoft

Close the gap between you and your dreams.

Online degree programs start every month.

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Admissions
Your master's degree is within reach—start by completing your admissions application today.

Next Possible Start

Aug 1

Start dates are the 1st of every month. Discuss steps and deadlines with your Enrollment Counselor.
APPLY TODAY

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Download now

Get your questions answered and take the next step: Talk to an Enrollment Counselor.

866-225-5948
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Your Enrollment Counselor is there to help you make an informed decision.
The first step toward change can be the hardest—we get it. Your "welcoming committee" at WGU is made up of Enrollment Counselors, Admissions Specialists, and faculty members. Your initial interactions at WGU will be guided by an Enrollment Counselor who specializes in the programs you're interested in.

Your Enrollment Counselor is ready with as much help as you may need:

Get your cost and admissions criteria questions answered.

Assess WGU's fit with your career goals.

Get started toward enrollment!

Contact an Enrollment Counselor.
Admission requirements unique to this degree.
To be considered for this program, you must:

Possess a bachelor’s degree from a regionally or nationally accredited institution.

Demonstrate experience with data analysis through at least one of the following methods:

Option 1: Possess a bachelor’s degree in information systems, systems engineering, data management, data analysis, computer science, mathematics, software, statistics, accounting/finance.

Option 2: Hold an Udacity nanodegree in data analytics.

Option 3: Submit a résumé for review showing at least 3 years of significant and recent experience in data analysis.

Option 4: Provide verification of a current Oracle SQL, Oracle BI, or SAS certification that has been earned in the past five years.

View general admission requirements
Making an informed admission decision.

WGU seeks to admit individuals who have the capacity and determination to complete a rigorous WGU degree program…and graduate. The admission process is designed to help you and the university reach an informed decision about your likelihood of success.

At WGU we want you to graduate, not just enroll. Consequently, not every applicant is admitted because not every individual has the capacity and determination to complete a rigorous WGU degree program.
Your existing IT certifications may transfer to WGU.

See which certs transfer.

Common questions about enrolling in a College of IT degree program.

What if I can't meet the eligibility requirements to enroll in the IT program I am interested in?

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You should speak with an Enrollment Counselor. WGU can often provide advice or resources to help a prospective student fulfill enrollment prerequisites.

Why are certifications and other prerequisites required?

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When you enroll in a WGU degree program, our goal is to see you through to graduation. Admission requirements are designed to increase your likelihood of success. Years of data and experience with the nontraditional students WGU serves have shown us how various types of academic and professional experience can be highly important in helping a student persist to graduation. Industry certifications are one of many ways a student can meet eligibility.

Why doesn't WGU accept certifications that are older than five years?

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WGU has an obligation to our graduates—and their current and future employers—to ensure WGU alumni have mastered the the most up-to-date, current competencies and skills needed in the workplace. Recency of certifications helps us ensure that students have demonstrated competency in skills as they are needed in today's working world.

Is this program truly "at your own pace"?

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As a full-time student, you will be required to maintain a minimum pace of 12 competency units (CUs) per term for undergraduate programs or 8 CUs per term for graduate programs. However, there is no maximum speed—once you complete a course, you move immediately to the next, and you complete a course not by waiting for the syllabus, the professor, or the rest of the class. You progress by learning the material and proving it—so you can move through your coursework at the speed of your own learning and experience.

If there aren't classes or lectures, what role do Course Instructors play?

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Course Instructors are highly educated, experienced experts in the subject matter of a course. Unlike in a traditional university where going to class means listening to an instructor lecture while you take notes and try to learn in a group setting, WGU's Course Instructors provide one-on-one instruction and support when you need it—tailoring the instruction to your precise needs when you need it. Course Instructors also provide additional resources, lead topical discussions in online communities, and find countless other ways to bring a specific course to life for students.

Have more questions? We're here to answer them!
Speak with an Enrollment Counselor.

“From the very beginning, the whole process was very smooth. My enrollment counselors were knowledgeable and helpful. If I did run into any kind of little snag, somebody was always there to help me.” Cindy Krupinski
B.S. Information Technology

WGU is school on your terms.

School can fit into your life—start working toward your better future now.

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